Fermented Cherry Tomatoes

Fermented cherry tomatoes are slightly sour and naturally probiotic. You can eat them as a side dish or add them in salads. 

These fermented cherry tomatoes are easy-peasy to make. This is a perfect beginner recipe, if you are new to fermenting vegetables. Once you get more comfortable with fermentation, try this wild fermented salsa next.

Fermented Cherry Tomato Ingredients

Here is everything you will need to make this fermented tomato recipe.

• Water: Use filtered and previously-boiled water to minimize chemical contaminants. This will maximize the chance of a successful fermentation. 
• Sea salt: I recommend using a natural sea salt. Alternatively, you can also use a natural Himalayan pink salt. But make sure to avoid iodized table salt, which may affect bacteria growth. 
• Garlic
• Mustard seeds
• Black peppercorns
• Fresh dill
• Cherry tomatoes: I prefer the tomato varieties with thinner skins. 

How to Ferment Cherry Tomatoes

1. Mix the water and salt together. Stir to dissolve the salt.
2. In a glass jar, place the garlic, mustard seeds, black peppercorn, fresh dill in the bottom.
3. Add cherry tomatoes on top of the herbs and spices in the glass jar. Pour the salt water into the jar to cover the cherry tomatoes.
4. Seal the jar with a lid, and let them ferment in a dark spot for about 7 days, until they reach the desired flavour and softness. The tomatoes will start to produce bubbles when fermentation begins. Open the jar daily to release gas.

Fermentation and Storage Tips

You can taste the cherry tomatoes around 5 to 7 days of fermentation. The longer they ferment, the more flavours they will take on from the brine, and the softer they will become. If they haven’t reached the flavour and texture you desire, you can ferment them for a few days longer and continue checking on them. I find the cherry tomatoes with thicker skin require a longer fermentation time. If the cherry tomatoes are fermented for too long, they begin to crack and break down into the brine. The ideal window to eat these cherry tomatoes is when they have soften, but before they begin to fall apart. Store the fermented cherry tomatoes in the brine, in sealed glass jars, inside the fridge. 

Lacto-Fermentation Salt Brine

In this recipe, I am using a 4% salt brine, which equals to 1 tablespoon of sea salt for every 2 cups of water. I explained the different percentages of salt brine in details in the pickle recipe. 

Related: More Fermentation Recipes You Will Love

• Homemade Fermented Sauerkraut /w Caraway Seeds
• Pineapple-Turmeric-Ginger Probiotic Sauerkraut
• Paleo Apple-Fermented Kimchi
• Keto Kimchi (Whole 30, GAPS, Paleo)
• Fermented Pickles /w Green Tea and Dill Flowers
• Wild Fermented Salsa (No Whey, Probiotic, Vegan)
• 11 Important Things To Know for a Successful Kombucha Brew
• Kombucha Carbonation and Flavouring Tips: The Second Fermentation

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Fermented Cherry Tomatoes

Fermented cherry tomatoes are slightly sour and naturally probiotic. You can eat them as a side dish or add them in salads.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Ferment Time: 7 days days

Total Time: 7 days days 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 quart

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Yang

Cost: $8

Equipment

• Wide Mouth Mason Jars (32 oz.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 3 garlic cloves sliced
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• 3 sprigs fresh dill
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• Mix the water and salt together. Stir to dissolve the salt.
• In a glass jar, place the garlic, mustard seeds, black peppercorn, fresh dill in the bottom.
• Add cherry tomatoes on top of the herbs and spices in the glass jar. Pour the salt water into the jar to cover the cherry tomatoes.
• Seal the jar with a lid, and let them ferment in a dark spot for about 7 days, until they reach the desired flavour and softness. The tomatoes will start to produce bubbles when fermentation begins. Open the jar daily to release gas. 

Video

Notes

You can taste the cherry tomatoes around 5 to 7 days of fermentation. The longer they ferment, the more flavours they will take on from the brine, and the softer they will become. If they haven't reached the flavour and texture you desire, you can ferment them for a few days longer and continue checking on them. I find the cherry tomatoes with thicker skin require a longer fermentation time. If the cherry tomatoes are fermented for too long, they begin to crack and break down into the brine. The ideal window to eat these cherry tomatoes is when they have soften, but before they begin to fall apart. Store the fermented cherry tomatoes in the brine, in sealed glass jars, inside the fridge. 

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal

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