tomatoes -

Lacto fermentation is a good way to get good bugs into your gut! It’s the same process by which sauerkraut is made, and this salsa dip recipe is one of the easiest ways to get it done!

Now that the summer sun is blazing, you may be starting to get a bounty of tomatoes. Making this salsa dip (and preserving it via lacto fermentation) is a great way to use and save your tomatoes. Even if you don’t grow them yourself, there should be a good supply of fresh, affordable tomatoes at the grocery store and farmers market for you to stock up on.

If canning tomatoes or making sauerkraut have intimidated you to this point, this salsa dip recipe will be an easy introduction to the concept of both- preserving tomatoes and getting in some good gut bugs via lacto fermentation.

If you’re new to lacto fermentation, it’s an easy and effective way to get probiotics into your gut via food vs. a commercial probiotic (I think it’s great to do both!). Let’s dive in to why lacto fermentation is so wonderful!

What is lacto fermentation?

Fermentation is as old as life itself. At some point, humans learned to guide the process to repeat especially tasty results. These processes have been handed down and passed around, creating beloved foods and national dishes. The most familiar fermented foods are made using lacto fermentation.

“Lacto” refers to a specific species of bacteria called Lactobacillus. Strains of these bacteria are present on the surface of all plants, especially those growing close to the ground, and are also common to the gastrointestinal tracts, mouths, and vaginas of humans and other animal species.

Lactobacillus bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid.

Beyond preservation advantages, lacto fermentation also increases or preserves the vitamin and enzyme levels, as well as digestibility, of the fermented food. The lactobacillus bacteria are known as pro-biotic (PRO-life), which makes lacto fermented foods good for gut health.

It’s so important to eat a variety of fermented foods daily in order to get a wide variety of healthy bacteria into your gut. Because the gut hosts the majority of the immune system, a healthy gut means a healthy overall body and decreased sickness.

The gut is also known as the “second brain,” which means a healthy gut also means a healthy brain! Recipes like this fermented salsa dip, as well as pickles, are a great way to get some good gut bugs into kids as well.

How does lacto fermentation work?

Lacto fermentation involves submerging vegetables into a solution of water and salt (you can also add a “starter” from a previous batch of fermented veggies), then allowing them to sit for a period of time. The Lactobacillus bacteria will convert the sugars in the vegetables into lactic acid, which then preserves the vegetables, as well as increases the enzymes and probiotic content.

Are pickled and fermented the same thing?

“Pickling” often involves preserving cucumbers or other vegetables with vinegar. This does not create probiotics or any real health benefits. Lacto fermentation is a type of pickling that offers awesome health benefits!

What kind of vegetables can you ferment?

You can ferment just about any kind of vegetable. For instance, cabbage is turned into sauerkraut and kimchi; cucumbers are turned into pickles; tomatoes can be turned into a salsa dip. I’ve even fermented guacamole! Just get creative and try combinations of vegetables you think sound good together, or just ferment one at a time. Onions and carrots are also popular.

Why does fermentation help preserve food?

Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. By converting the sugars in vegetables into these beneficial bacteria, harmful bacteria are kept at bay.

How do you make homemade salsa dip via lacto fermentation?

I like to make a chunky salsa vs. blended, but you could blend the ingredients if you prefer.

To make this easy salsa recipe, simply chop up your vegetables, and combine in a jar with some type of starter substance (more on that in the recipe). Secure a lid and let sit for three days before enjoying. Store in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process (and avoid an exploding jar!).

Find the recipe below to make this super simple, fast salsa dip and start eating your probiotics in just three days!

Print Recipe

Salsa Dip Recipe Made with Lacto Fermentation

Prep Time15

Total Time3 15

Servings: quart salsa

Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

5 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
2-3 jalapeno peppers increase or decrease based on how spicy you want your salsa dip to be.
1/4 cup sauerkraut juice or whey* you can save the juice from homemade or store bought sauerkraut, so long as the sauerkraut is refrigerated and contains active, live cultures and has not been pasteurized.
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt

Instructions

Dice the vegetables and cilantro and mix together in a large bowl.**
Press the garlic, then add it, the salt, and the whey to the vegetables and stir to combine.
Place the salsa in a quart-sized canning jar and smash down until the vegetables are submerged in liquid. If you don't have any sauerkraut juice or whey, you can add a bit of water.
Add an airtight lid and fasten tightly.
Allow jar to rest on the counter for three days, keeping a close eye on the pressure, as the center of the lid will begin to bulge. Be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar, so there is space as the fermentation process creates gasses that will press upward to escape.

Notes

*Whey is the liquid that drips off when you strain homemade yogurt or kefir. It is probiotic-rich and contains a variety of good bacterial strains.

**Alternatively, you can blend the ingredients in a blender to the smoothness or chunkiness of your liking.

Preserving your own food can be fun and easy! It’s tomato season, which means you probably have lots of tomatoes on hand. It’s great to make a satisfying salad to use up those garden tomatoes, but what do you do with the rest of them? Below, I’ll show you how preserving tomatoes can be easy, even for beginners.

The hot, dry, Texas dirt got an unusually good helping of rain this spring, and our family’s garden has really thrived. (It doesn’t hurt that Mr. Incredible has a green thumb. Me, not so much.) Harvesting cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peas, and green beans has been exciting and rewarding. There’s nothing like biting into a vibrant, juicy tomato.

If you’ve also had a good garden haul this summer, you may have a problem emerging: how to preserve your bounty. One common problem? Preserving tomatoes.

Tomatoes are a use ‘em or lose ‘em crop, so you’ll want to work quickly to preserve them. Here, I’ll tell you about water-bath canning, lacto-fermentation, and dehydrating with herbs for “sun-dried” tomatoes.

If you’re new to preserving tomatoes, don’t worry: these methods are simple, and no experience is required. (In other words, if I can do it, anyone can!)

How to Can Tomatoes

Canning your own tomatoes at home is the best way to avoid toxins found on the inside of cans, which are likely to leach due to the acidity of tomatoes.

To can tomatoes, you’ll want to blanch them in boiling water, then toss them in a bowl of ice to make them easy to peel. Dice them up before filling sterile canning jars and topping them off with a little lemon juice.

Affix sterile lids before canning in your water bath canner for 35-40 minutes, then remove to a cool, dry place undisturbed.

Lacto-Fermentation

Preserving tomatoes through lacto-fermentation can be done a number of ways, but salsa is a fun and easy way to add a little spice to your routine. (See another favorite lacto-fermentation recipe: garlic dill sauerkraut– it’s way better than store bought kraut, I promise!)

Choose the combination of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic you want before blending with a little salt and whey and filling clean jars with secure lids. To achieve the benefits of lacto-fermentation, leave the salsa out on the counter for two days before transferring to your refrigerator.

Leaving the jars out for a couple of days allows the gut-loving microbes in the whey to grow and multiply, imparting probiotic properties to your salsa and good bugs to your gut.

Find a full lacto-fermented salsa recipe here.

Dehydrating

Finally, you’ll love making “sun-dried” tomatoes, a fun way of preserving tomatoes.

This is the top-rated dehydrator I used to make my dehydrated tomatoes.

Combine thinly sliced tomatoes with your choice of spices or herbs (I used salt, garlic powder, and oregano), then dehydrate in your dehydrator on low for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can use your oven on the lowest setting and place the tomato slices on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Dehydrated tomatoes have a chewy, tangy, sweet finish reminiscent of fruit leather, which are great for snacking on, or adding to salads. You can also put them in soups in the fall or infuse olive oil with them.

Bonus newbie tip for preserving tomatoes

You can also throw whole, fresh tomatoes in freezer bags in a pinch, then use them later in sauces and soups. You’ll love this copycat Campbell’s tomato soup recipe when you’re ready to pull out those tomatoes. (I’ve done this many times when I simply don’t have time for preserving tomatoes in more time-consuming ways, and even when I was moving and didn’t want to leave all my tomatoes behind. We got to enjoy tomatoes for months and months after the move!)

Need a great way to use up some fresh tomatoes? Check out this chunky bacon jalapeno salad for another tasty option.

Preserving tomatoes isn’t scary!

When you’re just learning about preserving tomatoes and other produce, it can be intimidating. I was terrified the first time I water-bath canned a batch of tomatoes, due to the risk of botulism (which I’ve never encountered using the above method), but I was committed to preserving our hard work and moving our family toward self-sufficiency, which, to me, looks like going to the grocery store less and eating more food from our own back yard.

If you’re interested in preserving tomatoes, give one (or all) of these methods a try. They are easier than you think, and you’ll feel like a pro in the kitchen after you preserve your first batch of home-grown goodness.

Tasty Salsa Dip Recipe Made with Lacto Fermentation