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These easy lacto-fermented pickle chips are a favorite snack and side dish at my house. They’re packed with delicious nutrition, so I don’t mind. 😉
Lacto what?
The first time I heard the term ‘lacto-fermented’ I was a tad confused. How could lactose ferment anything? Where those pickles really made with cheese?
Silly me.
After a little research I learned the truth: there’s no lactose in lacto-fermentation. That means I could continue my dairy-free lifestyle and still enjoy lacto-fermented veggies!
If you’ve been confused by the terminology too, let me do some ‘splaining.
Meet my friend, Lactobacillus.
“Lacto” is short for a specific species of bacteria, Lactobacillus. So named because it was first studied in milk ferments, different strains of these bacteria are all over the place. They live on plants, especially those low-growing ones, and also live in human gastrointestinal tracts, mouths, and other places on our bodies, as well as on animals.
Definitely sounds like something you wanna put in your food, yes? Of course, yes. But why? Lactobacillus helps convert sugar into lactic acid, which is a natural preservative that stifles the growth of harmful bacteria. It also increases and preserves vitamin and enzyme levels of fermented food, making it easier to digest!
Pretty good for little bugs… Kidding.
How it works.
Lacto-fermenting works by creating an anaerobic (meaning oxygen-free), acidic environment with the use of a brine. The acidity of the brine protects agains toxins growing in the ferment, and the lack of oxygen makes it impossible for bad bacteria to grow, as well.
This form of fermentation is just about as old as fermentation itself, and is pretty much the easiest and safest form of food preservation out there. The brine is just a simple mix of sea salt and water, poured over whatever you want to preserve and let sit for a few days.
That’s pretty much all there is to it!
Lacto-Fermented Pickle Chips
Now on to the pickle chips! Until my 5th pregnancy I was never a fan of pickles. During those 9 months I practically lived on pickles. And I’m pretty sure my now-2-year old could live on pickles, too. 😉
Though pickles are pretty cheap in the grocery store, they’re also usually pretty packed with unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. Just look at the ingredient list in these common Vlasic pickle chips sold at Walmart:
As opposed to the ingredient list of these homemade lacto-fermented pickle chips:
Cucumbers, onions, garlic, water, sea salt, dill, black tea (optional, just helps them stay crispier).
Which one do you want to be putting in your body?
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks! 😉
Easy Lacto-Fermented Pickle Chips
Free of grain, gluten, eggs, dairy, and sugar.
Ingredients
- 3-6 whole, fresh, organic cucumbers (amount depending on the size of your cukes)
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1 teaspoon organic loose leaf or a pinch ground black tea
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- filtered water
Instructions
Wash cucumbers and slice into chips. Peel and slice onion into rings. Crush and peel garlic cloves.
Layer cucumbers, onions and garlic in a clean quart-sized canning jar, packing tightly up to about 2 inches below the rim of the jar. Sprinkle with dill and black tea.
In a separate jar, combine the salt and water. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to dissolve the salt.
Pour the salt over the cucumber mixture, topping off with water until the jar is filled about 1 inch below the rim. Make sure all the veggies are completely covered. If your veggies are having a hard time staying below the water (sometimes they will float) fold a clean cabbage leaf into the top of the jar, pressing it below the waterline to hold down the veggies.
Cap the jar tightly and set it out of direct sunlight for 3 days. (I place mine in a bottom cabinet.) After three days transfer to the fridge for longer storage, or uncap and enjoy!
Raias Recipes - https://raiasrecipes.com
Pin these Easy Lacto-Fermented Pickle Chips for later!
You might also enjoy these easy, healthy snacks…
- Kombucha Lemon Gummies
- Lacto-Fermented Sprouted Hummus
- Easy Homemade Yogurt in the Instant Pot
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30 Comments
Cassidy @ Cassidy's Craveable Creations on July 28, 2017 at 2:09 pm
I have so many cucumbers right now , I can’t wait to make this!!!!! thanks for the recipe!!!!
Reply
Raia on July 28, 2017 at 4:12 pm
You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy them!
Reply
Carol Little R.H. on July 28, 2017 at 2:25 pm
I want to make these this week! Do you think it’s ok to use a red onion?
I have all the ingredients and fresh dill growing in a pot, nearby!
Would love to try these, and if I don’t hear back, will gamble that the red onion is fine!
Thanks Raia!Reply
Raia on July 28, 2017 at 2:32 pm
I’ve never tried it with red onion, but if you like red onions than I’m sure it would be fine! You can also totally leave out the onion and the recipe will still be delicious! I hope you enjoy them!
Reply
Carol Little R.H. on July 28, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Raia — will try and report back! TUVM!! xo
Reply
Julia on July 29, 2017 at 2:09 pm
What is the tea for? Just curious. 🙂
Reply
Raia on July 29, 2017 at 8:42 pm
The tea contains tannins, which help keep the pickles crispy. If you have grape leaves on hand you could use those instead, or you could leave them out altogether. 🙂
Reply
Thomas Schenk on February 13, 2020 at 11:48 am
Bay leaves are another option.
Reply
Raia on February 13, 2020 at 12:21 pm
Thanks for sharing, Thomas!
Reply
Lindsey Dietz on July 31, 2017 at 2:03 pm
Homemade pickles are my favorite ferment! They’re so easy and hard to mess up!
See Alsocreme brulee-d pork belly confitReply
Raia on July 31, 2017 at 3:53 pm
I agree! They’re so much yummier than store-bought, too!
Reply
linda spiker on July 31, 2017 at 7:10 pm
These look so good. I would eat one every time I walked by the fridge!
Reply
Raia on July 31, 2017 at 8:07 pm
Haha! Yeah… I might have that issue. 😉
Reply
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish on July 31, 2017 at 9:27 pm
SO yummy! I bet these are the best pickles! I love how easy they are to make too.
Reply
Raia on July 31, 2017 at 9:52 pm
Yes! These are some of my favorite homemade pickles! SO yummy and so easy!
Reply
Corrine on August 6, 2017 at 6:07 pm
Great explanation of lacto-fermenting! I’ve always wanted to try making pickles, these look so good!
Reply
Raia on August 6, 2017 at 7:33 pm
Thanks, Corrine! You should definitely try it, they’re so easy!
Reply
Jen on August 19, 2017 at 6:28 pm
About how much water do you use per tablespoon of salt?
Reply
Daniela on August 2, 2018 at 11:08 am
These look amazing and so simple! I know what I’ll be doing with all the cucumbers that are growing in my garden 🙂
Reply
Raia on August 2, 2018 at 11:37 am
Yes! They are so simple, and they get devoured quite happily by my family. Perfect use for excess cucumbers. 😉
Reply
linda spiker on August 2, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Nothing better than a crunchy pickle!
Reply
Raia on August 2, 2018 at 6:58 pm
Amen! Except maybe chocolate… 😉
Reply
Megan Stevens on August 3, 2018 at 7:55 am
I am definitely making your version before all these abundant and beloved cukes are gone for the season!! Thank you for such a perfect recipe; can’t wait!!
Reply
Raia on August 3, 2018 at 9:29 am
You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy them, Megan!
Reply
Christine on August 28, 2018 at 3:12 pm
Maybe I missed it, but how much filtered water to the 1 Tbls of sea salt?
Reply
Raia on August 31, 2018 at 6:29 pm
Just enough water to fill a pickle-packed quart-sized jar about 1 inch from the rim. 🙂 You probably won’t need more than a cup.
Reply
AbrI on February 12, 2020 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for the recipe! Are the pickles sour/tangy?
Reply
Raia on February 12, 2020 at 2:06 pm
Not super sour, probably about a 7 on a scale of 10. 🙂
Reply
Barbara on February 27, 2021 at 4:05 pm
My local store does not have organic cucumbers, will this recipe work with non organic pickles.
Reply
Raia on February 28, 2021 at 11:24 am
I think they should work. 🙂
Reply
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