Cooking with fermented tomatoes will help you transform average dishes into true masterpieces. Fermented ketchup, gazpacho, Italian bruschetta…

We understand that coming up with ways to eat fermented tomatoes can be difficult, especially if one is new to the world of fermented food.

In fact there are so many of you who successfully followed our recipes then contacted us with this.

“I am so glad I made fermented tomatoes you guys, but now how do I eat them?”

So here we are with some of our favourite recipes to eat the delicious bombs of flavour, as we like to call them.

And I promise that by the end of this post you will know, without a doubt, how to eat, use and serve both fermented tomatoes and fermented tomato juice.

They are such a versatile ( and healthy ) ingredient they will enrich and make anything, whether it’s pasta, fish, eggs or meat, taste better.

Also, the saltiness and tang acquired via fermentation will cut through the fat of any dish making it so much more enjoyable and palatable.

So from now on when you serve oily fish ( like salmon ) or fatty cuts of meat ( like bacon or ribs), tomatoes will be their best companion.

And YOUR best friend.

Before you know it they would have become the tastiest secret ingredient of your ketchup, spicy sauces ( like shatta ) and a standalone show stopper in dishes like bruschetta.

But let’s push the envelope a bit further.

How about turning your favourite cocktails and drinks into fermented cocktails and drinks?

Try a fermented version of Bloody Mary.

AS A REMINDER.

In order to benefit from the lactic acid bacteria you need to consume fermented tomatoes raw or slightly heated.

The beneficial microorganisms are very sensitive to heat and will die at temperatures higher than 40-45 degrees Celsius ( 104–113 Fahrenheit ).

And now the long awaited moment to see some recipes has finally come.

THE BASICS

Let’s start with the easiest and most obvious way.

Get them out of the jar, pop them on a plate and squirt some home made mayonnaise on them.

An easy yet perfect pairing for any of your favourite main.

Admittedly, store bought mayo will work just as well but won’t grant you that “wow, you are amazing” look your family and friends will give you once you say

“Mayo is fresh, I made it 5 minutes ago…”

Anyway, let’s not digress.

So, the “pop them on a plate” recipe is a flavourful way out for all those times when even thinking about cooking makes you want to pour another glass.

And, believe me, nobody will be disappointed because fermented tomatoes are one of the tastiest and most complex fermented vegetable you can serve on a plate.

Especially if you added some fresh oregano, garlic and chilli to the brine.

The second easiest way to eat them is to cut a slice of bread, spread some home made sauerkraut on it and pop a few fermented tomatoes on top.

And don’t forget mayo; it goes so well with both and gives the whole snack a more rounded flavour.

1. Instant Fermented Ketchup

To make lacto fermented ketchup we can proceed in two different ways.

Either start from some tomatoes or tomato paste then ferment them or use your already fermented tomatoes as the base.

An FYI.

If you are used to store bough ketchup know that this fermented version will produce a more liquid condiment.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 grams / 1 cup of lacto fermented tomatoes ( or tomato juice )
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of cane sugar ( dark is better )
• 2- 3 tbsp of raw apple cider vinegar

STEPS

1. Heat up the tomato paste in a pan, add sugar and stir to dissolve
2. Remove from the heat and let it cool down
3. When warm ( NOT hot ) add vinegar and fermented tomatoes
4. Mix well and serve

This is a very plain and basic ketchup recipe that can be adapted to your taste and made in a zillion variations by using herbs or spices.

So feel free to add raw or caramelised onions, minced garlic, ground peppercorns or hot peppers.

And why not trying to flavour it with nutmeg or cinnamon?

You could even give it some smoked notes by adding dark roasted sweet peppers, paprika or charred pineapple for example.

The combinations are really endless and the beauty of it is that with a simple recipe, some creativity and a little experimentation you could make sauces for just about anything.

2. Lacto Fermented Salsa

Who doesn’t like a good salsa especially with tacos or chips?

Here is a very simple yet very tasty recipe that, if you are like us, you will keep making over and over again.

The best part?

It only takes 2 steps.

INGREDIENTS

• 200grams / 1 cup of fermented tomatoes ( or tomato juice )
• 1 small onion or half a medium one
• 2 cloves of garlic
• As many chillies as you are comfortable with
• 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
• 4-5 leaves of fresh basil
• 1 pinch of pepper
• 1-2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

STEPS

1. Chop or blend all ingredients except EVOO and place them in a serving bowl
2. Drizzle the olive oil on top and serve

That’s it.

If you like your salsa chunky chop the vegetables, if instead you like salsas with a smooth texture opt for blending them.

And if you want to go all in with fermented ingredients swap fresh chillies with fermented hot peppers.

Whichever way you choose the final product will beg for you to take out tacos, toasted bread or focaccia and get the party started.

Or prepare couch and leg rest for your favourite movie or the coming football match.

But let’s keep the recipe-ball rolling with another very easy and very delicious one

Here we go

3. Fermented Italian Bruschetta

Italian cuisine is globally known and loved for its ability to produce the most delicious food by using only a handful of very basic ingredients.

And bruschetta ( pronouced brusketta NOT brushetta ) is one of the best examples.

So why not making a fermented version of it?

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices of sourdough bread
• 4-5 heaping tbsp of fermented tomatoes ( or tomato juice )
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Some oregano ( fresh is ideal )
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of black pepper

STEPS

1. Mix all the ingredients ( minus the garlic ) in a bowl
2. Toast sourdough bread on one side
3. When that side is well toasted and crunchy rub it with some fresh garlic
4. Proceed with toasting the other side of the slice
5. With a tablespoon place an even amount of the ingredient mix on every slice of bread
6. Drizzle with some more extra virgin olive oil then serve

It is a very simple dish but I promise you friends and family will LOVE YOU for this!

BTW, if you don’t have sourdough bread don’t worry, you can use literally any bread to make bruschetta.

Even semi-sweet ones like panbrioche.

In fact, that little hint of sweetness will add another layer of flavour to an already amazing dish.

Let’s proceed with recipe number 4 that comes to us straight from Spain

Here it is.

4. Lacto-Fermented Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho is probably the second most iconic dish in the whole of Spain right after paella.

If you are not familiar with it, gazpacho is a tomato based soup and its most unique characteristic is that it’s usually eaten cold.

Almost as if it were a dense refreshing drink more than a soup.

This recipe will make 4 serves.

INGREDIENTS

• 800 grams / 4 cups of fermented tomatoes
• 1 sweet green pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 cucumber
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 slices of stale sourdough bread
• 3 heaping tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 250 ml / 2 cups of icy cold water
• salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

1. Soak sourdough bread in a bowl with vinegar and a little water
2. Wash and chop all the vegetables
3. Place them in a food processor then blend to a creamy consistency
4. Add bread to the blender and continue blending
5. Without turning the blender off add all the oil
6. Whilst still blending add enough icy water to reach a creamy and soupy consistency
7. Season to taste
8. Refrigerate for two hours before serving

Done!

You are ready to taste your first fermented gazpacho.

It is possible that by using fermented tomatoes in place of raw ones the result will be a little more sour than the original version.

If that is the case you can either hold back with vinegar or add a little sugar to balance the dish.

And if you like the idea of an even more fermented gazpacho, swap apple cider vinegar with the fermented brine from the tomatoes.

In Spain, as we mentioned, the soup is served cold; fridge cold.

But if you prefer to consume it at room temperature or slightly warm you are absolutely free to do so.

Now let’s travel back to Italy for the next mouth watering recipe.

5. Fermented Tomato And Bread Bowl

The tomato and bread bowl, also called tomato and bread salad, is the quintessence of an Italian Summer dish.

It will bring to you and your family the conviviality of Italian families chatting and laughing around a table in a nice Summer evening.

INGREDIENTS

• 500 grams / 3 cups of lacto fermented tomatoes
• 3 slices of wholemeal bread
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of pickled capers
• 1 small bunch of fresh parsley
• 1 small tin of tuna
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

STEPS

1. Finely chop parsley, capers and garlic and place them into a bowl
2. Add fermented tomatoes and stir to mix all flavours
3. Preheat a pan with some extra virgin olive oil
4. Cut bread into cubes and put them in a pan
5. Toast and fry bread until crunchy
6. In the meantime add tuna to the previously mixed ingredients
7. Quickly mix bread in with tomatoes
8. Serve immediately to avoid sogginess

In our kitchen when we say tomato we also mean pasta, as, apparently, the two can’t remain apart for long regardless if it’s Summer or winter

So pasta sauce it is.

6. Fermented Pasta Sauce

Because we want to preserve the probiotic properties of the fermented tomatoes, in this recipe we are going to make a RAW pasta sauce.

And we are doing that by heating it up as little as possible.

INGREDIENTS for 4 serves

• 320 grams / 11 oz of your favourite pasta shape
• 400 grams / 2 cups of fermented tomatoes or tomato juice
• 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp of ( fresh ) oregano
• 1 pinch of chilli flakes

STEPS

1. Heat up abundant water in a pot
2. Once it reaches boiling point add pasta
3. Heat up EVOO, crushed garlic, oregano and chilli flakes in a pan on gentle heat
4. In the meantime blend fermented tomatoes into a soupy consistency
5. Remove pan from the heat.
6. Strain pasta when al dente
7. Drop it in the pan and stir well
8. When pasta is all oily and flavoured add the tomato sauce
9. Quickly stir and serve immediately

If you desire to eat even more probiotics keep some blended tomatoes aside and add them to each individual plate.

So here they are.

Six very easy yet tasty and delicious recipes to delight your taste buds for months to come.

Remember that every batch of fermented tomatoes will be different from the previous one, so it’s always a good practice to taste one or two before using them.

By doing so you will know how to proceed and if adjustments need to be made to the recipes.

Like adding some sweetness or improve on saltiness, for example.

We hope you enjoyed this post but most of all we hope you are already running to the kitchen to start.

See you soon.