This easy fermented pickled turnips recipe is your go-to for pickled turnips. All you need is salt, water, and turnips and you’re ready to go. These are perfect for a healthy snack, side dish, or a nutritious addition to your favorite middle eastern dish.

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Lacto-Fermentation

These pickled turnips are made by using lacto fermentation process. Lacto Fermentation works by adding a salt brine to fresh vegetables (or fruits) and letting them stand at room temperature while the beneficial bacteria does its work. The growth of beneficial bacteria eats away at the sugars in the vegetables and converts it into more nutritious digestible bio available food that our guts love. The result is a tangy sour delicious flavor that we all crave.

Lacto fermented vegetables are a traditional food that is making its come back, due to the immense health benefits of fermented foods on our bodies. Fermented foods are crucial for healthy digestion.

Like most health foods…

You usually discover them and their magic through a need to take healing into your own hands. That was exactly the case for me with fermented foods. The modern medicine world has its place, but when it comes to really understanding the root cause of issues, it leaves a lot to be desired. Too many times had I left feeling unheard, unseen, and totally unhealed. That was exactly the case for me with fermented foods. My body struggled with an array of mysterious health issues that before really understand health and nutrition seemed totally incurable. Now that I have learned about our bodies relationship with foods, I can say that I feel confident taking matters into my own hands and knowing just what to grab for any given issue that arises.

Unfortunately I did not have fermented foods in my diet as a child. But my children will, and will know the skills to make them for themselves.

What you need for making Pickled Turnips:

Glass Jars (we prefer wide mouth jars)
Mason Jars Fermentation Lids (glass fermentation weight, pickle pipes)
Sea Salt
Non-chlorinated filtered water
Pickling Spices (optional)
Fresh Organic Turnips

This easy fermented (pickled) turnips recipe doesn’t require much. If you don’t have the glass weights, try using a narrow mouth half pint jar filled with water, place it on top of your turnips and brine solution pressing lightly so that the brine rises but does not spill over. Then add a cloth over both jars, and a rubber band.

How to make Fermented Turnips:

Make a salt brine, of about 4 tbsp sea salt or other non-iodized salt to a 1/2 gallon of water in a clean glass jar. Dissolve the salt by stirring or shaking. This works best with warm water.
Chop your turnips, into bite-sized pieces or use young turnips whole. We love the Japanese “Tokyo Turnips” whole for fermenting the best!
Add spices, (you can get really creative here or keep it really simple) to a clean mason jar. We like to use a quart or 1/2 gallon jar. I love ferments with dill, but if that’s not for you, try adding some ginger chunks, peppercorns, or other flavors that are favorable for you.
Add your turnips in next, really pack them in there. You can use a wooden pickle pounder tool for this to really get all the air out.
Pour your salty brine solution, over your turnips until completely full. Bump or use your pickle pounder to release any air bubbles.
Add a weight, mason jars glass fermentation weights are the best. Apply some pressure to make sure that the weight and everything underneath it are submerged in brine.
Add a lid, we love the mason jars pickle pipes screwed on with a regular mason jar ring. They naturally release carbon dioxide so you don’t have to “burp” your jars. During initial fermentation they can overflow with brine, so just keep a tray or a dish underneath to catch any dripping.
Ferment, Set at room temperature checking every day or two until it is to your liking. They should taste sour/tangy. The longer the fermentation time, the more sour they become.
Refrigerate, add your turnip pickles to the fridge and enjoy for several months. Keep your brine and take it like a gut booster health shot, or add a little olive oil and use it as a delicious salad dressing.

What Type Of Turnips Do I Use For Pickles?

Turnip Pickles can be made with pink turnips, white turnips, or baby turnips. The most important thing is that you use fresh turnips. Turnips are root vegetables and are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They grow all season long and are great for overall health. I read once that they are great for respiratory health. Which makes sense as to why you see them show up in so many dishes through the winter season. You can just keep reseeding and planting turnips all year for a steady supply. You can even grow them in containers in a small space even on a porch or balcony. If you don’t grow your own, you can likely find turnips at the farmers market all year round. Look for firm turnips for best results, anything on the soft side is probably too old for a good ferment.

Variation:

This simple recipe can be duplicated with many other root vegetables as well. Try it with red beets, golden beets, even radishes, parsnips, or daikon to add as tangy flavor to any dish.

We love pink pickles, made from the pink/purple turnips as they add such a joyful color to our plates, especially in the dark seasons.

Try adding a bay leaf, garlic clove, red peppers, or a pre-made pickling spice mix into your jar before pouring the salt brine over.

Healthy foods like this delicious pickle are super easy to create and are ready in a couple of days. Your digestive system will thank you!

Notes:

The amount of salt you use will determine the amount of time it takes for your pickles to ferment. The more salt you add the slower fermentation will occur.

This is also true for the temperature of your home. The warmer the temperature, the quicker your pickles will ferment. Colder homes make fermentation slow down.

You will have enough brine and some left over, you can save this brine for later fermentation recipes. You can also use the brine from your completed pickles as a starter culture for your next batch.

Once your fermented turnip pickles are complete, store them in the fridge.

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:14

Equipment

1 Mason Jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon)
1 Glass Fermentation Weight
1 Pickle Pipe

Ingredients

3-5 large organic turnips
4-5 tbsp high quality sea salt (or other non iodized salt), per 1/2 gallon jar
2 cups filtered water per quart jar
Optional: dill, garlic, black peppercorns, or premade pickling spice mix

Instructions

Make a salt brine of about 4 tbsp sea salt or other non-iodized salt to a 1/2 gallon of water in a clean glass jar. Dissolve the salt by stirring or shaking.
Wash and chop your turnips into bite-sized pieces or use young turnips whole.
Add spices to the bottom of your mason jar if using
Add your turnips in next, really pack them in there. You can use a wooden pickle pounder tool for this to really get all the air out.
Pour your salty brine solution, over your turnips until completely full. Bump or use your pickle pounder to release any air bubbles.
Add a weight, mason jars glass fermentation weights are the best. Apply some pressure to make sure that the weight and everything underneath it are submerged in brine.
Add a lid, we love the mason jars pickle pipes screwed on with a regular mason jar ring. They naturally release carbon dioxide so you don't have to "burp" your jars. During initial fermentation they can overflow with brine, so just keep a tray or a dish underneath to catch any dripping.
Ferment, Set at room temperature checking every day or two until it is to your liking. They should taste sour/tangy. The longer the fermentation time, the more sour they become.
Refrigerate, add your turnip pickles to the fridge and enjoy for several months. Keep your brine and take it like a gut booster health shot, or add a little olive oil and use it as a delicious salad dressing.

Notes

The amount of salt you use will determine the amount of time it takes for your pickles to ferment. The more salt you add the slower fermentation will occur.

This is also true for the temperature of your home. The warmer the temperature, the quicker your pickles will ferment. Colder homes make fermentation slow down.

You will have enough brine and some left over, you can save this brine for later fermentation recipes. You can also use the brine from your completed pickles as a starter culture for your next batch.

Once your fermented turnip pickles are complete, store them in the fridge.

Servings: 6 people

Author: Fallon

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Fermented (pickled) Turnips Recipe (FAQ):

How long will my pickled turnips last?

Fermented turnip pickles will last several weeks to months in the fridge. They’ll be strong and zingy at first but by about 6 weeks time…they start to lose their excitement.

How do you know if your pickled turnips have gone bad?

Spoiled pickles will smell foul and much different than the regular smell you’re used to when opening the jar. I would say that they naturally smell a little “farty” but not repulsive. If you recoil by the odor, they are bad.

Are Turnips a nightshade?

No. Turnips are not a nightshade. Fermented Pickled Turnips are actually a very anti-inflammatory food, opposed to nightshades which cause inflammation.