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Home » Ferment » Vegetable Ferments » Fermented Asparagus with Garlic

Fermented Asparagus with Garlic

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on May 27, 2017. Last updated on July 13, 2020

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A jar of fermented asparagus with garlic.

Asparagus is one of my very favorite spring vegetables. I love when I start seeing them at the farmers market, as that’s a sure sign that warm weather is near! Plus it’s just a tasty vegetable that can make any meal feel fancy. Making fermented asparagus with garlic is one of the best ways to prepare them, in my opinion. This was actually one of the very first vegetable ferments that I ever made, and I think it got me hooked on fermenting!

A jar of fermented asparagus with garlic.

Fermenting Asparagus

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love asparagus! I didn’t grow this beautiful bunch of purple tipped spears (I wish!), I got it at our local farmers market, and it was practically begging to be made into fermented asparagus!

a hand holding fresh asparagus

Fermented asparagus is actually one of the easier vegetable ferments to make, as there is very little prep work involved.

Asparagus fit easily into a quart sized mason jar, all you need to do is trim off the woody ends first.

cutting the woody ends off of asparagus

Fermented Asparagus with Garlic Recipe

Fill a quart jar with the trimmed asparagus, then push the garlic cloves into the jar.

Mix the water and salt to make a brine, and pour over the asparagus, making sure to cover all of the veggies. You may need to make a little more brine at a ratio of 3/4 Tbsp salt to 1 cup water in order to fill the jar.

Weigh the asparagus down with some kind of weight so that they stay under the brine.

fermenting asparagus with garlic in a quart jar

Cover the jar with a clean towel and secure with a rubber band (you can alternatively use an airlock system if you have one, but it’s not necessary).

Set in a cool and dark place for 1-2 weeks to ferment. Taste the veggies, and when they are to your liking they are done! Cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Once the asparagus is done fermenting, it will lose most of its vibrant color. That’s ok, because it makes up for it in awesome flavor!

fermented asparagus in a jar with a weight

The surface of the brine may form a white film called kahm yeast, which is harmless. As long as there isn’t any black or green fuzzy mold, then you’re good to go!

a finished jar of fermented asparagus

This fermented asparagus with garlic is so good! It’s perfect on an appetizer platter paired with cheese, olives, and salami.

Or you can just eat it all by itself (that’s what I usually do). Don’t forget the wine!

a plate of fermented asparagus


Fermented Vegetables

Fermenting vegetables is one awesome way to put up your spring and summer produce. Here are some of my favorite fermenting recipes:

  • Fermented Cherry Tomatoes
  • Sauerkraut
  • Fermented Green Tomatoes
  • Fermented Cucumber Pickles
  • Lacto-Fermented Dilly Beans

I still think this fermented asparagus with garlic is my favorite! What is your favorite vegetable to ferment?

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5 from 10 votes

Fermented Asparagus with Garlic

Fermenting vegetables is one of the easiest ways to preserve the seasonal harvest. Fermented asparagus with garlic is one of my favorite fermented vegetables! Serve it as an appetizer with cheese and meats, or as a snack or side dish with dinner.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Fermenting Time 7 days
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 29kcal
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Quart Mason Jar
  • Fermenting Weight
  • Fermentation Airlock

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 pound asparagus spears
  • 6-10 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp kosher, pickling, or sea salt not iodized
  • 2 cups filtered water

Instructions

  • Trim the woody ends off the asparagus so that they fit into a quart sized mason jar.
  • Fill the jar with the asparagus, then push the garlic cloves into the jar.
  • Mix the water and salt to make a brine, and pour over the asparagus, making sure to cover all of the veggies. You may need to make a little more brine at a ratio of 3/4 Tbsp salt to 1 cup water in order to fill the jar.
  • Weigh the asparagus down with some kind of weight so that they stay under the brine.
  • Cover the jar with a clean towel and secure with a rubber band (you can alternatively use an airlock system if you have one, but it's not necessary).
  • Set in a cool and dark place for 1-2 weeks to ferment. Taste the veggies, and when they are to your liking they are done!
  • Cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Notes

The surface of the brine may form a white film called kahm yeast, which is harmless. As long as there isn’t any black or green fuzzy mold, then you’re good to go!

Nutrition

Serving: 4asparagus | Calories: 29kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve says

    July 4, 2022 at 7:41 am

    5 stars
    I followed the recipe exactly. 9 days of bubbling away and it was fermented perfectly.
    1- 1/2T in 1 qt is too much pickle salt for me. Next time I’ll try 1T.

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 5, 2022 at 12:42 pm

      Glad you had success with this recipe, Steve!

      Reply
  2. Chava says

    September 27, 2021 at 7:32 pm

    I have recently learned fermenting using 1 tbs per C of water. Is there some reason why you use 3/4 T per cup? Thank you for a great website.

    Reply
  3. Deb says

    August 9, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    Do you need to sterilize your quart jars?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 11, 2021 at 8:46 am

      Yes, it’s a good idea to sterilize them first.

      Reply
  4. Natalie says

    August 7, 2021 at 8:52 am

    Is this brine being boiled before poured in? Also is the asparagus supposed to be blanched first? I am used to pickling but never fermenting. So this recipe is unusual for me. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      August 9, 2021 at 9:38 am

      Hi, Natalie. No to both of your questions. Heat destroys the lactobacillus bacteria that are needed for fermentation occurs.

      Reply
  5. Nenad says

    July 11, 2021 at 4:43 am

    Fermentation and acidification is something great.

    Reply
  6. Scott says

    April 1, 2021 at 5:58 pm

    We have tried to ferment asparagus a few times and it always ends up smelling like a dead animal so we just do the vinegar method.

    Reply
  7. Jay Jewell says

    July 14, 2020 at 5:31 am

    Hi Colleen,I would love to put up some pickled asparagus & garlic !! Can this be done with pickling spices and vinegar/water/salt and sealed in Mason jars for long term storage in the spring cellar like dill pickles ???

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      July 14, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Hi Jay! Since pickling isn’t the same as fermenting, you’d need a recipe for pickling and canning asparagus. My friend Ashley over at Practical Self Reliance has a recipe for canning asparagus. I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Jay Jewell says

        July 15, 2020 at 8:57 am

        Silly me !! I knew that….I guess I got lost !! After fermenting, how can one store for long term,like in a root cellar ? Would you put the fermented veggies in a mason jar in a canning bath ?? How long will they be good?? Thanks,you always have the best stuff !!!

      • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

        July 15, 2020 at 10:40 am

        Canning lacto fermented foods would likely kill the good bacteria that they’ve cultivated. The only way to store them for the long-term is by refrigerating. Refrigerated, they can last several months.

  8. Linda Moutsoulas says

    May 30, 2020 at 10:31 am

    what do you cover jar with? you don’t use the lid to mason jar? just a cloth

    Reply
    • jim says

      May 31, 2020 at 12:06 pm

      I use the mason lids and rings , just do them finger tight and the gas can still escape without letting air in , I have been using this method for years and it works perfect , just make sure they’re snug bit not too tight.

      Reply
  9. Heidi says

    February 13, 2020 at 7:28 am

    5 stars
    I heard of doing this adding a little whey and only leaving out for a couple days. How is it different? Will it taste different? Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Heather says

    January 28, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    What kind of things do you use to weigh the asparagus down in brine?

    Reply
    • Leah D Caso says

      September 29, 2018 at 7:38 am

      https://amzn.to/2IvoHAt

      Reply
  11. Maxdirt says

    January 5, 2018 at 9:12 am

    5 stars
    I grow asparagus for market. About 120 lbs / yr.
    Fermented some last spring.
    Really good. Nice to have thru winter.

    Reply
  12. Kristina says

    September 13, 2017 at 10:45 am

    How long will fermented veggies usually stay good?

    Reply
  13. Billy says

    June 1, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    I love the idea of adding whole garlic cloves into the fermenting process with the asparagus. I have heard of fermented asparagus before but people have usually just added peppercorns and herbs and such. Adding whole cloves of garlic will surely add an intense flavor when you go to eat the finished product! I’m excited to try this recipe, thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
  14. marge Laufer says

    May 28, 2017 at 9:14 am

    5 stars
    I was cursing on the computer when I found your web site. No real interest until I started to read your emails and now I’m addicted. What great information and easy to do directions for things. It is my 101 lessons to a life I always wanted to try. Thank you for opening the door and I do share it with older family members like myself who never had farming/gardening in our lives.

    Reply
  15. Michelle says

    May 28, 2017 at 8:21 am

    Never heard of fermented asparagus! My 7-year old and I love asparagus, and I bet she will love this too. Can’t wait to give it a try. One more reason to get my asparagus patch started!

    Reply

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