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paleo, whole30, gaps diet fermented dill pickles with rock salt and fresh garlic

Paleo Fermented Pickles - Whole30, GAPS, Sugar-Free Recipe

Kayla Ruetten
These crunchy, tangy, and sugar-free pickles are loaded with gut-friendly probiotics, making them a healthy and flavorful snack or side dish. Easy to make with simple ingredients, these fermented pickles support digestion and immune health naturally. Perfect for clean eating and nourishing your gut naturally!
5 from 2 votes
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Equipment

  • mason jars
  • plastic mason jar lids
  • chopping knife
  • cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tsbp sea or rock salt (we use this high mineral brand)
  • 2-6 pcs fresh cucumbers, preferably pickling variety, but any will work (the amount of cucumbers needed will vary based on size)
  • 1 quart water (filtered)
  • 4-6 cloves fresh garlic (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Wash cucumbers and mason jar thoroughly.
  • In a clean jar or container, stir salt into the filtered water until dissolved.
  • Pack the whole or sliced cucumbers into a clean quart jar, leaving about 1 inch of head-space at the top. If you are adding garlic or dill, pack these into the bottom of the jar first.
  • Pour the salt water brine over the cucumbers, ensuring the cucumbers are completely covered with brine.
  • OPTIONAL: Use a large cabbage leave or fermentation weight to ensure cucumbers are completely submerged and none are floating. This can help prevent mold growth.
  • Wipe the rim of the jar clean and screw plastic lid on tightly.
  • Allow the cucumbers to ferment for up to 2-3 weeks at room temperature. The longer they ferment, the tangier/more fermented they become. Our kids prefer a shorter ferment. To slow the ferment, simply store in a cool place, such as a cellar, basement, or fridge. Fermentation will be more rapid in hotter weather or temperatures.

Notes

    • We love adding fresh garlic to this recipe. If you are starting with very picky eaters, consider trying just the salt water brine first and slowly add in garlic in future recipes. Our kids do love the garlic as well!
    • Adding dill makes more of a "pickle-y" flavor. You can also add pickling spices.
    • It is completely normal for fermented foods to look "cloudy" as fermentation takes place.
    • Using a fermentation weight can help weight down the cucumbers/prevent them from floating up in the jar. If the cucumbers are not submerged in the brine, they will get moldy. If you do not have a fermentation weight, you can use a large cabbage leaf or pack the cucumbers tightly enough under the curve of the jar to make sure they do not rise above the brine solution.
Keyword clean eating pickle recipe, fermented foods for digestion, GAPS diet pickles recipe, gut health probiotics, homemade fermented pickles, Paleo fermented pickles recipe, sugar-free fermented pickles, Whole30 fermented pickles