Beet Kvass is a super-simple fermented drink! For my basic recipe, all you need is a jar, beets, filtered water, and a little salt.
Different beets = different flavors so we rotate through red, golden, and chioggia. Some people like one and not the others, so experiment if you don’t love the first kind you try.
When you make Beet Kvass you’re taking a vitamin and antioxidant-packed food and supercharging it. You end up with a drink that is higher in B Vitamins, enzymes, and probiotic bacteria, which all enhance your digestion. Beets also help thin your bile for better fat digestion, which is hugely helpful if you suffer from constipation. Bile is like a lubricant for your stool, which is why Beet Kvass is one of my top remedies for constipation on the GAPS Diet™.
Beet Kvass is one of the most powerful probiotic foods, so start out with a really small amount and build up gradually. One tablespoon is the max I suggest you drink the first time you have it. If you’re really sensitive to new ferments, don’t have more than one teaspoon the first time.
Beet Kvass Recipe
Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients:
- 3 medium beets
- 4 teaspoons of Celtic salt (or other coarse salt)
- Filtered water
- 1 inch piece of peeled ginger (optional)
Directions:
- If your beets came with the greens still on them, cut them off leaving about a ½ inch left on the beet. Lots of probiotic bacteria live in that first part of the tops.
- Wash the beets well. (You can peel them if you don’t like the earthy flavor).
- Chop the beets in to large chunks that are 1 to 1 1/2 inches – cutting them into quarters is typically good depending on their size.
- Divide the beets and salt between two quart jars if you don’t have a 2-quart jar.
- Add the piece of ginger if you’re using it. (Ginger-beet is such a great flavor combo!)
- Fill the jars with filtered water, leaving an inch of space at the top.
- Cover tightly with the jar lid and leave at room temperature.
- Shake it once or twice a day to keep any sediment from rising and attracting mold.
- Check your Kvass after 3 days to see if the taste is to your liking, if not, cover it again and check it in another 2 days. (We usually let ours ferment for 7-10 days, depending on how warm it is in the house).
- Store in the refrigerator.
When you’ve drank a jar’s worth you can actually refill it with water, add another teaspoon of salt, and let the same beets ferment again. It will not turn out as strong, but it’s still good. You can then pull the beets out and add them to a salad, etc. This makes Beet Kvass that much more economical!
Recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions cookbook.
