Simple Wild Fermented Shallots Recipe

By Jennifer H Dewitt August 27, 2021 5 mins read 330 Views

Learn how to make wild fermented shallots with this easy and quick fermentation recipe! These shallots are crisp, juicy, umami, and tart. Enjoy these whole fermented shallots roasted in the oven with other vegetables, incorporated into loaves of bread, or slice them up and eat them raw in salads or on sandwiches.

Can You Ferment Shallots and Onions?

The short answer is, of course, you can! There are two ways to ferment shallots and onions. First, you can make fermented onions and shallots using a wild fermentation method. This method, unfortunately, doesn’t always work, though. Depending on where the onions or shallots come from, sometimes wild fermentation doesn’t work out well. The other option is to make fermented onions using a method I call “wild heirloom culturing.”

This recipe will teach you how to successfully use the wild fermentation method to lacto-ferment whole baby shallots. As you can see in the pictures here, I used the whole shallot, including the root ends. This is important because the root end is the main source of the wild lactic-acid-producing microbes required to facilitate the fermentation process.

What’s the difference between shallots and onions?

Shallots and onions are from the same plant family but are distinct and unique. The most obvious difference is onions are usually much larger than shallots. Onions are also more spherical in shape than shallots, and they grow in a single bulb. Shallots are usually more oblong and can grow in clusters, similar to garlic. When comparing flavor, shallots are sweeter and more subtle than onions.

When I bought the tiny shallots for this recipe, I was perplexed. They seemed like tiny onions because they are single bulbs with a definite spherical shape. The produce stand assured me that the little alliums pictured here are baby shallots, though.

Here’s how to choose quality shallots:

make sure they are firm and fresh
never use shallots that have signs of mold or fungal growth in the peel
do not use already peeled and packaged shallots
try to source shallots with the root end still attached

Equipment You Need to Make Fermented Shallots

Here’s all the supplies and equipment you will need to make this recipe:

a kitchen scale
sea salt
water (tap works fine, but if your tap water is questionable use filtered)
1-quart glass mason jar with lid
a glass fermentation weight fit to the mason jar

How To Make Fermented Shallots

This recipe is quite simple. The hardest part is waiting for fermentation to be complete. First, you will measure all of the ingredients by weight. Next, you add the shallots, salt, and water to the glass mason jar, ensuring all the salt is dissolved. Last, place the glass fermentation weight in the jar to keep the shallots submerged and secure the lid. This recipe requires 5 weeks of fermentation for optimal flavor.

Once the fermentation is complete, I suggest checking the pH to make sure it’s below 4. You can do this with simple pH strips. You can store the shallots in the fridge and use them in all kinds of recipes. I suggest roasting them with Brussels sprouts, slicing and baking them into sourdough focaccia, or mincing and using them in salad dressings.

Do You Have Questions About Fermentation? Check Out These Fermentation Resources

The Complete Guide to Safely Using Salt in Vegetable Fermentation
How Long Does it Take to Ferment Vegetables?
How to Keep Fermented Foods Anaerobic
The Cultured Guru School of Fermentation

Other Fermentation Recipes to Try

Learn How to Ferment Green Tomatoes
Pepper Fermentation Recipe: Learn How to Ferment Any Type of Pepper
Roasted Garlic Sauerkraut with Black Pepper