Name: Salty Beet Kvass
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1 cup beets washed, and diced into cubes (about 2-4 whole beets); 1/4 cup of starter culture (see notes); 1/2 tbsp salt (non-iodized); 2 1/2 cups filtered water, to cover (chlorine free)

Salty beet kvass has a salty, sweet and sour flavour that is surprisingly refreshing when chilled before serving. It reminds me of a clear Polish-style borscht, and makes an excellent mid-afternoon snack.

What is beet kvass?

Kvass is Russian word for a simple fermented sparkling beverage. Beer likely originated from a sourdough bread kvass. Brad’s Doukhobor cookbooks always have a recipe for cucumber kvass. And beet kvass is a simple beverage made from fermented beets. It can be made salty or sweet, depending on whether you use salt or honey to control the fermentation.

Though I occasionally make sweet beet kvass, and I usually have a jar of immune boosting beet kvass in my fridge all winter long, salty beet kvass is my favourite. It tastes like a mix between a chilled soup and a salty beverage. I particularly like having a glass as a delicious and satisfying mid-afternoon snack.

Salty beet kvass is also a good starter for other ferments. I personally like using kvass to make purple fermented eggs.

Salty Beet Kvass

Salty and sour beet kvass is a fermented beverage that is refreshing on a hot day. It tastes similar to Polish borscht. It is a great source of probiotics and can be used to culture other vegetables.

Author: Emillie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 cups 1x
Category: Beverages
Method: Fermented
Cuisine: Polish

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup beets washed, and diced into cubes (about 2–4 whole beets)
1/4 cup of starter culture (see notes)
1/2 tbsp salt (non-iodized)
2 1/2 cups filtered water, to cover (chlorine free)

Instructions

Sterilize a quart-sized jar and fill it with the beet cubes.
Add the culture.
Dissolve the salt in 1/2 cup of water, pour over the beets. Add the remaining water to cover the beets.
Use a weight to keep the beets submerged, top with a lid, and allow to ferment somewhere cool for 1 week.
Store in the fridge and consume within 1 month.

Notes

Beets don’t require a starter, however, I usually use whey. You could also use sauerkraut juice or a purchased starter (affiliate link.)
You can flavour the kvass by adding fresh dill and garlic (for a borscht flavour). Brad enjoys adding a stick of celery and drinking it like an vegetable juice!
If you’re interested in the health benefits of beet kvass check out Wellness Mama’s blog post.

Keywords: healthy, probiotic, kvass, keto, paleo, vegan, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, oil free, nut free summer, fall, winter