How to make fermented garlic?

Pack peeled garlic into salt water and leave it at room temperature for 2 to 4 weeks. Keep everything submerged and away from air. You should see bubbles and notice a tangy smell — both normal signs of fermentation as long as there is no mold.

Is garlic safe to ferment?

Yes, garlic is safe to ferment when kept fully submerged in brine and prepared with clean equipment. Once finished, the pH should be below 4.5. Store it in the refrigerator after fermentation.

How does Gordon Ramsay make garlic butter?

Gordon Ramsay mixes softened butter with grated garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. He spreads it into cuts in bread, wraps it, bakes it, and crisps it up for his signature garlic bread.

How to ferment garlic paste?

Mash garlic into a paste, mix with salt, pack it tightly in a jar, cover with brine, weigh it down, and ferment it for 1 to 3 weeks. The process is the same as fermenting whole cloves, just a different texture.

Easy Fermented Garlic Butter Recipe (Probiotic-Rich!)

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Rainy afternoons and stubborn kitchen experiments led chef John Pace to create this spectacular fermented garlic butter: huge flavor, gut-friendly probiotics, zero fuss. All you need is soft butter, fermented garlic, and a quick mix for a spread that transforms bread, veggies, or dinner into something cozy and special. It’s simple, tangy, and keeps for weeks — true comfort food, inspired by honest Midwestern roots.

Ready to upgrade your butter game? Try this recipe and taste how a little fermentation brings big flavor with minimal effort.

Certainly, fermented garlic butter may initially seem somewhat sophisticated; however, please bear with me. This stuff is basically flavor heaven meets gut-friendly goodness, and it’s way easier than you’d think. You get this incredible punchy garlic taste plus probiotics working their magic with every bite. Perfect for jazzing up cozy dinners or turning boring snacks into something special. Oh, and there’s nothing haram in here, so it fits a number of different diets.

I stumbled onto making fermented garlic butter one rainy afternoon when I needed something that felt special without being complicated. Took meIt took three tries to get it right (because apparently I’m stubborn like that), but I finally figured out how to nail that sweet spot between tangy garlic and rich, creamy butter. What is the significance of the fermentation step? It adds this incredible depth you just can’t get from regular garlic butter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here’s why fermented garlic butter is about to become your new favorite thing:

Everything you need is probably already hanging out in your kitchenkIt tookitchen.
Fermentation does double duty—cranks up the flavor while giving your gut some love
It’s foolproof enough for anyone, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been cooking for yearsykitchen.ears.
Works on literally everything: bread, veggies, pasta… go wild
Big, bold taste that doesn’t smack you in the face

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (let it get nice and soft)
1/3 cup fermented garlic cloves (we’ll walk through this together)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Fermented garlic butter process showing garlic cloves in brine jars — Garlic cloves fermenting in brine—the foundation of amazing fermented garlic butter

Discover great ideas likes: Fermented Garlic Safety

Fermenting Garlic

This is where things get interesting:

Peel your garlic and stuff those cloves into a clean glass jar—pack ’em in there goodgyears.ood.
Whip up a simple brine: 1 tablespoon salt mixed into 2 cups filtered water
Pour it over the garlic till everything’s swimming
Drop a fermentation weight on top, or just use a small baggie filled with brine to keep those cloves submergedsgood.ubmerged.
Put a lid on loosely—don’t screw it tight because they need room to do their thingtsubmerged.hing.
Leave it on your counter for 2 to 4 weeks. Stop by each day to burp the jar and check that everything’s still underwater.thing.underwater.
When it’s done, move it to the fridge. It’ll hang out there happily for up to 6 months..

Making the Butter

Now we’re cooking (well, mixing):

Leave your butter out till it’s soft enough to squish around easily..
Grab a fork and mash up that fermented garlic into a paste..
Dump the butter, garlic paste, parsley, lemon juice, and salt into a bowl..
Work it all together with a spatula till you’ve got a smooth, dreamy mixture..
Transfer it into a jar or shape it however you want, then stick it in the fridge for at least an hour.hour.

Timeline Overview

Step	Time Needed	What to Watch For
Peel and brine garlic	10 min	Garlic fully submerged
Fermentation	2–4 weeks	No mold, brine covers garlic
Soften butter	1 hour	Butter spreadable
Mash and mix	15 min	No chunks, creamy texture
Chill and store	1 hour+	Butter firm, flavors blended

Don’t miss our: Your Friendly Guide to Cucumber Fermentation

Expert Tips for Success

I’ve made my share of mistakes making fermented garlic butter so you don’t have to:

Whatever you do, keep that garlic under the brine during fermentation. Exposed garlic equals sad, spoiled garlic..
Invest in a fermentation weight, or honestly, just use a baggie with some brine in it. Works like magic
Taste-test before you commit. Good fermented garlic should be tangy and mellow, not funky in a bad way.
If you’re nervous about strong garlic, roast it first before fermenting—totally changes the game.
Stick with unsalted butter so you’re calling the shots on seasoning.

Serving Ideas

This is where your creativity kicks in. This butter makes basically everything better:

Spread it thick on toasted baguette or whatever bread you’ve got.
Melt a spoonful over mashed potatoes and watch them transform.
Plop it on baked potatoes, corn, or any roasted veggie you can think of.
Toss with hot pasta for the easiest weeknight dinner ever.
Mix it into rice or grains for an instant flavor upgrade.
Brush on grilled vegetables right before serving for that extra punch.

Fermented garlic butter melting on toasted baguette slices — The best way to enjoy fermented garlic butter—melted on warm, crusty bread

Looking for inspiration? Try Fermented Garlic Oil for Heart and Gut Health

Storage & Reheating

Made too much fermented garlic butter? (Is that even possible?) Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Want to go longer? Freeze it in ice cube trays or roll it into logs and wrap ’em up—good for 6 months that way.

Need to use it? Just thaw it overnight in the fridge, or leave it on the counter for a bit till it softens up. If you’re warming it, take it slow—microwaving will wreck the texture. Room temp or gentle warming is the way to go.

Recipe Variations

Feeling like mixing things up with your fermented garlic butter? Try these:

Toss in some chopped chives for an oniony kick.
Add a tiny bit of crushed red pepper if you like things spicy.
Swap parsley for dill or basil—totally different vibe
Mix in some grated Parmesan for that umami bomb.
Use roasted garlic instead of fermented for something gentler.

Flavor Comparison Table

Variation	Flavor Profile	Best Used On
Classic (with parsley)	Tangy, herbaceous, balanced	Bread, vegetables, pasta
Spicy (with red pepper)	Tangy with heat	Grilled meats, roasted potatoes
Cheesy (with Parmesan)	Rich, umami-forward	Italian dishes, risotto
Herb-forward (dill or basil)	Fresh, aromatic	Fish, Mediterranean dishes
Roasted garlic version	Mellow, sweet, nutty	Mashed potatoes, rolls

FAQs

Pretty straightforward, actually. Pack peeled garlic into salt water and leave it on your counter for 2 to 4 weeks. The trick is keeping everything underwater and away from air. You’ll see bubbles forming and smell something tangy (in a good way), and as long as there’s no fuzzy stuff growing, you’re golden.

Absolutely, as long as you keep it submerged and work with clean equipment. When it’s done, the pH should be under 4.5—that’s the safe zone. Just remember to refrigerate it after fermenting, and you’re all set.

Gordon does his version by mixing soft butter with grated garlic, parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Then he cuts slits in bread, stuffs his butter in there, wraps it all up, bakes it, and gets it nice and crispy. Sounds pretty good, right?

Same basic idea as whole cloves. Mash your garlic into a paste, mix with salt, pack it tight in a jar, cover with brine, weigh it down, and let it do its thing for 1 to 3 weeks. Just a different texture, same fermentation process.

Conclusion

Look, fermented garlic butter gives you huge flavor and gut-healthy probiotics in one delicious package. The process is way simpler than it sounds, and what you end up with is creamy, tangy perfection that works on bread, veggies, pasta—you name it. Here’s my insider tip: Ferment a big batch of garlic so you’ve always got fermented garlic butter ready to go. You’ll be reaching for this constantly. Pair it with my easy vegetable rice for a weeknight dinner that actually feels special.

Easy Fermented Garlic Butter Recipe

Author: John Pace
Total Time: 20 minutes + fermentation time
Yield: 1 cup garlic butter 1x

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