Fermented tomatoes are a great way to preserve small bits of the abundant crop for snacking, salads, appetizers and more.

Making lacto-fermented cherry tomatoes is an easy preservation project that only takes a few minutes to pull together and less than a week to ferment.

3 jars of tomatoes in a brine with fermentation lids and text overlay.

Cherry tomatoes are a perfect vegetable for fermenting because they are abundant, come ripe in batches small enough to preserve, and can be eaten up fast enough to make several batches in a season.

Preserving Inspiration

Garden harvests can be boom or bust. Sometimes things come in all at once and other times they trickle in slowly. Sometimes we can keep up with the fresh eating and other times we need help and inspiration in preserving the abundance.

The Ultimate Guide to Preserving Vegetables by Angi Schneider is just the book to inspire your preservation efforts. The cookbook is divided by vegetable and each includes recipes for canning, dehydrating, fermenting, and freezing.

Recipes are practical and delightful. Preserves you can and will use not just allow to sit in the pantry unused. There are plenty of ideas that will make for great gifts as well, allowing you to share your garden harvest.

There are sauces and soups, chips and powders, jams and pickles, and so much. You’ll find plenty to keep your family fed and let absolutely nothing go to waste.

How to Customize

Included below is the most basic recipe for fermented cherry tomatoes. Basil and garlic are included because they go so well with tomatoes. However, one could skip the herbs and leave them plain, if desired.

Open jars of tomatoes and herbs in brine as seen from above.

Dried spices can also be added for different flavors. Consider adding a teaspoon of coriander or celery seed for example.

Choosing Tomatoes

Use cherry tomatoes that are firm in texture for this recipe. Softer or overripe tomatoes have a tendency to get a little mushy – while not bad, it’s not exactly the best texture either.

Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. We always appreciate your feedback. You can also save the recipe for later by pinning it or clicking on the heart in the lower right hand corner.

Yield: 1 Quart

Fermented Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Fermented Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 d
Total time: 6 d 10 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Pound Cherry Tomatoes; 2 Cloves Garlic; 6-10 Fresh Basil Leaves; 1 Tablespoon Salt; 2 Cups Water

Perfect for salads, appetizers, side dishes, and more fermented tomatoes are an easy and delicious way to preserve the harvest.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ferment Time 6 days

Total Time 6 days 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 Pound Cherry Tomatoes
2 Cloves Garlic
6-10 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Water

Instructions

Put the tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a clean wide-mouth quart jar.
Mix the salt and water to make a brine.
Fill the jar with the salt water brine, making sure to cover the tomatoes, leave room for fermenting weight.
Put a weight on top of the tomatoes to keep them submerged under the brine.
Place a fermentation lid on the jar and place the jar on a plate or bowl to catch any overflow.
Set the jar in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight for 3 to 6 days. Taste the tomatoes after 3 days and ferment longer if needed.
When the fermented tomatoes are done, remove the fermentation lid and place a storage lid on the jar.
Store in the refrigerator and eat up within 6 months.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 23Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1597mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

We try but cannot 100% guarantee these results.

A collage of photos with a row of 3 jars of fermented tomatoes on top, text overlay in the middle, and open jars of fermented tomatoes as seen from above on the bottom.

Yvonne GS

Saturday 27th of July 2024

These are one of my favourite fermented foods! I love to pop one in my mouth for a healthy snack, as well as serving as a side to any meal.

Linda B

Sunday 16th of October 2022

Thank you for easy step by step instructions. How do you use the fermented cherry tomatoes?

Angi Schneider

Tuesday 18th of October 2022

I love them on salads (the brine also makes a great salad dressing with a little olive oil and honey added to it) and on charcuterie boards. You can also blend them up wit some onion, garlic and cilantro for a quick salsa.