Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (2024)

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (1)

Homemade Beet Kvass is a fermented drink that’s famous for its cleansing properties. You won’t believe how simple it is to make.

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (2)

Ever since I started nerding out on nutritional therapy – I’m currently in school to be a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – beet kvass is now a staple in my daily routine. I drink about 4 ounces a day, usually half at breakfast and half at dinner.

What Is Beet Kvass?

Beet Kvass may be getting more popular lately, but it’s not a new invention. Kvass – a fermented drink made from bread, believe it or not – probably originally comes from Russia and / or Ukraine. Considering I trace a good chunk of my ancestry there along with Poland, it’s probably not surprising that drinking homemade beet kvass just feels right.

Summed up, beet kvass is a fermented beverage made from beets, sea salt, and water. Yep, that’s it. Remarkably simple. Probiotic bacteria naturally found on the beet skins undergoes lacto-fermentation.

The Benefits of Beet Kvass

Beets and beet kvass have so many health benefits.

But, let’s be real here for a minute. Beet kvass ain’t a magic cure. Same goes for kombucha, coconut oil, exogenous ketones – yes I just went there – and bone broth. These things can help support all the other awesome health changes you’re making. But if you’re eating junk, not sleeping, and generally treating your body like a hot dumpster fire, no amount of homemade beet kvass is going to fix things.

So, be cool.

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (3)

Red beets contain a deep crimson pigment belonging to a class of compounds called betalains and a compound called nitrate which appears to have cardiovascular benefit.

Much of the research done on the health benefits of beets have been conducted via animal models. This research shows that beet juice and the active compounds in beet, like betalains, may reduce cellular damage (1) and support anti-inflammatory and phase 2 liver detoxification pathways (2), amongst other things.

Beets and beet juice are also a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, folate, potassium, and iron. And of course, eating beets and beet greens provides dietary fiber. (Yes, you can eat the green tops of beets. Sauté them just like spinach.)

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Beet Kvass Contains Probiotic Bacteria

Homemade beet kvass is a lacto-fermented drink that containsLactobacillus bacteria. These bacteria are considered gut-friendly probiotics.

The salt used in the lacto-fermentation process kills harmful bacteria. The helpful probiotic bacteria feed off the sugars in the beets and convert it into lactic acid. If you’re a fan of fermented veggies, you’ll recognize the familiar tangy flavor comes from this lactic acid.

Lacto-fermentation like what you’ll do to make your homemade beet kvass is a very traditional way to preserve food while improving its probiotic and enzyme content. And that’s good for your gut.

Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (4)

What Does Beet Kvass Taste Like?

Well, kind of like beets. Beet kvass is slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and a little earthy. It usually has a bit of bubbly effervescence and is very, very mildly salty…no more so than sauerkraut.

I love the taste of beet kvass as is but some people prefer to add ginger, orange peel, or other spices to theirs.

If you don’t like the taste of beet kvass, you can probably sneak it into a green smoothie without noticing. But there are so many other fermented drinks to enjoy. Find one you love instead of choking down one you hate.

How to Make Homemade Beet Kvass

Making beet kvass at home is so simple. I used to buy mine for $10 a bottle at the farmers market until I got hip to making my own. It takes almost no time to prepare, and beets are so inexpensive.

The process goes like this:

Select organic beets if possible. Gently wash your beets but don’t peel them. (The probiotic bacteria live on the beet skin.) Cube them up, and put them in a Mason jar. Do not grate the beets. They’ll ferment too fast and become alcoholic.

Add a small amount of sea salt. This helps prevent harmful bacteria from taking over. I prefer coarse Celtic grey sea salt for this. (This is my favorite.) Do NOT use iodized salt.

Top off the jar with filtered water, put the lid on, and let it sit at room temperature for a few days. That’s it!

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (5)

Watch My Cooking Video for Homemade Beet Kvass

Tips For The Best Beet Kvass

There are a few things you can add to your homemade beet kvass as a starter to seed it with probiotics. Some people use whey (not whey protein powder), the liquid that can be drained from yogurt.

I’ve done lacto-fermentation with whey starter before but I don’t usually have it lying around. And if you’re very dairy-sensitive, whey starter probably isn’t an option.

Instead, I either skip the starter completely – lacto-fermentation will happen just fine without it – or I add about 1/4 cup of raw sauerkraut juice. (Farmhouse Culture sells their sauerkraut juice in most natural grocers. Look for Gut Shot.)

Lacto-fermentation can go faster or slower depending on your local temperature. I prefer my beet kvass after about two days, but I’ve heard of people letting it ferment for up to a week. I would check the taste after two days. If it’s to your liking, stash in the refrigerator it with the lid still on.

And one last tip: You can re-use the beet chunks one more time. How’s that for thrifty?!

How Long Does Beet Kvass Last in the Refrigerator?

You can drink your beet kvass after its initial fermentation, but here’s a secret: It gets better after it sits for at least a week in the refrigerator. I let my beet kvass sit for about another week. The liquid will thicken a little and seem less watery. It’ll also become a much darker purple-red color. That’s normal.

After a week in the fridge, I strain the kvass and pour it into a glass storage bottle with a plastic lid. The salt in the kvass sometimes makes Mason jar lids corrode. You can re-use the beets one more time and start over, or you can eat them in a salad.

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (6)

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (7)

Homemade Beet Kvass

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Fermented, Paleo

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 1 kcal

Author: Steph Gaudreau

Homemade beet kvass is a delicious, healthy, fermented, and easy to make probiotic-rich drink. Learn the simple method for making your own beet kvass at home and the health benefits of drinking beet kvass in this easy to follow tutorial.

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Ingredients

  • 1 beet very large, organic if possible
  • 1 tsp sea salt coarse, Celtic grey salt*
  • 3 cups filtered water

Instructions

  1. Gently wash but do not scrub the beet. Trim the root and any greens off. Cut the beet into 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes. Add the cubed beets to a 1 quart (4 cup) Mason jar.

  2. Add the salt to the jar. Fill the jar with filtered water, leaving space in the neck of the jar for any bubbles that may form.Put the top on the Mason jar. I usually put my jar in a very large bowl just in case the jar were to crack.

  3. Let the jar sit out at room temperature for 48 hours. Taste the kvass. If it's a little sweet and a little tangy, it's probably ready. Put the lid back on and store in the refrigerator. If you can, let the kvass sit for a week in the refrigerator just like this. It'll mellow in flavor and thicken.

  4. Strain the beet kvass from the beets and store it in a separate jar if you like. You may re-use the beet cubes for one more batch of kvass or eat them in a salad.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

*You can use pink Himalayan salt if you wish. However, make sure you're using a coarse grind to keep the measurements the same. As fine salt will make for a saltier product if you use the same amount called for in the recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Beet Kvass

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1

% Daily Value*

Sodium 75mg3%

Potassium 8mg0%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 1mg0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Do you like beet kvass or not? Let me know in the comments below!

Pin this Homemade Beet Kvass recipe for later.

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78 Responses

  1. I have white mold on to is that ok .?it thrown our?

    1. I’d need to see a photo. If it looks like MOLD and not BUBBLES, it’s a good idea to throw it out to be safe.

      1. Thank you for your response. Would I then be able to increase the volume of water at the start of the ferment. In other words, use more liquid than what is called for in the recipe?

        1. If there’s not a lot of moisture after that time, add more by making some brine (salt water) with 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup of water.

    2. Hi, I made a batch of this recipe, added some cinnamon sticks and bay leaf. Had to leave it an extra day because it was still to salty. It came out wonderful, deep, slightly thick rich red colour. I have a question though, will adding extra water after the ferment affect it?

      1. you cannot just add plain water because that will disrupt the salinity and increase the risk of bacteria or mold growing.

  2. I am also making best kvass but store it at room temperature. It’s more pleasant cold but my fridge is usually at full capacity. Is there a specific reason why you store yours in the fridge?

    1. Storing it in the fridge significantly slows down the fermentation process. If you leave it out at room temp it could end up fermenting past the point you intended.

  3. Filtered water? I am assuming that is so you don’t have any weird city water flavor? I have great tasting well water. Would there be any issues using that?

    1. We have chlorinated water so I filter. If you have well water then it’s probably fine to use as is.

  4. Hey Steph!
    My first stab at this didn’t turn out quite right, but I intend to master this! After 2 days, it didn’t have the fermentation tang I was seeking, more like salty pink water. I let it ferment another two days but it developed a thin white coating. Thinking this could be mold I tossed it and am going to start over. Troubleshooting–I’m thinking my apartment may be too cold? Also, should the lid be on tight or should oxygen be able to get in? Thanks for your help, fermentation is somehow intimidating to me!

    1. Hey Laura…it’s possible it’s too cold and you need a little more time. Tight lid works perfect. Every once in a while I get a dud batch. Don’t give up <3

  5. I’ve been trying to make also and wonder if I leave on counter 1 day too long. I seem to get a brownish foam on the top. Is that mold?

    1. Foam on top with a bit of brownish tinge is normal. It’s not mold.

  6. Himalayan salt ok?
    Also I love your slow Sunday beef stew recipe! It’s hard for me not to make it every single Sunday!

    1. Yes, just be sure it’s coarse ground. If it’s fine, the end result could be a lot saltier than it’s supposed to be. Ahhh yay! So glad you love that recipe.

  7. Made a batch of this today, can’t wait to see how it turns out.

    1. Sweet!! Super glad that you’re giving it a shot!

      1. I peel the beets will it work the same?

        1. yes but you don’t have to peel them…that’s just an extra step that takes more time.

  8. Can I triple this recipe?

    1. Yes, but I would portion it into 3 separate jars. I’ve experimented with doubling the jar size and it hasn’t come out right because it was taking too long to ferment.

  9. Will Himalayan pink salt work as well?

    1. Yes. You’ll want to make sure it’s coarse though. If it’s fine salt, you’d end up with a batch that’s too salty.

  10. Does beet color matter? I have orange beets in the fridge.

    1. Nope! Orange beets will work great!

    2. Can I add ginger? If so when would you add it?

      1. Yes you definitely can. You can add it while it’s fermenting if you’d like. Or you can add ginger juice after it’s done.

    1. Lauren you need at least about a 10-12 oz beet. If you wanted to multiply the recipe, it’s best to make it in quart jars and just make multiple jars. You can eat the beets afterwards, yes.

      To convert from ounces to grams, I use this site.

  11. have you added beets to kombucha, would it have similar benefits

    1. It’s a different kind of fermentation. Kombucha is made using a colony of bacteria and yeast. Beet kvass is fermented using the wild bacterial cultures in the air. You can certainly add beet juice to the second fermentation of kombucha brewing.

  12. I let it sit on the counter two days and in the refrigerator a week. I thought the taste was great, but not really tangy. Maybe salty? I’m starting another batch, maybe I’ll leave this one out three days before transferring to the refrigerator.

    1. Hi Rita…when it’s cooler out, it may take a day or two longer 🙂 let your taste be your guide

  13. Hello, I made beet kvass at home. I tasted it after three days but was salty. Why? Thanks.

    1. Did you use *coarse* sea salt or something else?

  14. Hi Steph! I’ve made this beet kvass a couple times and absolutely love it! I know you said that the beets can be used in a salad after making the kvass, but have you ever cooked the beets afterward? I don’t do well eating a lot of raw veggies, but I wasn’t sure if cooking them after they were fermented would be a no go

    1. Hi Hayley…you can certainly cook them afterward. You’ll lose their probiotic punch but they’re still full of other goo stuff 🙂

      1. Hi Steph!
        I made two batches at the same time, the same way- and one jar has a thin line of bubbles at the top of the water line and the other does not. Should I discard the bubbled batch?
        Thank you for all your help and knowledge!

        1. Bubbles are normal!

  15. I used to have some of this at home, made by my Polish mother. Rediscovered it in Poland on current journey, and will try your recipe once we get home. Thanks for all the good tips.

  16. I have been drinking Green Goddess Beet Kvass and love it but it is getting expensive. My husband and I just made your recipe so we will see how it turns out. We did add cinnamon and cloves because I like the taste in the GG brand.

    1. Nice let me know how it turns out!

  17. I have been making beet kvass for about 6 months now and selling it at local farmers market the problem I have with it is it’s never fizzy am I doing something wrong it has the shour pickle taste looks great but no Fizz am I doing something wrong

    1. Try putting it in an air tight container that you burp every day.

  18. You say not to scrub the beets which seems reasonable given that might be scrubbing away good bacteria, however my beets look dirty even after washing. Is this ok?

    1. Should be fine. Just rinse to remove any loose dirt.

      1. I may have scrubbed my beets too thoroughly… but I did get the “brown bubbling” at the top of the jar – so maybe it worked after all. It’s been sitting on the counter for two weeks though and seems pretty salty still. I realize after reading other comments that I should have used course salt. I’d like to salvage it. Can I just water it down? Maybe add orange or ginger? When should those be added? During ferment or resting phase!

        1. Ah yes, coarse salt is important because it’ll give you the right volume. You could water it down, sure but be sure to store it in the refrigerator and discard if you notice any mold.

  19. Can you use one of the little ferment lids and not have to burp every day? Also, can you add dehydrated orange slices for flavor.

    1. Yes and yes!

  20. Just tried making my first batch of Kvass and after several days it began to bubble and got a white film on the top. I tried skimming the film off, but could not get all of it. After that, the bubbling seemed to subside. I left the batch sit a few more days and the film developed again so I threw it out. I’m planning to try again and am wondering if you have any suggestion as to what was going on with my first batch. Should I have refrigerated it immedialye when the bubbles appearing?

    1. Probably left it on the counter for too long. Kvass generally doesn’t take several days. Bubbling, however, is totally normal.

  21. Could I use the beet ginger gut shot as a starter for this or does it have to be the sauerkraut flavor ?

    1. you can use that!

  22. Can you use pickling/canning salt.
    I’m excited to try this.

    1. I haven’t tried it with that. My guess is that it’ll be way too salty as the recipe is written.

  23. how do u re due the second batch from the fridge beetroot liquid. and many times can u keep it going, before you have to re start. you can use the beetroot second time but can eat it then too, like you can the first time around.

    1. I’ve only ever re-used the liquid twice. I find the subsequent batches don’t taste strongly enough for me. Yes you can eat the beets.

  24. How do one tbs of salt turn into 75 mg? The bacteria feeds on the sugar, but the salt concentration should remain the same. And if that is so, the drink should put one over the limit of what is recommended in a day.

    1. A teaspoon of celtic sea salt is about 6 grams in weight for the entire jar. I would hope that someone isn’t going to drink the entire jar at once, nor would I recommend it. You have to add enough salt so that harmful bacteria don’t grow. This is the foundation of lacto-fermentation.

  25. I have a bunch of beets from the garden, and I want to make a few batches of this right away, but there’s no way we’d use it all right away… Is there a safe, longer-term storage method? I have a cellar, and I can. I know canning can mess with the health benefits, and may change it’s consistency. I’ve also got flip-top bottles that I could store them in.

    1. I try to use mine within a month or two of making it. Flip top bottles would help to keep it fresher but the shelf life still won’t be super long.

  26. Hi – I just wanted to let you to know it’s not “lacto” fermented unless you use whey. Without the whey it’s just fermented. You can get whey from raw milk as well as from yogurt. Our family drinks raw milk and I was looking for a lacto-fermented recipe.

    In a world where you can be anything…be kind!

    1. Hi Morgan, wanted to address your comment. This is lacto-fermentation. Lacto- refers to the Lactobacillus bacteria that break down sugars in the food and make lactic acid as a by-product, not to specifically using a whey starter.

      Yes, whey starters are a thing and you can certainly use them 🙂

  27. By any chance with the beet kvass do you know if yellow beets would work too. Or would it give off a different taste?
    (Yes I didn’t know there was yellow beets either).

    1. Yes you can do this with yellow beets.

  28. I so love beet kvass. Thank you for this beautiful tutorial on how to make it.

  29. Phooey! Version 1.0 rendered salty beet water. It didn’t ferment. I let it sit 2 days & then transferred to refrigerator for 7. I salted the beets. Not sure where the hiccup was. I want to try again, but I don’t know what to do differently to get a different result.

    1. how cold is it where you are? it probably needed more time. you have to taste it before just putting it in the fridge arbitrarily. the way to solve it is to let it keep fermenting at room temp.

  30. I have a real salt but it’s fine. How much fine salt would you use?

    1. I didn’t test that so I unfortunately can’t say. It would likely be less but I don’t have an exact amount because I didn’t recipe test it.

  31. Thank you for such a recipe. I love this beet kvass!

    1. Yay!!!

  32. Steph, great recipe. If I use Gut Shot beet ginger juice as a starter, how much should I add to the 3 cups water mix?

    1. 2-3 tablespoons should be enough

  33. Hi Steph. I’ve been looking for information on drying this kvass (powder, fruit-strips, etc.) but can’t seem to find anything related to kvass, just beets themselves. Up here in canada where half the year is winter, it would be nice to find a way to preserve these beneficial probiotics and have them available all year

    1. I don’t know anything about it.

Homemade Beet Kvass Recipe – Steph Gaudreau (9)

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