These fermented carrots with garlic and dill are crisp, tangy, and downright addictive. They’re perfect as a quick probiotic snack straight from the jar or served as a flavorful side with any meal. If you enjoy classic dill pickles, you’ll love this carrot and dill twist. And if you’re just starting out with vegetable fermentation, this easy recipe is the perfect place to begin. They’re also a huge hit with my kids—jars of these carrots disappear from our kitchen in just a couple of days!

a jar of fermented carrots with dill and garlic and a few fermented carrot sticks on the side

Can Carrots Be Fermented?

Carrots ferment beautifully thanks to their natural sweetness, which provides plenty of food for the beneficial bacteria. The result is a pleasantly tangy flavor with a satisfying crunch. Fermented carrots are also one of the easiest probiotic snacks to introduce to kids—even those who can be hesitant about trying new foods usually enjoy them.

Do Carrots and Dill Go Together?

Before I started making these garlic and dill lacto-fermented carrots, I thought dill belonged only in pickles or cucumber soup. The first time I tried this recipe, I played it safe and made just one small jar in case no one liked it. To my surprise, that jar disappeared in a single sitting—my kids devoured the carrots and immediately asked me to keep making them this way!

If you’re a pickle lover, you’ll adore these garlic and dill carrots too. And if you’re new to fermenting vegetables, this recipe is the perfect place to start. These fermented carrots are wonderfully refreshing—the natural sweetness and crunch of the carrot paired with the tangy dill pickle flavor make them a side dish you’ll want to serve with everything.

Tips for Making This Recipe

You can use any unrefined salt you like in this recipe – rock salt, sea salt, pink Himalayan salt etc. Any salt with additives such as anti-caking agents should not be used in fermentation recipes.
You do not need to peel the carrots unless you really want to. If they are a bit grubby, give them a good scrub under running water.
I use regular jars with lids for all of my fermenting. Both two-piece American lids and one-piece European style lids are fine to use. I have never bothered to invest in crocks, jars with air-locks etc., because regular mason jars work very well. This way I can use the same type of jars for fermenting, canning, and storing leftovers which is important to me as in most places where we’ve lived kitchen space was limited.
Instead of 2 pint jars you could use 1 quart jar.
This recipe is super easy to double or even triple. Make sure that you use the correct ratio of salt to water in your brine – 20 grams of salt per liter or 2 tablespoons of salt per 4 cups of water.
Pack the carrot sticks tightly into jars. Use some muscle power when you do this. They will lose some moisture as they ferment and may start floating up if not packed tight enough, which predisposes them to getting moldy.
Instead of dill seeds, you could use dill leaves or fresh dill heads in this recipe. Place them in the jars before you add in the carrots.

Ingredients & Tools You’ll Need

Step-by-Step: How to Make Lacto-Fermented Carrot Sticks

some carrots sticks on a plate a paring knife and cut off carrot tops

First cut the carrots into sticks. Don’t worry about having them all the same length. They should be roughly the same thickness so they ferment at a similar rate.

two jars with dill seeds and garlic cloves and some carrot sticks in the background

After you have prepared all the carrots, place the dill seeds and the peeled garlic cloves into the jars. I like to put them in before carrots, so they are less likely to float to the top once the jars are filled with brine.

Now fill the jars with some of the longer carrots sticks. Stand them upright. Use some muscle and pack them tight, so they don’t float up once the jar is filled with the brine. They should not stick out above the neck of the jar – if some of them are a bit too long, cut them shorter. You can tuck the short pieces into any small gaps in the jars.

two jars full of carrot sticks ready to be filled with brine

If there is still a little room in the jars, add a few of the shorter sticks horizontally. Make sure nothing reaches above the neck of the jar.

a beaker full with salt brine and two jars of carrot sticks in the background

Prepare the brine by mixing 10 grams (1 tablespoon) of salt with 500ml (2 cups) filtered water. Stir until all the salt has dissolved.

two jars with carrot sticks with dill garlic and topped off with brine ready to be fermented

Fill both jars to the brim with the brine – I mean literally to the brim. Don’t leave any air space. If you need a little more brine, mix some more salt and water in the ratio of 1/2 tablespoon of salt to 1 cup of water. If you only need a couple of spoons of brine, just add plain water without worrying about calculating such small amounts of brine. Adding such a small amount of water will not skew the ratio enough to cause any issues.

two jars of carrot sticks with dill and garlic fermenting on a pantry shelf

Screw the lids on tight and place the jars on your counter or somewhere where you can keep an eye on them. After the first 24 hours have passed, the jars are likely to start hissing and may leak some brine. Place them in a bowl or a tray so they don’t make a mess on your counter. There is no need to ‘burp’ the jars.

As the carrots ferment, the brine will turn from clear to cloudy. This is a perfectly normal occurence and not a sign of spoilage.

fizzy jar of fermented carrot sticks with garlic and dill

These carrots will take about 4 days to ferment if your kitchen is very warm or 6 – 7 days in a cool kitchen. To check if they are ready, open a jar and take a carrot stick out. If it is softer than a raw carrot but still with a nice crunch to it, it is ready. You can then transfer both jars to the fridge.

Because carrots are quite high in sugar, they can get quite fizzy and foam when you open the jar. It only happens sometimes, but to be on the safe side, open any new jar over the sink or a bowl to catch any overflow.

Troubleshooting

The most common issue people face when fermenting vegetables is mold. Fortunately it is easy to prevent mold in fermented vegetables if you follow correct fermentation practices.

Use the correct salt to water ratio in your brine. For carrots (and many other ferments such as sauerkraut) this ratio is 20 grams (2 tablespoons) of salt per 1 liter (4 cups) of water.
Make sure that everything is submerged under brine at all times. The dill seeds will float, that’s okay. The garlic and carrots however should stay under the brine.
Fill the jars with the brine to the brim. Some of it may leak out during the fermentation process – that is fine, you do not need to refill the jars with more brine.
Once the jars are filled with the veggies and the brine, screw the lids on tight.
Do not open the jars until you are ready to eat the carrots. The jars will seal themselves as they ferment, pushing any remaining air out. When you open them, you break that seal and let the air in. If you have opened a jar to test whether the carrots are ready for eating, just store that jar in the fridge and it will be fine.

a jar of fermented carrots with garlic and dill and some fermented carrots sticks on a jar lid

Storage & Shelf Life

After having fermented at room temp for 3 – 7 days, these carrots should be stored in the refrigerator. If you continued to keep them on the counter, they would eventually overferment and get mushy. They would not be unsafe to eat, but they would be completely unappetizing.
These fermented carrots will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Being refrigerated slows down fermentation, but does not completely stop it so I recommend you use them up within a month or two, otherwise they may eventually lose their nice crunch.
Make sure to use up any opened jar within a week or so, otherwise the carrots may get moldy.

Recipe FAQs

These carrots are slightly tangy, crunchy, and absolutely delicious. This ferment is very mild tasting and so great for newbies or picky kids. The garlic and dill also add a herby flavor reminiscent of pickles.

The benefits of fermented foods are many and varied – they are great for our gut microbiome, immune system, and nutrient absorption. They add beneficial enzymes to our diet.The beneficial bacteria they contain also increase the vitamin content of fermented foods. There are many books and scientific articles written about the benefits of lacto-fermentation for human health. I am not a health expert but I have read enough about the benefits of lacto fermented foods to be really focused on adding them to my family’s diet on a daily basis.

It’s best to enjoy small amounts of fermented foods daily rather than eating large portions only once in a while. Each type of ferment has its own unique bacterial cultures and health benefits, so variety is key. For gut and immune health, our family makes it a habit to include at least one fermented food every day—most often at dinnertime.

Conclusion

I hope you’ll give these delicious fermented carrots a try! If you do, let me know in the comments below—I love hearing how these recipes turn out in your kitchen. Fermentation really shows how a few simple ingredients can transform into something spectacular. With just carrots, garlic, dill, salt, and time, beneficial bacteria create a side dish that’s as nourishing as it is tasty. I’m a big fan of lacto-fermentation, and you’ll find many more easy fermented food recipes here on the blog to inspire your next batch.

More Delicious Fermented Recipes

Fermented Ginger Honey

Fermented Ginger Carrots

Red Cabbage Sauerkraut with Orange and Cloves

Probiotic Ginger Soda

a jar of fermented carrots with dill and garlic and a few fermented carrots sticks on the side

Fermented Carrots with Garlic and Dill

Crisp carrot sticks fermented with garlic and dill in a simple salt brine for a probiotic, gut-healthy snack.

Prep Time 10

fermenting time 5

Total Time 5 10

Serving Size 2 pint jars OR 1 quart jar

Equipment

2 pint (500ml) mason jars with lids OR 1 quart jar

Ingredients

700g (1½ pounds) carrots
2 tsp dill seeds
4 garlic cloves
10g (1 tbsp) unrefined salt
500ml (2 cups) filtered water

Instructions

Start by cutting the carrots into sticks. They don’t need to be exactly the same length, but aim for a similar thickness so they ferment evenly.
After you have prepared all the carrots, place the dill seeds and the peeled garlic cloves into the jars. I like to put them in before carrots, so they are less likely to float to the top once the jars are filled with brine.
Next, fill your jar with the longer carrot sticks, standing them upright. Pack them in firmly so they don’t float once the brine is added. Make sure none of the sticks rise above the jar’s neck—trim any that are too tall, and tuck the shorter pieces into the gaps.
If there’s still space in the jar, add a few shorter carrot sticks horizontally. Be sure nothing extends above the neck of the jar.
Prepare the brine by mixing 10 grams (1 tablespoon) of salt with 500ml (2 cups) filtered water. Stir until all the salt has dissolved.
Pour the brine into the jars, filling them right to the brim with no air space. If you run short, mix more brine using ½ tablespoon of salt per 1 cup of water. If you only need a spoonful or two, simply top up with plain water—the small amount won’t affect the fermentation.
Screw the lids on tightly and place the jars on the counter where you can check on them. After 24 hours, the fermentation will usually become active—the jars may hiss or leak a little brine. Set them in a bowl or tray to catch any overflow. There’s no need to “burp” the jars.
Ferment the carrots for about 4 days in a warm kitchen, or 6–7 days if it’s cooler. To check if they’re ready, open a jar and taste a carrot stick—it should be slightly softer than raw, but still crisp and crunchy. Because carrots are naturally high in sugar, they may sometimes get fizzy and foam when you open the jar. To be safe, open new jars over the sink or a bowl to catch any overflow.
Transfer the jars to the refrigerator for long term storage.
Enjoy these fermented carrots as a crunchy probiotic snack, add them to salads and sandwiches, or serve them alongside meats, cheese boards, and family meals.

Notes

Brine Ratio for Fermented Carrots

Standard ratio: ½ tablespoon salt per 1 cup water.
Scale up or down as needed to fill your jars.
If you only need a spoonful or two extra, just top up with plain water—the small amount won’t affect fermentation.

Fermentation Time Guide

Warm kitchen: ~4 days
Cool kitchen: 6–7 days
Ready when carrots are tangy, slightly softened, but still crunchy.

How to Make Probiotic Fermented Carrots with Garlic and Dill