Gut Shot Recipe Recipe
Rich in probiotics, the Gut Shot is a fermented vegetable drink that supports gut health by creating diversity in the gut microbiome—an easy step-by-step guide using veggies you already have with just 15 minutes of hands-on time.
How to Make the Best Gut Shot Recipe
This probiotic-rich gut shot is one of the simplest ways to support your digestive health at home. Unlike store-bought probiotic drinks that can be expensive and loaded with added sugars, this homemade fermented vegetable brine uses ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. The fermentation process creates beneficial bacteria that help diversify your gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in everything from digestion to immune function.
The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility—you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, from carrots and celery to beets and fennel. The aromatic spices at the bottom of the jar not only add depth of flavor but also contain their own health benefits. Turmeric and ginger, if you choose to add them, bring anti-inflammatory properties to the mix.
With just 15 minutes of hands-on time and about 5 days of patient waiting, you’ll have a batch of gut shot that can last for weeks in your refrigerator. Start with a small 2-ounce serving each day and work your way up as your body adjusts to the influx of probiotics. Your gut will thank you!
Gut Shot Recipe
Rich in probiotics, the Gut Shot is a fermented vegetable drink that supports gut health by creating diversity in the gut microbiome—an easy step-by-step guide using veggies you already have with just 15 minutes of hands-on time.
Ingredients
Aromatics & Spices
Vegetables & Brine
Instructions
Prepare the Jar
- Place whole spices in the bottom of a clean, 8-cup jar.
- Add onion, garlic, and optional turmeric root and ginger root.
- Add vegetables, slicing thinly, filling up roughly half the jar.
- Cover with cabbage leaves, which will keep everything under the brine.
Add Brine & Ferment
- Weight down the cabbage leaves using a fermentation weight or something small and clean that fits into the jar like a shot glass. Press down a little.
- Make the brine using a 3% solution. Mix 4 cups filtered water with 1½ tablespoons sea salt. Pour this over the weighted cabbage leaves. Fill the jar, leaving 1½ inches of headroom. If you need more brine to fill the jar, use 1 cup water with 1 teaspoon salt.
- If any seeds or scraps float to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon. Any debris that floats to the surface may cause mold, so everything needs to be submerged under the brine.
- Cover, but do not tighten the lid, and place over a plate to catch any overflow. You want the bubbles from the fermentation to be able to escape. You can also use an airlock system.
- Place in a cool place; 65°F-70°F is ideal. In winter, leave it on your kitchen counter and check daily for any seeds that may have floated to the surface. In summer, place the jar in a cool basement or lower cupboard.
- Let this ferment for 3 days, then taste. The longer you ferment, the more tangy it will become. Ferment for 5 days for optimum flavor.
- Place in the fridge, lightly covered. It will continue to ferment in the refrigerator but more slowly and will keep indefinitely.
Serving
- Drink a 2-ounce glass full of gut shot each day or with each meal. The vegetables are also edible and delicious!
Notes
- Use filtered water, as tap water can contain chlorine which may prohibit fermentation.
- Do not peel the vegetables—just wash them thoroughly.
- Check daily during fermentation for any floating debris and remove it to prevent mold.
- The gut shot will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.
