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Traditional method for fermented potatoes as an enzyme-rich, cultured side dish that adds probiotics and resistant starch to the diet.
Is there anything quite as satisfying as mashed potatoes with dinner? I just love all forms of potatoesโฆ baked, fried, mashed, even boiled!
This recipe provides a traditional method (with video how-to) for making fermented potatoes to add to your spuds repertoire.
Why would you want to make cultured potatoes in the first place? Because, unfortunately, the starch in potatoes is really not all that easy to digest for many people.
Especially these days with so many people suffering from digestive complaints of all kinds, starch can be a real painโฆquite literally!
Potatoes are also nightshade vegetables, so lightly culturing them can help with any issues for those who are sensitive.
The problem is with the starch molecule itself. Each one is quite complexโฆcomprised of hundreds of mono-sugars connected in long, branch-like strands.
It takes much digestive work to break down the starch molecule and, as a result, much of it goes undigested in most cases.
For those with an imbalanced gut, the undigested starch is the perfect food for pathogens and they grow and produce toxins that cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms in susceptible individuals.
Easy-to-Digest Cultured Potatoes
If you enjoy potatoes but find that they trigger digestive or autoimmune symptoms, it might be worth it for you to try your hand at fermenting them.
I prefer Yukon Gold as it seems to make the tastiest dish! Red or purple potatoes are also amazing.
If you are coming off the GAPS, AIP or SCD diets and reintroducing resistant starchย to your diet after a period of gut healing, fermented potatoes would be a great first step.
While resistant starch is reduced during cooking, the bonds reform when the potatoes are cooled and these โnew resistant starchesโ remain even if the dish is reheated before eating! (1)
We like this dish in our home to simply add that probiotic element to a meal of primarily cooked foods. Adding enzyme-rich, live food to your meals is nothing short of miraculous for boosting immunity and improving nutrient absorption.
If youโve been wanting to make a fermented dish at home for the first time, this would be an easy and delicious one to start with!
The video demonstration included with the recipe below shows how to make probiotic potatoes using the Nourishing Traditions method.
If you are not eating white potatoes, feel free to substitute sweet potatoes instead.
Dairy-free? Try this fermented sweet potatoes recipe that uses sauerkraut juice instead of yogurt as the starter.
Fermented Potatoes Recipe
This recipe for fermented potatoes is an enzyme and probiotic-rich side dish that adds resistant starch that is more easily digested and shown to reduce belly fat.
Ingredients
- 4 cups white potatoes preferably organic
- 2 cups whole milk yogurt plain, preferably organic
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
Instructions
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Peel the potatoes. This greatly reduces the chances of fermentation mold. Bake or boil potatoes and then mash them in a large glass bowl. Do not microwave.
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With a handheld mixer or food processor, blend well with yogurt and sea salt once the potatoes are warm and no longer hot.
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Cover with a clean, cotton cloth and secure with a rubber band. Leave the covered bowl on the counter for 2 days and then refrigerate. They will last about a month.
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Serve with steak as an enzyme-rich side dish or with any meal where potatoes work well.
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You may reheat cultured potatoes on the stove before serving, but take care not to warm them too much or enzymes and probiotics will be lost. Keep below 118 ยฐF/ 48 ยฐC.
Recipe Video
(1) Eat This Carb and You Wonโt Gain Weight
How do I know when the potatoes are done fermenting. What will they look like?
They look exactly the same. They will taste slightly fermented after the allotted time.
I baked some potatoes in their jackets, took all but one out of the oven. Around two weeks went by and discovered the lone spud. Out of curiosity I tried a bite: wow, slightly sour and curiously effervescent for a solid โ altogether delicious! Has anyone heard of fermenting potatoes this way?
can carrots or other vegetables be substituted for the potatoes?
You can try it if you like … I haven’t tried it myself to know if it would work well.
Could cooking potatoes this way cause risk of botulism? I have made this recipe and like it. Now I have read something online that said botulism can form in mashed potatoes. What are your thoughts on this?
If you remove the skin as directed in the recipe, the risk of this is virtually nonexistent.
I left the skins on mine. Heating them up before the fermentation portion of the process should kill botulism bacteria. Besides, fermenting crowds out the baddies. I ferment raw veggies all the time and have for several years. Still alive, no food poisoning. Not even once.
Leaving the skins on still risks mold … if you used 2 cups fermented pickle juice that would have very much deterred mold though since it is so strong.
Hi Sarah,
Just discovered your blog.Love it.Just one question could I use the yoghurt like stuff from my clabber in the potatoes?
Looking forward to trying it.
Yes, you can use clabber instead of yogurt.
Welcome to the community ๐
Wow, I haven’t seen potatoes fermented this way before, thanks for sharing!
I love the fact that you can ferment them this way after cooking, so you get to enjoy all the beneficial enzymes and probiotics to their fullest. Not to mention, refrigerating will increase resistant starch and therefore give a great dose of prebiotics to boost this recipe further! ๐
Great recipe, love the ideas,
James
Will this recipe work with low fat yogurt or kefir?
Yes, it probably would, but why would you want to use low-fat yogurt or kefir? Full fat is much healthier. Lowfat is politically correct nutrition and not supported by objective research to be healthier.
Hi Sarah! I love your work! Don’t ever stop!
I’ve never liked the texture or the taste of cold potatoes in any form, but that’s how these are supposed to be eaten, right? And they still taste good?
You can warm these up to 118 F without harming any of the probiotics/enzymes, which is quite warm … but not hot. Personally, I like them warm, not cold.
I wonder how much you can heat them? Till there warm but not hot ? My hubby would never eat them cold and I have an issue with potatoes so I would love to try this
Up to 118 F preserves all enzymes and probiotics which is quite warm but not burning. Do you have a food thermometer? I use mine all the time for this sort of thing ๐
Does fermenting them cause histamine issues for those with that issue? I am a bit confused on that.
If you are sensitive to histamines, then you should probably avoid all fermented foods for the time being. The GAPS diet is excellent for resolving this issue by healing/sealing the gut wall according to GAPS Practitioners I’ve spoken to. The intro diet alone only lasts a few weeks but is typically all that is required for many folks to develop tolerance so they can eat these healthy cultured foods again!