Vegetable · pepper

Lacto-fermenting bell pepper: 3.00% salt, 7.0days at 68 °F

Sweet, no-heat pepper. Good base for fermented sweet-hot sauce (60/40 bell/hot blend). Also classic brine-pickle component. Red bell has highest sugar content = most vigorous ferment; green bell is more grassy.

Salt calculator

Enter your vegetable weight and a salt percentage. We return the exact salt mass in grams, plus teaspoons for each common grain.

grams
%

Grain matters: one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal weighs half as much as one teaspoon of fine sea salt. Weigh in grams when you can.

30g salt
5.27 tsp 1.76 tbsp 1.06 oz

Based on Fine sea salt at 5.69 g/tsp.

Safe range for lacto-fermentation. 2% is the most common default for cabbage, kimchi and pepper mash.

All salt grains
GrainGramsTeaspoonsTablespoons
Diamond Crystal kosher30 g10.563.52
Morton kosher30 g6.252.08
Fine sea salt30 g5.271.76
Pickling / canning30 g5.451.82
Default salt
3.00 %
Salt range
2.50% – 3.50%
Time @ 68 °F
7.0 days
Target pH
3.80
Water content
~93%
Preferred styles
lacto hot sauce mild, brine pickle, mixed veg component

Technique

For hot sauce blend: 60% bell + 40% hot, puree, 2.5% salt, 10-14 days. For pickle: 5mm strips, 3% brine + garlic + thyme, 7 days. Red bell > green bell for flavor depth.

Source: NCHFP — Hot Sauce (pepper varieties). Last verified 2026-05-17.

Frequently asked questions

What percent salt for fermenting bell pepper?

3.00% by weight is the default for bell pepper (workable range 2.50%–3.50%). For 1000g bell pepper, that's 30.0g salt. Use non-iodised salt and weigh in grams — teaspoon equivalences vary by salt grain. Source: NCHFP — Hot Sauce (pepper varieties).

How long to ferment bell pepper?

7.0 days at 68°F (20°C). Cooler kitchens (60-65°F) slow fermentation; warmer kitchens (75-80°F) roughly halve the time per 10°F increase. Start tasting from day 5; target pH 3.80 or below indicates complete primary fermentation.

What's the best technique for fermenting bell pepper?

For hot sauce blend: 60% bell + 40% hot, puree, 2.5% salt, 10-14 days. For pickle: 5mm strips, 3% brine + garlic + thyme, 7 days. Red bell > green bell for flavor depth.

What category is bell pepper for fermentation?

Bell Pepper is a pepper vegetable. Sweet, no-heat pepper. Good base for fermented sweet-hot sauce (60/40 bell/hot blend). Also classic brine-pickle component. Red bell has highest sugar content = most vigorous ferment; green bell is mo… Preferred fermentation style: lacto-hot-sauce-mild, brine-pickle, mixed-veg-component.