Vegetable · root

Lacto-fermenting turnip: 2.50% salt, 10.0days at 68 °F

Mild, peppery, slightly sweet. Featured in Middle Eastern torshi (pickled root mix) and regional kimchi variants. Absorbs flavor well from surrounding ferment. Shreds work better than chunks for sauerkraut-style.

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.

25g salt
4.39 tsp 1.46 tbsp 0.88 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 kosher25 g8.82.93
Morton kosher25 g5.211.74
Fine sea salt25 g4.391.46
Pickling / canning25 g4.551.52
Default salt
2.50 %
Salt range
2.00% – 3.00%
Time @ 68 °F
10.0 days
Target pH
3.80
Water content
~92%
Preferred styles
sauerkraut blend, kimchi component, torshi

Technique

Shred for sauerkraut blend (cabbage + turnip at 70/30). Brine-pickle as cubes: 2.5% brine, 10 days. For Lebanese torshi pink variety: add sliced beet (10% by weight) — turns turnips hot pink from beet pigment.

Source: Taste of Beirut — pink torshi. Last verified 2026-05-17.

Frequently asked questions

What percent salt for fermenting turnip?

2.50% by weight is the default for turnip (workable range 2.00%–3.00%). For 1000g turnip, that's 25.0g salt. Use non-iodised salt and weigh in grams — teaspoon equivalences vary by salt grain. Source: Taste of Beirut — pink torshi.

How long to ferment turnip?

10.0 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 turnip?

Shred for sauerkraut blend (cabbage + turnip at 70/30). Brine-pickle as cubes: 2.5% brine, 10 days. For Lebanese torshi pink variety: add sliced beet (10% by weight) — turns turnips hot pink from beet pigment.

What category is turnip for fermentation?

Turnip is a root vegetable. Mild, peppery, slightly sweet. Featured in Middle Eastern torshi (pickled root mix) and regional kimchi variants. Absorbs flavor well from surrounding ferment. Shreds work better than chunks for sauer… Preferred fermentation style: sauerkraut-blend, kimchi-component, torshi.