Cooking with Kombucha

Kombucha is a versatile product that lends itself to a range of dishes and beverages. If you think of kombucha as a slightly sweet and sparkly vinegar that comes in a range of weird and wonderful flavours, then you’ve got a pretty exciting ingredient to play with in the kitchen.

You all know how much we love our kombucha cocktails but ever thought of using it as a vinegar for salad dressing?

BOOCH ITALIAN DRESSING

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup raw kombucha

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1½ cups olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced fine

1½ tbsp. minced onion

1 tbsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried basil

1½ tbsp. fresh minced parsley

1 tbsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a twist lid. Cover and shake until everything is well combined.

2. The oil and kombucha vinegar will probably separate after it sits for some time, so give it a shake before pouring.

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Kombucha also works well in soups as it gives it that final zingy umami kick and the perfect balancing sour note.

CHILLED SUMMER MELON SOUP WITH KOMBUCHA

8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 honeydew or rock melon melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into small pieces

¼ cup fresh mint

3 limes, juiced

Pinch of salt

500ml bottle of kombucha, chilled

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine melon, mint, fresh lime juice, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the kombucha and pulse until just combined. Do not over process. Let chill in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

2. Garnish with fresh berries, melon or a swirl of yogurt.

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Full of flavour and fizz, booch can also be used as vinegar for making a batch of quick pickles. The beets and kombucha in this next recipe combine for a lovely flavor. If you prefer a little less zing in your salad, use milder kombucha (personally we like more tang so the best booch for this is Superblend)

KOMBUCHA PICKLED BEET SALAD

4 servings INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch beets, boiled then peeled

1/4 onion sliced

3 garlic cloves

bay leaf

8 peppercorns

1 cup of tart kombucha

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slice the beets.

2. Add remaining ingredients.

3. Cover and let sit overnight.

4. Remove bay leaf before serving.