Cooking With Kombucha

Amazing Recipes You Had No Idea You Were Missing

Chances are you’ve probably seen these strange, colorful little bottles take over your grocery store shelves, or heard a fanatical friend talk about the beverage in those bottles taking the culture by storm: kombucha. For the uninitiated, kombucha is a fermented tea product drunk for its rich probiotic content, large doses of B vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids released during the fermentation process. And whether you’re one of those fanatics yourself, just want to start dipping your toe in the shallow end of this craze, always looking for healthier recipe swaps, or just simply like being inventive in the kitchen, kombucha can also be a great substitute for beer or wine in many cooking recipes.

Kombucha is not only lower calorie (clocking in anywhere from 10-40 calories per 8 oz serving as compared to 80-195 calories for beer or wine), but is often infused with other herbs, juices, and flowers that’ll kick up the flavor of some dishes too. Try a Creamy Pasta Sauce, or a Cheese Dip, with Pineapple Elderflower kombucha. In dishes with very low, or no heat, like a cheese dip, or Beer Dip that’s kept cold, you’ll also add its probiotic content to your foods. To cut out a few calories in nearly everyone’s favorite warm indulgence, Creamy Cheddar Cheese Soup, try kombucha in some of your base. Using the above Pineapple Elderflower flavor will give it an incredibly unique twist and taste. The flavor of elegant dishes can also be kicked up a notch, while the calories are kicked down a notch, in things such as Kombucha Mussels with Butter. Even if you’re late to the kombucha game, or already its number one fan, you can bring all the benefits of this tasty, trendy drink to your plate too.

Check back on our Food Blog for monthly kombucha recipes. If you can’t find Dean & Deluca Kombucha you can substitute with any light, low sugar, organic kombucha.