Don't Compost Them! How to Pickle Sweet Potato Leaves for a "Soy Sauce on Steroids" Flavor

Did you know that sweet potato leaves are edible? They are not only packed with nutrition but can also be transformed into a culinary secret weapon!

In this video, we're harvesting and preserving an abundant fall crop: sweet potato leaves! While many gardeners throw these leafy greens into the compost, we'll show you a simple, two-ingredient process to pickle and ferment them into a savory condiment that tastes like a "soy sauce on steroids."

Join us at East by West Farms as we walk you through the entire process:

Harvesting and Prepping: Learn the best way to separate the leaves from the thick stems (which we'll reuse to condition our new garden beds!).

The Ancient Art of Pickling: See how to properly wash and mix the leaves with simple sea salt for fermentation.

DIY Fermentation: We'll demonstrate how to use both a traditional Chinese pickling jar and a common Mason jar to create the perfect anaerobic seal.

Flavor Experiment: Watch as we add a fragrant secret ingredient—fresh lemongrass—to create a small, experimental batch.

Storage and Use: Get tips on how long to let the leaves ferment and how to store your finished pickled leaves to achieve a more profound, complex flavor.

If you're a Texas gardener—or live anywhere sweet potatoes grow profusely—this is a must-try recipe to use up that end-of-season bounty! Hit that subscribe button and let us know in the comments if you've ever tried fermenting sweet potato leaves before!

Ingredients Used:
Sweet Potato Leaves
Sea Salt
Optional: Fresh Lemongrass

Don't forget to check out our previous video on how to harvest and cook with sweet potato leaves!
   • Don't Throw away your Sweet Potato Leaves  


00:00 - Start
00:21 - Introduction
01:03 - Separate the Stems
03:24 - The Result
05:08 - First Wash
07:43 - Second Wash
08:45 - Mason Jar
09:16 - Chinese Pickle Jar
10:12 - Pickling with a Mason Jar
10:44 - The Pickling Process
13:40 - Second Batch
15:55 - Seal the Jar
17:33 - What to do Next
18:34 - Summary