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Discover 50 inventive and tasty ways to integrate sauerkraut into your diet, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned fan. Not only does it add a unique flavor twist to everyday dishes, but it also boosts your gut health with its rich probiotic content. You’ll find out how effortlessly sauerkraut can become a staple in your diet for both taste and wellness.
Reader Bonnie from Denver, Colorado commented: “I just had to share with you an amazing sauerkraut combination I had for dinner last night. I did a hamburger patty on the grill, topped with Swiss cheese until it was soft, then added a squirt of Dijon mustard and topped it off with sauerkraut. Yum!!!” ★★★★★
Sauerkraut, with its tangy and slightly salty taste, adds a unique zest and depth to various dishes, enhancing flavors by providing a contrasting sharpness that can balance richer or more savory elements.
Its crisp texture and acidic bite can also cut through the heaviness of meaty or creamy dishes, bringing a refreshing complexity to the overall taste experience.
I especially love how effortlessly just consuming sauerkraut with any meal elevates the flavor profile. Think of sauerkraut as a condiment that you add to any meal or dish.
To take advantage of the health and probiotic benefits of sauerkraut (that are lost when cooked in a dish), it’s recommended to consume it raw. Add sauerkraut to a Reuben sandwich, mix it into tuna, egg, chicken, or potato salad, or eat it straight from the jar.
However, there are many traditional cooked dishes, such as bratwurst (sausage) with sauerkraut, roast pork and sauerkraut (a traditional New Year’s meal in many cultures), and sauerkraut soup, that include sauerkraut for the flavor profile it adds. Cooked sauerkraut retains the nutritional and fiber benefits.
Don’t have a jar of sauerkraut in your refrigerator? Learn how to make some with my proven method using this photo-rich recipe with numerous tips.
Now, scroll through my list to discover how to eat sauerkraut in 50 flavorful ways.
- General Tips & Tricks for Adding Sauekraut to Your Diet
- Enhance the Flavor of Any Meal or Snack
- 1. Sauerkraut as a Condiment
- 2. Sauerkraut Straight Out of the Jar
- 3. Sauerkraut as a Topping for a Cheese Spread
- 4. Sauerkraut Avocado Boat
- 5. Sauerkraut to Ward Off the Flu
- 6. Sauerkraut as a Quick Pick-Me-Up
- 7. Sauerkraut as a Hangover Cure
- 8. Pasta a la Sauerkraut
- 9. Add Sauerkraut to a Smoothie
- 10. Mashed Potatoes
- 11. Cream Cheese and Sauerkraut Dip
- 12. Nori Rolls
- 13. Stir Fry
- 14. Sweet Potato
- Make an Almost Instant Salad
- 15. Sauerkraut in a Tossed Green Salad
- 16. Mango-Kimchi Salad
- 17. Persimmon Sauerkraut Salad
- 18. Sauerkraut with Kalamata Olives & Avocado
- 19. Fermented Beet and Orange Sauerkraut Salad
- 20. Fresh Carrot Slaw
- 21. Tuna, Egg, Chicken, or Potato Salad Addition
- 22. Best Sauerkraut Salad
- 23. Mango and Sauerkraut Salad
- 24. Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut Salad
- 25. Salad Dressing
- Add to a Sandwich, Wrap, Lunch Bowl, Quesadilla, Burrito, or Noodle Bowl
- Use as a Classic or Not-So-Classic Topping
- Cooked Recipes with Sauerkraut
- Vegan and Vegetarian
- Desserts? Yes!
- Which way sounds best to you?
General Tips & Tricks for Adding Sauekraut to Your Diet
Keep It Simple
When looking for ways to eat sauerkraut, keep it simple. Eat some right out of the jar. Add a forkful to a salad. Or, place a bit of sauerkraut on your dinner plate.
You don’t need an elaborate recipe, nor do you need to eat a massive quantity to speed up your digestion or improve your health. Just one forkful of sauerkraut is teaming with enough beneficial bacteria to make noticeable, positive changes in your digestion.
As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself. – Adelle Davis
– Adelle Davis
Go Slow
Sauerkraut is rich in beneficial bacteria. If this is the first time for you to consume sauerkraut, start with just a small forkful so that you are not introducing more probiotics into your gut than it can handle.
How much sauerkraut should you be eating each day? Check out this infographic and post.
Eat it Cold or Hot?
Sauerkraut can be eaten both cold and hot, depending on personal preference and the dish it’s being used in.
The flavors are stronger when warmed to room temperature. If you’re new to sauerkraut and not keen on the flavor yet, eat it cold or soon after you take it out of the fridge.
Sauerkraut Too Salty?
Just before eating, you can give your sauerkraut a quick rinse. This will wash off some but not all of the beneficial bacteria.
Save That Brine
If you’re lucky enough to have brine still when you get to the bottom of a jar, drink its probiotic-rich goodness, use it in place of vinegar in a salad dressing, or pour it into another finished ferment in your fridge.
Avoid Heating Your Sauerkraut
If you want to enjoy the benefits of your naturally fermented sauerkraut, don’t destroy the good enzymes and probiotics by heating it. It’s fine to stir sauerkraut into a warm bowl of soup or sprinkle on the top of your meal.
If you’re concerned that you’ll never be able to eat your favorite sausage and sauerkraut cooked dish, don’t despair. Just have some raw sauerkraut along with it. The best of both worlds.
Vegan Sauerkraut Recipes
Sauerkraut is typically made from cabbage and salt, without animal products, making it suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.
Kimchi, however, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish, often includes fish sauce, shrimp paste, or other seafood products that are not vegetarian.
You can enjoy sauerkraut with any of your favorite dishes or meals, and many of the suggestions here are vegetarian.
And Don’t Forget Your Pets
Dogs can safely consume sauerkraut as its basic ingredients are not harmful to them. However, be wary of sauerkraut containing caraway seeds or excessive salt, as these can be detrimental to your dog’s health.
Reader Bonnie commented: “I have three dogs: a 95-pound Golden Retriever, a 20-pound little white mop of a mutt, and a 10-pound Cairn Terrier—and they all love raw sauerkraut! Every time I have some with a meal, they all beg for it!”
FUN FACT:
The word “sauerkraut” is from German Sauerkraut which literally means “sour cabbage.” From sauer “sour” + kraut “vegetable, cabbage.
See 51 Fascinating Facts About Sauerkraut and Cabbage [WHO KNEW?] for more interesting tidbits about sauerkraut.
Now, on to my growing list of easy ways to enjoy mouthwatering sauerkraut.
Enhance the Flavor of Any Meal or Snack
1. Sauerkraut as a Condiment
The easiest way to add sauerkraut to your diet is as a condiment to your main meal. This is how I eat 99.9% of my sauerkraut.
As you’re setting the table, put your jar of sauerkraut out, leaving it in the quart jar that it was fermented in, and add a forkful or two to your plate. It pairs well with almost anything, aids digestion, especially protein and fats, and contains many vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes.
Don’t like cold sauerkraut? Try to remember to pull it out of the refrigerator as you begin to prepare the meal. Or, I find if I place a serving of sauerkraut on my plate at the beginning of the meal, it has lost its chill by the time I’m ready to indulge.
2. Sauerkraut Straight Out of the Jar
Grab a fork and dig it. That simple. If my stomach feels “off,” I grab my jar and find I can quickly rebalance my gut.
3. Sauerkraut as a Topping for a Cheese Spread
Another of my favorite ways to eat sauerkraut is to take a slice of bread or your favorite cracker, spread it with cream cheese or goat cheese, and top it with a bit of sauerkraut.
Also nice is to spread cream cheese on a slice of deli meat, add some sauerkraut and roll up into a tasty and satisfying snack.
4. Sauerkraut Avocado Boat
Cut an avocado in half. No need to peel; that’s your bowl. Top with a large dollop of sauerkraut, add a squeeze of lemon and dig in. An all-star snack with healthy fats from the avocado and the probiotics from the sauerkraut.
5. Sauerkraut to Ward Off the Flu
Are tell-tale signs of the flu coming your way? It can’t hurt to try a few bites of sauerkraut. Even just a few sips of the brine can help.
British sailor Caption James Cook was famously credited with conquering scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) by bringing barrels of sauerkraut with him to sea and feeding it to his crews daily.
6. Sauerkraut as a Quick Pick-Me-Up
Have that afternoon slump and wish you could take a nap? Try a few bites of sauerkraut—yes, you can eat it right out of the jar—and see if you are soon re-energized.
7. Sauerkraut as a Hangover Cure
This article over at Russian Sauerkraut explains why the use of sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice works so well to cure a hangover.
8. Pasta a la Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut can also be stirred into pasta where it creates a whole new flavor profile and I find, takes away the “heaviness” of the pasta and aids in its digestion.
9. Add Sauerkraut to a Smoothie
To elevate flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of sauerkraut to your favorite smoothie recipe and blend well. Most will not even know that probiotic goodness is in there.
10. Mashed Potatoes
Potato salads often lack flavor, needing ample seasoning. Incorporating sauerkraut can transform a mundane potato salad into a remarkably flavorful dish. Be sure also to add the brine.
11. Cream Cheese and Sauerkraut Dip
This is an easy dip recipe to toss together for unexpected guests, but it is best if it can be made the day before.
Mix one cup of sauerkraut with 6-8 ounces of cream cheese, adding brine to achieve the desired consistency for dipping fresh vegetables or spreading on crackers.
12. Nori Rolls
The ingredients in this recipe for Raw Vegan Parsnip Rice Nori Rolls make my mouth water: Miso, shredded parsnip, avocado, trail mix, cayenne, and… sauerkraut. Adjust the recipe to personal preference and what ingredients you have on hand.
13. Stir Fry
To use sauerkraut in a stir fry, first drain and rinse the sauerkraut to remove excess brine. Then, add it towards the end of the cooking process to maintain some of its crunch and probiotic benefits. It can be mixed with vegetables, tofu, or meat and seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.
14. Sweet Potato
Elevate your baked sweet potatoes with a hearty helping of sauerkraut. The sweet potato’s natural sweetness harmonizes with the sauerkraut’s tang, delivering a flavor combination that’s sure to impress. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped nuts and a honey drizzle for a delightful mix of sweet and savory.
FUN FACT:
Sauerkraut is high in digestive enzymes that help to break down starches, proteins, and fats.
Make an Almost Instant Salad
Sauerkraut adds a nice zing to any salad. Go simple and throw together what you have on hand, or raise the flavor bar and take advantage of the suggestions that follow.
Flavor Note: I recently raised the bar on my choice of olive oil after listening to The Genius Life 31: How to Buy the Best Extra-Virgin Olive Oil | Nicholas Coleman, by Max Lugavere. Experience the power of high-quality olive oil.
15. Sauerkraut in a Tossed Green Salad
Tear up some lettuce leaves, and add a few forkfuls of sauerkraut along with some brine, a splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a few grinds of black pepper. Add some cheese or leftover meat slices for a more fulfilling salad.
See Delicious Sauerkraut Salads with Local Vancouver Island Ingredients for two recipes using Passion Pink Sauerkraut, one that includes scallops.
16. Mango-Kimchi Salad
Or, notch it up with this salad idea. Peel and dice both a mango and an avocado. I like to use a whole mango and just half of an avocado. Add the juice of one lemon. Stir in one-half cup of Kimchi-Style Sauerkraut, and eat to your heart’s content!
17. Persimmon Sauerkraut Salad
One of my readers likes to mix sauerkraut with persimmon for another delicious combination.
18. Sauerkraut with Kalamata Olives & Avocado
Mix sauerkraut with avocado chunks and kalamata olives. Delish!
19. Fermented Beet and Orange Sauerkraut Salad
I have a detailed recipe for this salad here. It uses a peeled and chopped orange, some feta cheese, a few slices of fresh mint, and Passion Pink Sauerkraut. Ruby-Red Red-Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe [Triple the Power] would also work well.
20. Fresh Carrot Slaw
Toss together some grated carrot, chopped parsley, and your favorite sauerkraut, perhaps Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut. Add some toasted nuts for crunch, and you’re set.
This is a great way to introduce sauerkraut to the hesitant. The sweetness of the carrots takes away the bite of the sauerkraut.
21. Tuna, Egg, Chicken, or Potato Salad Addition
Add sauerkraut—or replace the pickles/pickle relish—in your favorite recipe for tuna, egg, chicken, or potato salad.
22. Best Sauerkraut Salad
If you’re looking for an actual recipe, this one from Stacie at Simply Stacie should fit the bill. Photos and simple, delicious ingredients.
23. Mango and Sauerkraut Salad
These nutrient-packed ingredients make a powerful detox salad that is raw, revitalizing and simple while being incredibly flavorful and refreshing at the same time. You can put it together in 5 minutes and it makes a great lunch or starter. It’s also portable, so you can easily take it with you to your office for lunch as well.
Easy Sauerkraut Salad with Mango and Almonds from Happy Kitchen
24. Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut Salad
Chop – or slice – an apple into your serving bowl. Add some cubed cheddar cheese and Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut. Toss and top with toasted, chopped walnuts. Sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.
25. Salad Dressing
Blend leftover brine with olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and zest. Simple. Delicious.
FUN FACT:
Sauerkraut is a time-honored folk remedy for canker sores. It is used by rinsing the mouth with sauerkraut juice for about 30 seconds several times a day, or by placing a wad of sauerkraut against the affected area for a minute or so before chewing and swallowing the kraut.
Add to a Sandwich, Wrap, Lunch Bowl, Quesadilla, Burrito, or Noodle Bowl
Sauerkraut adds a pleasant zing to any sandwich, wrap, taco or burrito. No matter what you put in there – veggies, cheeses, meats, relishes – a few forkfuls of sauerkraut will bring flavors to a new level.
To avoid creating a soggy mess, use a fork to remove sauerkraut from the jar, letting the excess brine first drip off.
26. Sauerkraut Layered in a Sandwich
Make a boring sandwich scrumptious by adding a nice layer of sauerkraut to it, the classic being a Reuben Sandwich. To avoid a soggy sandwich, let the brine dribble off the sauerkraut before adding.
27. Almond Butter Dill Sauerkraut Sandwich
Tracy (Cowichan Station, British Columbia) says her boys loved this combination on a wheat-free diet.
Use rye bread (the kind sold in brick-like dense packages, double wrapped to last a year), preferred nut butter, and dill sauerkraut. Make a sandwich, spreading nut butter on both slices of bread and add one layer of sauerkraut. Place in a heated skillet with butter and fry on both sides until golden brown. Devour wildly!
28. Quesadilla Double Decker
Use two tortillas. Top one tortilla with your favorite ingredients – salsa, avocado, and perhaps diced sweet & spicy peppers. Sprinkle on some cheese. Top another tortilla with just cheese. Bake both until melted and browned. Add some sauerkraut to the tortilla with all the other ingredients and top with the cheesy tortilla (cheese face down). Slice into pizza wedges.
29. Peanut Butter Delux
Now, this sounds good to me…
[su_testimonial name=”Ann-Maree, Living Foods Lifestyle New Zealand” photo=”https://www.makesauerkraut.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/avatar-F18.png”]I have become an absolute lover of sauerkraut and one of my favorite things is thin grainy toast with sugar-free peanut butter and a healthy layer of sauerkraut. (Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. 🙂 [/su_testimonial]
30. Upgraded Avocado Toast
It’s perfect as a filling snack or mini meal – I love serving this kraut snack on gluten free bread as an “upgraded” avocado toast. This is also a great little dish for my kraut newbies; the avocado really mellows its flavor.
Robyn over at Your Healthiest You has a simple recipe for avocado toast.
31. Avocado Breakfast Toast
Toast a slice of bread to your liking. Fry an egg. Mash half an avocado onto toast. Add a few forkfuls of sauerkraut, letting excess brine drain into the jar, and top with egg. Season with salt and pepper.
32. Kimchi Noodle Bowl
Noodle bowls are a quick, healthy, and delicious meal and an easy way to add probiotic power to a dish.
33. Peanut Butter Kimchi Sandwich
A popular menu item at the Gyst Fermentation Bar is a peanut butter sandwich with one key ingredient.
Toasted focaccia roll + peanut butter + Kimchi + sliced green scallions + toasted peanuts.
I’m ready to move to Minneapolis so that I can support this tasty endeavor. Gyst Fermentation Bar
FUN FACT:
Sauerkraut originated nearly 2,000 years ago in ancient China. In summer, slaves building the Great Wall of China lived on cabbage and rice. In winter, the cabbage was preserved with rice wine, which soured the cabbage to keep thousands of laborers healthy in the worst of conditions.
Use as a Classic or Not-So-Classic Topping
34. A To-Die-For Pizza Topping
Hawaiian Sauerkraut (A favorite in my eBook: Fermentation Made Easy! Mouthwatering Sauerkraut.) is to die for as a topping on pepperoni pizza, but any combination will work. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
35. Sauerkraut on a Hot Dog
Another easy way to eat sauerkraut is no simpler than that steamy hot dog topped with sauerkraut for the classic combination! Try Baseball Park Sauerkraut, a relish-like sauerkraut perfect for the onion lovers in your family.
36. An Amazing Hamburger
From one of my readers…
[su_testimonial name=”Bonnie, Denver Colorado” photo=”https://www.makesauerkraut.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/avatar-F16.png”]I just had to share with you an amazing sauerkraut combination I had for dinner last night. I did a hamburger patty on the grill, topped with Swiss cheese until it was soft, then added a squirt of Dijon mustard, and topped it off with sauerkraut. Yum!!![/su_testimonial]
37. Scrambled Eggs
An easy way to eat sauerkraut first thing in the morning is to mix it in with your eggs. Try some spicy Kimchi sauerkraut and top with sour cream.
Or my latest creation, Firecracker Sauerkraut, sour cream, chopped avocado, and diced sweet red pepper.
Firecracker Sauerkraut Recipe
Jalapeño + red onion + oregano + cumin + red pepper flakes = Simply Delicious!
38. Baked Potato
Dill Sauerkraut is the perfect topping for baked potatoes. Elevate the flavors further with a dollop of sour cream and some crumbled bacon.
39. Bagel and Lox
Adding sauerkraut to a bagel with lox introduces a tangy twist, enhancing the classic combination with its unique flavor and texture.
FUN FACT:
In order for the German immigrants who landed in New York City in the 1860s to make a living, they began selling their sauerkraut with sausage and milk rolls from pushcarts in the Bowery section. Eventually, the bun and sausage combination became a treat commonly known as hot dogs. To this day, a New York-style hot dog is served with sauerkraut.
Cooked Recipes with Sauerkraut
Cooked dishes that include sauerkraut offer several benefits:
Flavor Enhancement: Cooking sauerkraut with other ingredients allows its tangy, sour flavor to infuse into the dish, enhancing the overall taste profile.
Nutrient Absorption: While some probiotics are lost during cooking, other nutrients in sauerkraut, like vitamin C and certain minerals, may become more easily absorbed.
Dietary Fiber: Sauerkraut provides dietary fiber, which remains beneficial even when cooked, aiding in digestion and gut health.
Versatility: Cooked sauerkraut dishes can be a delicious way to add variety to your diet, pairing well with meats, grains, and other vegetables.
To enjoy the probiotic benefits of sauerkraut, be sure to serve some raw sauerkraut with your meal.
Here are some recipes for traditional meat dishes that include sauerkraut:
40. Roast Pork and Sauerkraut
A traditional New Year’s meal in many cultures, featuring a pork roast served alongside sauerkraut as a symbol of good fortune.
Best Ever Pork Roast and Sauerkraut
41. Alsatian Choucroute
This Alsatian classic combines sauerkraut with various types of sausages, often including bratwurst or kielbasa and other pork cuts.
Effortless Choucroute Garnie at Home
42. Sauerkraut and Sausage Soup
A hearty soup blending sauerkraut with sausage, potatoes, and spices, common in Eastern European cuisines.
43. Sausage and Sauerkraut Casserole
A baked dish where sausages are cooked with sauerkraut, sometimes with added potatoes or apples for extra flavor.
Incredibly Amazing German Sauerkraut Casserole
44. Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
A simple yet popular German dish featuring grilled or pan-fried bratwurst served atop a bed of warm sauerkraut.
45. German Meatballs
This iconic German meatball recipe in sauce (Königsberger Klopse) is often served on special occasions, yet easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner!
The deliciously seasoned beef and pork meatballs are simmered in beef broth before finishing the sauce with cream, capers, and lemon.
THE BEST GERMAN MEATBALL RECIPE (KÖNIGSBERGER KLOPSE)
Vegan and Vegetarian
Most of the ways to eat sauerkraut in this article can easily be adapted for a vegan or vegetarian diet. Here are a few cooked recipes to try.
46. Vegan Potato Sauerkraut Pancakes
These vegan Potato Sauerkraut Pancakes are fun, delicious and crunchy. The sauerkraut adds great depth of flavor, and fresh herbs add more zest and zing. A vegan, soy-free, nut-free recipe can be gluten-free.
Vegan Potato Sauerkraut Pancakes
47. Sauerkraut and Bean Stew
This vegan jota is a hearty, smoky bean and sauerkraut hotpot, is simplicity itself to make, and is perfect during cooler weather!
VEGAN JOTA (SLOVENIAN SAUERKRAUT & BEAN STEW)
48. Vegan Potato Sauerkraut Casserole
This vegan potato sauerkraut casserole is a warm, cozy, and filling dish that you will love to feed your family and friends.
VEGAN POTATO SAUERKRAUT CASSEROLE
Desserts? Yes!
Sauerkraut is used in cake and brownie recipes to enhance moisture and texture. Finely chopped or pureed, it subtly enriches flavors like chocolate, adding depth without a strong sauerkraut taste.
Recipes that feature sauerkraut as a key ingredient:
49. Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
According to TheOldFoodie.com, “‘Sauerkraut Cake’ sounds like some sort of sick joke, but it is very real indeed. It came about in the 1960s as a result of the USDA Surplus Committee’s request (specifically to school lunchroom managers) for ideas to use up a large quantity of stockpiled canned sauerkraut.” It was credited to Mrs. Geraldine Timms, who was a lunchroom supervisor.
Grandma Jo’s Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
50. Sauerkraut Brownies
You’re probably thinking, what in the world is sauerkraut doing in a brownie recipe? If you know me, you know there’s no “too much of a good thing” when it comes to my Naturally Fermented Sauerkraut. Give it a try. You may find that thinking outside the jar yields some delicious results. —Bubbies
And… A Raw Sauerkraut Brownie Recipe
Which way sounds best to you?
On your dinner plate, in a sandwich, on a salad?
Pick one, and enjoy a forkful of probiotic-rich sauerkraut with a meal today!
And… if you need to buy some sauerkraut, grab my handy guide.
Buy the Right Stuff! FREE Download
Use the button below to get your own printable Sauerkraut Shopping Guide.
Now that you know so many delicious ways to eat sauerkraut, there is so much more to explore.
- Learn how to make sauerkraut with my hand-holding teaching recipe.
- Fermented dill pickles are another way to include beneficial bacteria in your diet.
- Kimchi pepper powder gives kimchi its color and flavor, but adding a bit of it to many of the above suggestions will impart some added heat for those who like things a bit spicy.
- Looking for a set of sauerkraut recipes? Check out my book, Fermentation Made Easy! Mouthwatering Sauerkraut.
Share your favorite way to eat sauerkraut in the comments section below. I’ll add them to this post as they come in.
I made my kraut back in july of this year, Packed raw in jars with salt and water. No cooking involved. I checked it in 3 weeks, no really kraut odor noted when I smelled the top of jars. I waited 2 more weeks, noticed a slight smell of kraut, only 2 jars have sealed. I opened 1 jar that had not sealed, it only faintly tasted like kraut. Now what I need to know is there anything I can do to save this bunch of kraut? I have 9 quart jars.
Hello Susan, Glad to hear you’re making sauerkraut, though is sounds like you’re mixing up naturally fermented sauerkraut with canned. Yes, no cooking is involved but jars do not seal. That happens with heat processing or canning in a hot water bath.
The amount of salt you used will impact the rate of fermentation. It should soften, lose some of its saltiness and get sour. If you have none of this going on, you may have used too much salt. As long as you have no mold or any nasties growing, it should be fine to eat, however. It might be more like brined cabbage instead of soured cabbage. Put the jars in the fridge and enjoy.
Check out my recipe where I take you step-by-step through the process of making naturally fermented sauerkraut. http://www.makesauerkraut.com/sure-fire-sauerkraut-in-a-jar/. Hopefully, that will help.
I make sauerkraut in Fido jar. After 10 days, can I put un-opened jar in refrigerator for two to three days to stop fermentation. After the fermentation has stopped, can I open the jar taste and remove part of it. After opening, can I close the lid and return the jar to room temperature, and let the fermentation continuue for next 10 days?
Hello, Fermentation is always happening, just at different rates, depending upon the temperature. In the refrigerator, it will slow way down but not stop completely.
Play around with what you want to do, but no need to. You can taste it after the 10 days, see if you like it. If you do, put it in the fridge, if not, close it back up and let it continue to ferment.
I haven’t bought sauerkraut in a long time, as I tend not to know how to incorporate it in meals. But I really want the health benefits, so I’m trying harder to be creative. I went to the store today and got some Aidells Habanero & Green Chile sausage, but the store did not have my fave brand of sauerkraut – Kühne. Not willing to go to another store, I bought Libby – boy, does that taste different. To its credit, it does not contain preservatives, only color enhancement ingredient.
I simply peeled a couple of potatoes, because the skin did not look good, and fried them up in olive oil. Added one of the sausages, cut up, and had that with the sauerkraut on the side. Mmm.
I want to hurry up and use that jar of Libby so that I can get back to
Kühne!
Hello Sibyl Rose, Sounds like a delicious way to enjoy sauerkraut.
To get the maximum health benefits, do look for brands found in the refrigerator section. They are alive and teeming with the good bacteria.
Thank you for all the great ideas 🙂 <3 #probioticsrule
#probiotics rule! Like that. Enjoy incorporating them into your diet.
I used to only put it on hotdogs but I’m going to try all of these
Great! You’ll be amazed at how easily a bit of sauerkraut shifts the whole flavor profile. Taste Buds Awaken! P.S. Love your “picture.”
I am eating it now but it’s really salty and I’m concerned I’m exceeding my salt healthy limits. Is it okay to rinse it without rinsing the good bacteria? or is it okay to just eat it that salty?
Hello Laura, Sorry to hear it’s too salty for you. From what I’ve read, you can go ahead and rinse it. Yes, you’ll be rinsing off some, but not all of the good bacteria. What type of salt did you use?
For you next batch, try using Himalayan Pink Salt or Real Salt (both have lower sodium levels) and/or lower the amount of salt used. My recipe is for 2% salt. I’ve heard success with 1.5% salt. It’s easier with a scale that can read grams. For 800 grams, use 12 grams of salt.
Hello Holly. Thank you for your answer. The one I was eating I had bought it in the supermarket. But by reading your blog, I got encouraged and made my own, exactly one week ago but now I have another doubt:It’s going as expected I suppose, but the smell coming out of the corner where I have my sauerkraut is really bad. I am okay with sauerkraut smell, but this one smells REALLY bad.The appearance is perfect but the smell is not. Does the smell change during the process? Is it normal?
Ps: I can’t describe the smell well but I’d say is like summer smelly feet 😛
Thank you!
Smelly feet, dirty socks are some of the terms that describe sauerkraut that has gone south – bad. Don’t toss yet. Let’s trouble shoot.
Can you tell me what all you used in this batch? How much salt? Is it under the brine? What are general temps where you’re fermenting?
Sure. I made it exactly one week ago. I used 1400 grams of green cabbage and 20 grams of pink salt. Once I made it, I opened it to release the air of the bottle (because it is one of these Fido-Style jars) 24 hours after making it and a couple more times and it exploded on my face the first two times. When I made it, it was full of brine, but it has “dried up” I’d say, because it doesn’t have much brine anymore. The temperature in the apartment stays between 14-22ºC.
I just took this picture, there you can see the little bubbles between the cabbage straps.
Since not everything could fit in my jar, I also filled another tiny jar with the same mix and that one is still full of brine. Can I move brine from that one to the other one?
Maybe I did wrong by opening it? If not, can I just open it to smell it directly? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/86acee4481a67e65e44207b1eff2295d58baf2c3c9f1c24c738c9a59d5bf5e0b.jpg
The jar looks lovely. Nice color. And, yes it can expand like it has with all the CO2 – lots of, hence the exploding in your face – created by the bacteria.
Try pushing down on the cabbage mixture and see if you can get some brine to rise to the surface then leave it be. You are on the low end, salt wise. You have quite a range in temps which can cause fermentation to stop and start.
For now, I would say it is good and maybe we can’t quite tell yet by the smell. Give a few more days and give it a taste unless the smell is too noxious. You will know or perhaps get a friend or neighbor to weigh in on the smell.
Hello Holly. It means a lot to me your availability and will to help, thank you for all your answers. It’s been two weeks and I think I’m going to start eating my sauerkraut! 🙂 I just have one more doubt:
The cabbage leave which is on top of my sauerkraut it’s starting to show a little bit of “white mold”. Is that okay? shall I change it? Since I’m going to store in the fridge and start eating it, do I still need to keep that leave?
Do I also need to keep the weight on top of it to mantain it under the brine?
Thank you so much for your help
Just remove the cabbage leaf. You no longer need to keep it. With the contraction that happens in the cold of the refrigerator, the brine will seem to disappear, so also you no longer need the weight. Enjoy and you’re more than welcome. Good job on your first jar.
It’s good that you are making your own sauerkraut. It’s much healthier. As a general rule, you should rinse commercially prepared sauerkraut before using and don’t drink the brine. Most commercial sauerkrauts have too much salt and chemicals in the brine. With the homemade sauerkraut there should be less salt and there will be healthy probiotics in the brine that make it a great remedy glfor upset stomachs. An exception to this rule is certain artisan sauerkrauts that are fermented traditionally and have only a few simple ingredients. These are usually just like homemade sauerkrauts.
For mango-kimchi salad, I used persimmon instead of mango and regular auerkraut instead of kimchi and it was delicious!! Also tried to add some pepper to the salad to give some spice (as originally it should have been kimchi:) ). Where actually surprised of how good this combo worked 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
Persimmon-Sauerkraut Salad! Good creative work there. I wish persimmons grew here so I could try that combo. Sounds delicious.
My favourite use is cheese and sauerkraut on toast (grilled cheese across the pond, I understand)!
I can also vouch for kraut on hot-dogs, or in falafel wraps. If you’re not fussed about the probiotics, it’s lovely in pierogi…
I need to try the sauerkraut grilled cheese combo more often. I love it!
Sounds great. I will have to try the cheese toast with kraut. Thanks for the idea!
I keep it simple. I cook a couple brats on my grill, or smoke them in my smoker over Mesquite,put them on a plate with a couple tablespoons of sweet/hot mustard, and a large pile of sauerkraut. I dip each slice of brat in some mustard and pop it in my mouth with a forkful of Kraut, add cheese of your choice, and some wine or beer, and your good to go, this is great for someone on a low carb diet and staying away from bread. If you want the bread try the items above rolled up in a tortilla warmed on the grill for a bratwurst sauerkraut wrap, enjoy.
I’m HUNGRY! Good idea on how to make it low/no carb.
Oh I forgot to tell you I have my 5 liter Boleslawieck (excuse spelling) crock from Stone Creek Trading full of sweet garlic sauerkraut as we speak, cant wait to try it. I learned about Stone Creek Trading from your site, great products, especially the Luna Glass weights, and great people.
Lucky Guy! Let us know how the flavor compares to fermenting in a jar. Yes, the Luna Glass weights are great!
I like both but I think I like sauerkraut better from a good crock. I let it go three or four weeks on my kitchen table at 70 degrees. I have been making it for a couple years and have never had a failure. I do use a starter culture that I get from culturedfoodforhealth.com.
I’m with you. the best is from a good crock. But then, jar fermentation has its merits. Enjoy!
Something I grew up with is sauerkraut with biscuits and gravy. Split the biscuit and put a layer of sauerkraut on it and cover with gravy. My grandfather was a truck driver who made runs out of Detroit and apparently a truck stop up there served it and he got it started with my family. Never heard of it anywhere else, but it is very good.
Hello Stan, Thank you for sharing. I’ll take gravy with anything, so I guess I’ll have to try this combination. Enjoy!
Saurkraut is tangy so you could us it with anything you use relish for: egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad, sausage, hot dog, burger, etc.
Good suggestion, Thank YOU! I’m loving the flavor it adds to deviled eggs. Now, to try the tuna salad idea.
i eat eat usually with cole slaw or a plain salad to brighten it up,small amount of good vinigar and oil,,great salads!i never heat it
Nice and simple, and…delicious.
Best way to eat Kapusta;; Was at my Busa “s house. God I miss her and the food . (excuse spelling)
Thank you for the education. I had to look up Kapusta: [kah-POOS-tah] is a Polish dish of braised or stewed sauerkraut or cabbage, with bacon, mushroom and onion or garlic. Sounds delicious!
Hi Holly;
Busa , (if spelling is right) I believe would be Grand-mother. OH, You also must have fresh or smoked Kielbasa. (polish deli)
Thanks;
You’re making me hungry. Too many ways to enjoy sauerkraut!
Piece of gf toast, avocado and topped w/ sauerkraut and pepper. Mmmm.
Simple. Delicious. Must try.
Will it hurt to bag and freez my kraut?
it only hurts if you drop the frozen block on your toe
No, freezing does not harm the beneficial bacteria and many find it a workable way to store sauerkraut. More here: https://www.makesauerkraut.com/storing-sauerkraut/
I make a wrap: 1 sheet of Nori. Lay a bed of leaves of green leaf lettuce (or red leaf or boston or even kale) on the nori. slice some ripe avocado along the length of the lettuce bed. take a handful of pecans and spread it on the avocado. Take saurkraut and spread over the pecans. cover with another piece of lettuce and wrap. It does drip a little in your hand but it is yummy and healthy! Enjoy
What a great idea! Sounds delicious.
I make red sauerkraut out of red cabbage, caraway seeds, and salt. A great and simple way to serve is to place a generous spoonful of sauerkraut into a small dish or tiny bowl. Drizzle Japanese mirin sauce on top and optionally a wee bit of olive oil. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. So simple, so good. (This would probably also work with regular white sauerkraut and black sesame seeds.)
What a great use for the mirin sauce. Find the best olive oil you can. It really makes the flavors come out. And, a touch touch with the sesame seeds. Simple does it. Here’s a great podcast on the olive oil, if you want to delve deeper on that one. https://www.maxlugavere.com/podcast/nicholas-coleman-olive-oil
I went overboard with the sauerkraut making and had a vast supply of traditional white sauerkraut on hand. So: I used my favorite recipe for spanakotiropita (Greek Spinach and Cheese pie) substituting sauerkraut for the spinach. (I also substituted the cheeses with homemade vegan feta and cottage cheeses but that’s optional.) Incredibly delicious! Yes it does require baking the sauerkraut which will kill the probiotics but it is still a great way to use up your sauerkraut. It also justifies going all out on that large ceramic fermentation vessel that you’ve been hankering for…
So many creative ways to make use of sauerkraut. That sounds delicious. And, even without the probiotic benefits, you do get fiber and nutritional benefits. 🙂
I first found out about Saurerkraut at The “Vic Markets” in Melbourne Australia. After a big night out a friend took me to the markets on our walk of shame. He took me to this German stand where we had a Kransky hotdog topped with The Kraut and a bti of Dijon mustard on a french crusty roll. Best hangover cure ever. I still go to the same stall whenever im in the city
“Which way sounds best to you- on your dinner plate,in a sandwich, on a salad?” – Yes
A wise answer. 🙂
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bee7a1367ea3333e6b9c52090796a64c14d0fd646fb3564f15a0f571ac9c3768.jpg
Hi, off the subject but this is the fermented cranberries. I added dried figs as well. AMAZING.
ALSO YOU CAN MAKE PIEROGI WITH SAURKRAUT AND DRIED PORCINI…..
Now, that sounds delicious. I’ll have to do a collection of recipes – and some of my own – on some favorite cooked sauerkraut dishes.
I make sauerkraut soup. Bascially a brothy potato soup with fresh mushrooms. At the end when the potatoes are tender I stir in a couple of cups of sauerkraut and it gives the soup an incredible umami.
I was also surprised to learn how much our dogs like sauerkraut!
#33 was just for you, I guess. I like you sauerkraut soup recipe. Nourishing and probably still full of probiotic goodness.
Thanks for inspiring me to eat Sauerkraut. It helps a lot to visualize and know you can virtually add it with anything.
Great to hear! It is so simple to add, but being something new for many of us, it’s hard to understand its simplicity at times. 🙂
Bought a large jar from the supermarket, wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Thought it would it would be more vinegary, rather than the flavourless, dusty pap I found. Can’t believe people eat tonnes of the stuff. Is there any way I can use it up? Put it in a soup, disguise it with something?
Use it in a soup or looked for a traditional cooked recipe. It’s commonly cooked with a pork roast. And… you can’t compare what you bought (heat treated, processed) to naturally fermented sauerkraut. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. 🙂
Thanks. I was wrong anyway, I just tasted the top bit which was dusty, further into the jar it got a lot more vinegary. I hate wasting food, so I used it in this instead of some of the lentils. A bit bland, but perfectly edible. https://www.peacefuldumpling.com/recipe/vegan-red-lentil-sauerkraut-soup
The rest I used in a pasta bake, with the tomatoes and cheese I could barely taste it, though I had to wash the vinegar off first. I notice a lot of recipes say rinse it, kind of defeats the object I’d have thought. 🙂
Why are you so into sauerkraut, did you grow up with it culturally?
Good question. I did not have my first bite of sauerkraut until I was 45. Why? Healthy, traditional cultures studied by Weston A. Price in the 1920’s all ate some type of fermented food. I tried some – Bubbies – so, so but ate it because of its health benefits. It was not until I started making my own and playing with flavors that I fell in love with stuff. And, here I am almost 20 years later passing on this time-honored skill. 🙂
I LOVE sauerkraut…these recipes are awesome!! Thank you. You say pets but only mention dogs. What about cats??? Cant wait to get to store…is there a good way to keep some avocado for a day? If it turns brown that doesnt mean its bad right?? Thank you again. Victoria
Great. May you – and YOUR CATS – find some flavor-packed ways to enjoy your sauerkraut! No, turning brown does not mean an avocado is bad, but I find it difficult to eat them unless they have that beautiful green color. Tightly wrap it in plastic?
Hey, please don’t give sauerkraut to your cats, they have very sensitive kidneys and cant handle added salt. <3 Take care
thank you for the reply. i have been eating sauerkraut on about everything i eat now. i tried it on peanut butter toast and it was great. my mom did suggest rinsing the kraut tho to combat the salt intake. i use the brine to make a dip with cream cheese. it is sooooooo good. i feel so much healthier
Thank YOU! Good for all of us to know.
when its brown thats just oxidization from being exposed to air you can slow it down by not leaving it exposed to open air and there is nothing actually bad about it its just an eyesore
I’ll have to research further on the oxidation – to eat or not eat. Since I’m in the “hate to waste” camp, I eat it. Some feel you shouldn’t eat oxidized food… so much to learn. 🙂
Brine for a dip? What a great idea. Keep on enjoying it. One would never think it would be good on a peanut butter sandwich. 🙂
Actually the peanut butter idea came from Ann-Marie above in comments. Its good. You have many many recipes that no one would think of. I have written down many of them. I did end up eating some avocado that had turned brown and it didnt hurt me haha. I read that if you squeeze some lemon juice on it that it helps. I wrap it in parchment paper then and keep in container with lid. Stays a couple days, but brown doesnt hurt the taste really either. Keep on eating your kraut too. Yes the dip is just cream cheese and brine. Add to the consistency that you want. Thicker for veggies. I like it on plain ol saltines too. I also usually buy the sauerkraut in bags and freeze them. Then when i take them out i just run hot water over the bag and take the whole piece out on big plate and cut up the sauerkraut. That way it fits on sandwiches etc…easier.
Yes, we have more than one peanut butter-kraut fan. Here’s to you for using the brown avocados. I do sometimes, since I hate to waste them.
Years ago there was a pizza shop that served a pizza: sauerkraut and canadian bacon. It was to die for… So kraut on pizza is amazingly great.
Time to order some pizza!
This article included one idea I had been planning to try this weekend: sk with avocado. But finding a place for it otherwise has not been easy. I’m doing research now. I don’t want to ‘ruin’ my meal with grain (steel cut oats – my hardiest meal had around noon) by adding it, and am reluctant to add to morning smoothie since I’m now having only a light fruit smoothie in the am. I WAS adding it to smoothie, with success, before I reduced it to just fruit, so I will likely reintroduce it after some study.
Recently I learned what I have suspected… I have my descending colon on the right side. This is so rare as to be virtually nonexistent; I could only find two cases in deep search online: a man in Japan, I think, and one in India. Pictures of a dissection confirmed the news… which means I must have an extra loop in there somewhere! Now certain things make more sense in my life regarding preferences and careful diet, as well as emphasis on smoothies, fermentation. I am basically a very simple eater and have to be; now I know why, I think. .
Added a bunch of sk I had not found a way to consume to beet kvass I’ve had sitting for some time which I sip with a straw.
Thank goodness you are able to learn about yourself and take control of your health. Perhaps try that beet kvass mixed with some sparkling water?
I’ve been making red-cabbage sauerkraut lately, since I read that it’s better for FODMAP-sensitive eaters than regular white/green cabbage (which is also good). It’s also delicious and crunchier than regular sauerkraut, and just as easy to make. I heartily recommend it.
Thanks for sharing these points. Also, red cabbage is much higher in Vit C than green cabbage; fermented, even more so.
This has been a lunch favorite of mine for some time now: About 1 – 1.5 cups of sauerkraut in a bowl; top with a 4 oz can of good quality sardines including the olive oil in the can; give it a good squirt of sriacha or your favorite hot sauce. Can you get any healthier and more delicious than that?
Totally agree. I do something similar with my sardines. Yum! Easy-peasy.