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1 Comment Making my own sauerkraut recipe had been on my to-do list for ages. I’d read all about it beforehand because, like with many things, I had built it up in my head to be way more complicated than it actually is.
Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe: Easier Than You Think
The truth? Making sauerkraut at home is surprisingly simple. The only thing you really need is patience. The shredded cabbage needs time to ferment slowly until it reaches that tangy, signature flavor. But once it’s ready, the possibilities are endless—you can use it in a comforting sauerkraut casserole or whip up a classic Dutch sauerkraut mash (zuurkoolstamppot).
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A Quick Bit of Sauerkraut History
Believe it or not, sauerkraut didn’t actually start in Germany. Its earliest version dates back over 2,000 years to ancient China, where workers building the Great Wall fermented cabbage in rice wine. Fast forward a few empires and conquests later (thanks, Genghis Khan), and the idea made its way to Eastern Europe. When it landed in Germany, locals ditched the wine and kept the salt—and that’s how the sauerkraut we all love today was born. (source)
Crazy to think your cozy casserole has world-traveling roots, right?
What You’ll Need for This Sauerkraut Recipe
You don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to make this sauerkraut recipe. And it’s simple ingredients. Here’s the basic setup:
- 1 or more glass fermentation jars (like Weck jars or Mason jars)
- head of cabbage – it goes without saying that you do need a fresh cabbage
- Salt – coarse sea salt works great
- Caraway seeds
- Juniper berries
- Something to shred the cabbage (a mandoline slicer or food processor works well)
Tip: Don’t fill the jars all the way to the top—leave some space for gases released during fermentation.
Step 1: Start With Fresh White Cabbage
I started with a small head of white cabbage, about 600 grams (a little over a pound). Remove the outer leaves (they’re usually dirty), but save one or two—they’ll come in handy later.
Then, slice the cabbage into thin strips. I used a food processor, which made it a bit finer than I intended, more like a shred than a strip—but it still worked great flavor-wise. I would say though that the best way is to use a mandoline. But if you have a sharp knife you can absolutely use. Do make sure to slice thin strips
Step 2: Salt & Massage the Cabbage
Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. For 650 grams/1.4 pounds of cabbage, adjust the salt accordingly—if your cabbage weighs more, scale the salt up proportionally.
Let it sit briefly, then begin massaging the cabbage with your hands. The goal is to draw out the liquid. Once the cabbage has reduced to about half its original volume and is nice and juicy, it’s ready. Now mix in the caraway seeds and juniper berries.
Step 3: Pack the Jars
Transfer the cabbage into your jars, pressing down firmly to eliminate air bubbles. Pour in a bit of brine (the salty liquid from the bowl) to cover the cabbage completely. Make sure to use enough liquid.
Use one of the saved (and cleaned) cabbage leaves as a “lid” inside the jar to press everything down. You can also use plastic wrap and weigh it down to keep it submerged.
Step 4: Fermentation Time
Now comes the fun part—waiting! Well maybe that is not the fun part but it doesn’t take any work either. Keep the jars in a cool, dark place and check them occasionally. You can start tasting the sauerkraut after 5 days, but for that deep, tangy flavor, let it ferment for 2 to 6 weeks.
What Can You Make with Homemade Sauerkraut?
Once your homemade sauerkraut is ready, it’s time to get cooking. Here are a few ideas to inspire you. The recipes are not on the site yet but will be soon!
- Hearty sauerkraut soup
- Sauerkraut with meatballs
- Classic sauerkraut mash (stamppot)
- Use it on top of your favorite hot dogs (would also be great with this fried hot dog!)
I’ll soon be sharing more recipes featuring homemade sauerkraut but for now you can start by making the sauerkraut casserole.
Sauerkraut recipe
Ingredients
Brine
- 350 ml water depending on the size of your cabbage, you may not need all of it
- 10 g sea salt
Sauerkraut
- 1 small white cabbage grated or thinly sliced, weighing approximately 650 g/ 1.4 pounds
- 10 g sea salt use 3 tablespoons of sea salt per kilo of cabbage
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp juniper berries
Equipment
- 1 large preserving jar (or 2 smaller ones) large enough to hold all the cabbage with some space at the top.
- Mandoline or food processor
Instructions
Brine
- First, make the brine by mixing the (slightly warm) water with the salt until it dissolves. Set aside.
Making sauerkraut
- Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage. Keep 1 leaf to cover the sauerkraut later.
- Make sure everything is clean before you start. This includes the bowl you will use for the white cabbage, the machine, and your preserving jar.
- Cut the cabbage in half and remove the hard core. Then finely chop the cabbage. This is easiest with a mandoline. You can also grate or chop by hand.
- Now divide the cabbage and salt into a bowl. Massage the salt into the cabbage for about 5 minutes. Wait 5 minutes and repeat. Eventually, you will see that the cabbage releases moisture and reduces significantly in volume. Once you see a lot of moisture, your cabbage is basically ready.
- Now mix it with the caraway seeds and juniper berries.
- Place the cabbage in a sterilized preserving jar and press down firmly. The cabbage should be covered with liquid. Top up with brine until there is a layer of liquid on top of the cabbage.
- You can now cover the cabbage with a piece of plastic wrap or use the cabbage leaves. Press down firmly and make sure it doesn’t rise. If necessary, weigh it down with something so that it stays pressed down.
- Place in a dark place at room temperature (between 18-20˚C/65-68˚F) for five days. Open the jar every day to allow the gases to escape. In principle, you can eat the cabbage after 5 days, but for best results, leave it for 2-6 weeks.
- Important: Make sure the jar is not too warm or too cold. If it is too cold, it will take too long, and if it is too warm, it may ferment too quickly, resulting in less than optimal results.
- If foam forms on the surface, skim it off.
- The longer you ferment sauerkraut, the more sour it will be. Taste it occasionally to make sure it is to your liking!
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
If you want to start fermenting your own vegetables, this sauerkraut recipe is a good place to start. It’s very easy to make and can be used in all sauerkraut recipes!