Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe
A simple easy, small-batch recipe for Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut that anyone can make using a mason jars. Full of good healthy bacteria! Allow 5 days fermenting time!
How to Make the Best Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut
Homemade beet and cabbage sauerkraut is a beautiful, vibrant take on traditional fermented cabbage. The addition of raw beets gives this kraut a stunning deep purple-red color while adding subtle earthy sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the tangy, slightly sour fermented cabbage. This small-batch recipe is perfect for beginners who want to explore the world of fermentation.
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut are packed with beneficial probiotics that support gut health and digestion. Unlike store-bought versions that are often pasteurized (which kills the good bacteria), making your own sauerkraut at home ensures you get all those live cultures and health benefits. Plus, it’s surprisingly simple—just vegetables, salt, and a little patience.
The key to successful fermentation is the salt ratio and keeping everything submerged under the brine. This recipe uses the standard 2% salt by weight method, which creates the perfect environment for beneficial lactobacillus bacteria to thrive while preventing harmful bacteria from growing. After 3-5 days of fermenting, you’ll have a tangy, probiotic-rich condiment that’s delicious on sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, or alongside any savory dish.
Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut
A simple easy, small-batch recipe for Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut that anyone can make using a mason jars. Full of good healthy bacteria! Allow 5 days fermenting time!
Ingredients
Sauerkraut
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Place a medium bowl on a scale and zero out the scale, leaving the bowl there.
- Finely slice and grate cabbage and beets and place in the bowl. Add garlic, onion and ginger if using.
- Weigh the cabbage in grams—careful not to include the bowl weight. Multiply the cabbage amount by 0.02. This is the amount of salt in grams you will need. Zero out the scale again with the filled bowl, and add the calculated salt.
- Massage with the salt. Let sit on the counter, mixing occasionally for 1 hour, until cabbage has wilted and released a little water.
Pack and Ferment
- Place cabbage beet mixture and all the juices in a clean mason jar and pack it down with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, leaving 2-3 inches at the top. Place a couple of cabbage leaves over the kraut to help keep it submerged under the liquid along with a fermentation weight.
- If there is not enough liquid to cover, mix one teaspoon sea salt with 1 cup of filtered water, and add just enough of this brine so cabbage-beet mixture is submerged—leaving at least 2 inches space at the top of jar. If any seeds or particles float to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon. Anything that is not completely submerged can mold. Cover loosely with a lid and place on a pan to catch any liquid.
- Place in a cool dark place (ideally 65-72 degrees F) for 3-5 days. It may take longer to ferment if it is colder. You can check it daily to make sure the cabbage is under the brine.
- After 3-4 days, check for activity. When you tap the jar, tiny bubbles should rise to the top, indicating it's fermenting. Once fermented to the desired amount, add the caraway seeds and place it in the fridge. The longer it ferments the sourer it will taste.
- Once it's chilled the smell will surprisingly mellow out and it will actually seem edible! Let it chill overnight, discard the cabbage leaf, then give it a taste!
Notes
- The salt ratio is 2% of the vegetable weight—this is the standard for safe fermentation.
- Keep the sauerkraut submerged under the brine at all times to prevent mold.
- Fermentation time varies based on temperature—cooler environments take longer.
- Store finished sauerkraut in the refrigerator for up to several months.
