Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
Making homemade Sauerkraut is easier than you think! Full of healthy probiotics that support our gut and boost our immune system, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that takes under 30 minutes of hands-on time before mother nature takes over!
How to Make the Best Homemade Sauerkraut
Homemade sauerkraut is one of the simplest fermented foods you can make, requiring just two ingredients: cabbage and salt. This traditional German staple has been enjoyed for centuries, not only for its tangy, complex flavor but also for its incredible health benefits. Packed with probiotics, sauerkraut supports gut health and gives your immune system a natural boost.
The magic of sauerkraut lies in lacto-fermentation, a process where naturally occurring beneficial bacteria break down the sugars in cabbage, creating lactic acid that preserves the vegetables and develops that signature sour taste. With just 30 minutes of hands-on work—shredding the cabbage, massaging in the salt, and packing it into jars—you let nature do the rest over the next few days.
Once you’ve mastered basic sauerkraut, you can experiment with additions like caraway seeds, juniper berries, or shredded carrots to create your own signature blend. Homemade sauerkraut is far superior to store-bought versions, which are often pasteurized and lack the live probiotics that make fermented foods so beneficial.
Homemade Sauerkraut
Making homemade Sauerkraut is easier than you think! Full of healthy probiotics that support our gut and boost our immune system, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that takes under 30 minutes of hands-on time before mother nature takes over!
Ingredients
Sauerkraut
Instructions
Preparation
- Set aside 2 cabbage leaves and leave them whole.
- Shred the remaining cabbage finely with a sharp knife or mandolin. Weigh the cabbage in grams (careful not to include the bowl's weight). Take this number and multiply it by 0.02. This is the number in grams of salt you will need, so measure this out.
- Massage the measured salt into the cabbage. Let sit 30 minutes, or longer if needed to extract more juices.
Fermentation
- Transfer cabbage and brine to your vessel and pack tightly with a tamper or a muddler.
- Leave 3 inches of space between brine level and the top of the jar. Top with one or two cabbage leaves to keep shreds from floating above the brine and add a fermentation weight.
- Keep the jars at room temperature (65-72°F is ideal). Check progress daily making sure cabbage is still submerged (pushing it down if not) and taste for doneness starting day 3. It will generally take anywhere from 3-5 days and will get sourer as it ferments.
- You will know that it is adequately fermented when it looks lighter in color, with a pleasantly tangy flavor.
- Store in the refrigerator with a sealed lid. To create a bubbly kraut, burp on occasion.
Notes
- The salt ratio is 2% of the cabbage weight. Multiply your cabbage weight in grams by 0.02 to get the exact salt amount needed.
- Use mineral salt or sea salt, never iodized table salt, as iodine can inhibit fermentation.
- Fermentation time varies based on room temperature—warmer temperatures ferment faster.
- Sauerkraut will keep for several months in the refrigerator.
