In this post, learn how to make sauerkraut at home with this simple recipe using only two ingredients.
I’m so excited to share with you guys how to make sauerkraut at home! It’s so easy, in fact the first time I made it I was shocked at how few ingredients traditional sauerkraut actually requires! You can whip up a big batch of it in your kitchen pretty simply, and it will costs you so much less than purchasing it already made at your local grocery store.
What is Sauerkraut?
Simply put, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. But don’t let its simplicity fool you – it is filled with beneficial bacteria that pack some major health benefits, specifically for the gut. Traditionally, our ancestors consumed fermented foods daily – they were a total staple in their diet. One of the main reasons they fermented vegetables was so that they had a longer shelf life and could last through the off-season. But slowly as our culture modernized and supermarkets solved that problem, this practice essentially fell out of daily life.
If you’ve ever taken a probiotic supplement, this is the same thing! Except the beneficial bacteria are coming straight from food. These strains will help diversify, bolster, and replenish the microbiome in our gut, which leads to an overall healthier body.
How to Make Sauerkraut
For every head of cabbage, I use 1 tbsp of sea salt or pink himalayan salt. You may want to play around with this ratio, this is just what I prefer. If you’d like to be more exact (I tend to wing things in the kitchen) create a separate brine to train your tastebuds what to look for. Combine 1 cup warm water with 1 1/4 tsp salt, mix, and taste. This is a good reference for what your sauerkraut’s brine should taste like.
Traditional Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 2 heads cabbage
- 2 tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Remove outer leaves of each cabbage head
- Chop cabbage into smaller chunks, removing the core. Shred in food processor.
- Add all shredded cabbage to a large bowl, and add sea salt.
- Massage cabbage until brine forms. When you can squeeze the cabbage and it's dripping with brine, it's ready.
- Add all cabbage to a 1/2 gallon mason jar. Top off with remaining brine.
- Place excess cabbage leaves in the jar to keep the shredded cabbage below the brine line. Top with a weight.
- Place a lid loosely on the jar, and store on countertop (room temperature) until sauerkraut is to your liking.
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How do I know when it’s done?
I recommend you start tasting your sauerkraut around the day 3 mark, and continue to do so until the sauerkraut is to your liking. I typically let mine go for about a week, while others may allow theirs to ferment for closer to a month. Also keep in mind that the time of year, and therefore the temperature of your home, can impact fermentation time. Bacteria love warmth, so you may find you ferment your sauerkraut for less time in the summer than you do in the winter. This is why tasting it is important! Once to your liking, store your fresh tasty kraut in the fridge.
I so hope you will try this at home, sauerkraut is such a delicious way to introduce fermented foods to your diet. One of my other favorite ways is through sourdough goods – check out my post on how to make a sourdough starter so you can get started with that too!
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This recipe looks fantastic! I’ve been looking for new ways to make sauerkraut. I can’t wait to try. Thank you for sharing!
Wow, this recipe looks incredible! I’ve been looking for new ways to make sauerkraut, I can’t wait to try this out. Thank you for sharing!