Homemade sauerkraut is much easier to make than you think! This quick overnight method will easily keep fresh kraut in your fridge for whenever the craving beckons.
Sauerkraut is finely sliced raw cabbage that has been fermented to crunchy, vinegary perfection. It goes perfectly on top of sausages, but also makes for great soups. A side dish or condiment, sauerkraut is super versatile and always tasty.
The great part about this recipe is that you can change up the ingredients you use to make your perfect variation. Like it spicy? Add some jalapenos. Like it garlicky? Add extra garlic cloves. Make it fresh, make it yours and make it often!
Let’s also not forget about how healthy kraut is! The process of fermentation creates so many beneficial bacteria for your gut. Kraut is also extremely low in calories. Basically, you can eat as much of it as you want with little repercussions. Oh, yeah…
How Long Does it Take to Make Homemade Sauerkraut?
There are many different ways to make sauerkraut. Some are long and tedious, while others are quick and easy. If you’re anything like me, you prefer the quick and easy route that doesn’t skimp on flavor! For this recipe, you will get bomb-tasting sauerkraut in just 24 hours!
The traditional process of making sauerkraut is much more time consuming. It is rooted in the days when many Eastern Europeans lived farming lifestyles. Farmers would produce a ton of cabbage and had to figure out how to store it so it didn’t go to waste before they got around to eating it. Thus, the fermentation process was born! Families would spend days slicing cabbage, preparing it to be fermented (a process that can take weeks depending on the size of the harvest) and canning it for use throughout the year.
Today, most of us just need enough kraut to fix a craving. We also have access to cabbage year around, making the longer, tedious process less of a necessity. All hail 24-hour kraut!
How to Make Overnight Kraut
Overnight kraut is quick and simple. You basically give it a little love and leave it.
- Remove the tough outer edges from your cabbage heads. Shred your cabbage (and other veggies) thinly.
- Combine all your ingredients together for your marinade (sea salt, caraway seeds, bay leaves, etc.) and bring to a boil.
- Using a large bowl, pour your marinade over your sliced cabbage, carrots and bell peppers. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Allow the cabbage and marinade to cool in the bowl. Cover the cabbage and weigh down the mixture by placing something heavy on top, such as a plate with a bowl of water.
- Transfer the cooled sauerkraut and leftover juices to a sealable glass jar. Allow sauerkraut to sit in the fridge for 24 hours.
Keep Your Sauerkraut Refrigerated
The difference between overnight sauerkraut and the canned version is that you will need to keep your kraut refrigerated. Unless you can it, you need to make sure it stays in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Using the traditional method, you can create kraut that will stay fresh for up to a year! This is due to a longer fermentation process that preserves the kraut and makes it safe to eat for longer durations of time. If you have the patience (and a ton of cabbage!), you should try your hand at making kraut the old-school way and canning it. Otherwise, read on and learn how to make kraut at the speed of light…kinda. 🙂
Kielbasa & Sauerkraut
Milk and cookies, cheese and wine, beer and burgers — these combinations are all the definition of winning! Similarly, kielbasa and sauerkraut are a match made in heaven. The sour flavor of kraut compliments the rich savoriness of kielbasa like no other. Make my homemade kielbasa alongside this kraut and have yourself the perfect Eastern European meal!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium cabbage heads shredded
- 3 large carrots grated
- 5 medium red bell peppers cut into long sticks
- 1 qt water
- 1 cup oil
- 4 tbsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 cup vinegar 5% acidity
- 1 tsp pepper corns
Instructions
- Shredd cabbage, grate carrots and cut bell peppers into thin slices.
- Combine together cabbage, carrots and bell pepper.
- In a cooking pot, bring water, oil, salt, pepper corns and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Pour the marinade over combined vegetables.
- Keep Saurkraut in a marinate for 24 hours. I would highly recommend stirring it at least once during the process.
- Once 24 hours have passed, the Saurkraut is ready to be served. Keep it refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Can u can it ?
Hi Vicki, not this one, it wouldn't hold up for long enough. But it does stay fresh for a while in the fridge.
Yup thats what we call it at home , best Sauerkraut ever 😋😋
Ana, thank you! Made me smile 🙂
It’s a bit misleading to call this recipe a sauerkraut. If it doesn’t undergo fermentation process it’s not sauerkraut. It’s just marinated salad.
Hey Irene, thats what we call it at home. If you want fermented sauerkraut, here is the recipe. https://momsdish.com/how-to-m…
Thank you
This is pickled cabbage, not fermented sauerkraut. It won't have the same probiotic benefits of an actual ferment. It also doesn't need oil or sugar to pickle it this way. This quick pickle is basically a coleslaw with an oily vinaigrette, not sauerkraut. It's misleading.
Hello, T. You are correct, this is not the traditional sauerkraut making method, but a much, much faster version. This is why I recommend storing it in the fridge for up to two weeks, because it's not the same fermentation process as canned kraut. Also, this is just my version of it, I hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try!
I’ve made regular sauerkraut before and also made quick pickles before. But what is the significance of using the oil for a quick sauerkraut?
Hi Yvette, oil is there for the flavor. We usually serve sauerkraut with oil as well after it gets fermented. Enjoy the recipe!
it’s wonderful that you used grams for the sugar after cups of oil, quarts of water and tablespoons of salt. If I had seen this before I started this recipe. I had to guess. Hope it comes out ok
Let me know how the results turn out!
Would this work with a sugar substitute...I can’t have sugar, but love sour Kraut ....you recipes sounds delicious!
Hey Sheryl, I think it would. In this recipe its the quick pickling process so the sugar just adds flavor to it. Let me know if you try it, I would love to hear your feedback.
Hi Natalya can I use apple cider vinegar for this recipe
Hey Lilia, you definitely can use it but the flavor would be different. I prefer white vinegar.
Неу!!! What% of vinegar should I use?
5% Acidity is going to work the best in this recipe.
Natalya, I have only 9% vinegar here in Russia. Do I need to change anything in your recipe to be able to use 9% vinegar? Thank you 🙂
Hi Lori, you can slightly reduce the amount of vinegar. But it should be ok.
What do you do with the black peppers?
Add it to the marinade.
I love sauerkraut! Even though it translates to "sour cabbage" it's delicious to add to brownies and other baked desserts. It adds a salty flavor you can't beat! Do you marinate your sauerkraut on the stove? Or in a pantry, or fridge? Thanks for sharing!
Hey Brittany, thank you! You can see in recipe card how you marinate it.
Do you have to can it?
This Sauerkraut needs to be refrigerated, you can use it any storage container.
wanted to do this for a long time, now finally got a good recipe and the opportunity, love anything cabbage and anything pickled, doing it right now
Hey, tell me how you like the turn out! Now I am thinking to make it next week also!
Do you need to drain the liquid before putting the salad into jars?
No, keep the liquid for cabbage to stay moist while it's in jars. Before serving you can drain the juice.
I wanna try this soon. what % vinegar should I use?
I used 5% vinegar.
Here's another recipe....no allspice yet but will keep watching.
Yes, it's just items...
I am glad the recipes are useful. 🙂
Thank you for all of your lovely recipe's. Can u tell me what is a unit? Do you mean 2 heads of cabbage, 5 bell peppers?