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Sauerkraut

Vegetables · Pickled & preserved

Sauerkraut

Finely shredded cabbage fermented with salt until sour; served with sausages or cooked into stews.

Also called: kapusta kiszona, fermented cabbage

A kind of cabbage

10 recipes with it

Photo: Eugene Zelenko, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Sauerkraut is white cabbage shredded, salted and left to ferment by lactic-acid bacteria, giving a sour, tangy flavour. Raw fermented sauerkraut is sold chilled; pasteurised jars and cans are shelf-stable and milder. It contains no vinegar when traditionally made, unlike pickled cabbage. Kimchi is a spicier Korean relative.

How it’s used

  • Served with sausages, pork and dumplings
  • Braised into choucroute and bigos
  • Simmered in soups (kapustnyak, shchi)
  • In Reuben sandwiches

Characteristics

Taste
Sour, salty and tangy.
Texture
Crisp-tender shreds; soft when braised.
When cooked
Rinse to reduce sourness; long braising mellows it.
Sold as
fermented, canned
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate opened jars and fresh sauerkraut, keeping it under its brine.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
19 kcal
Protein
0.91 g
Carbohydrate
4.28 g
Fat
0.14 g
Fibre
2.9 g
Sugars
1.78 g

USDA FoodData Central: Sauerkraut, canned, solids and liquids.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Kimchi — Adds heat and garlic.

Related ingredients

Recipes with sauerkraut

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