Get Your Kraut On: Oma’s Easy Sauerkraut Recipe

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: October 02, 2011, Updated: May 4, 2025

Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is the tangy, gut-loving German side dish you can whip up fast. Oma says it’s a must with wurst and pork!

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Make this delicious German Sauerkraut that goes great with potato dumplings! This tasty recipe can also be made vegan or vegetarian!

Sauerkraut is a must on any German table, and it goes with everything from pork and sausage to noodles and potatoes. If you're vegan, grab a fork too, because this stuff makes a wunderbar side for just about anything. And hey, it’s gut-healthy!

One of my all-time favorites, this recipe is a lot like Bavarian sauerkraut, sweetened just right with a pinch of sugar.

Easily make yours from scratch with a mason jar, fermentation crock, or (the best of the best) an E-Jen container. Then come back and cook it Oma’s way—mega lecker!

Top Tips For Best Results

1. Drain First: Always drain the sauerkraut to avoid sogginess
2. Sauté for Flavor: Give it a quick sauté in bacon fat or butter for extra oomph (unless vegan)
3. Spice it Up: Add a few juniper berries or caraway seeds for authentic flair
4. Low-Sodium Hack: Rinse the sauerkraut if you want a milder saltiness without losing flavor
5. Vegan Hack: Swap butter or bacon drippings with oil; brown the sauerkraut well for rich flavor

Is Sauerkraut Good For You?

The short answer? YES!

Mutti always said sauerkraut was gut-friendly, and when you needed a little help, it was yummy medicine. Thanks to fermentation, sauerkraut is packed with probiotics, fiber, and vitamins C and K.

Just watch the salt if that’s a concern, and enjoy in smaller helpings if needed.

Another Sauerkraut Recipe to Try >

Fun Facts About Sauerkraut

• Sauerkraut isn't just loved in Germany. It’s a staple across Eastern Europe, especially in Poland, the Baltics, Ukraine, Russia, and Romania. You can even buy fermented cabbage leaves (perfect for cabbage rolls, a tip from my Serbian friend).
• The liquid from sauerkraut is super healthy too, and yes, you can drink it! Fun fact: Korean kimchi is similar, just a bit less acidic and saltier.
• Sauerkraut’s roots actually go back 2,000 years to China. Even Captain Cook packed 25,000 pounds of it to fight scurvy on his voyages.
• Best of all? It’s fat-free, low-calorie, and absolutely delicious. Win-win!

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Fresh vs. Cooked Sauerkraut: What to Know

If you want all the live probiotics, fresh sauerkraut is best. Once it’s canned or jarred, those little helpers are gone.

Fresh sauerkraut is so easy to enjoy. Toss it into a salad buffet, pile it on sausages, or just grab a fork and snack away.

One of my favorites? A quick sauerkraut salad with colorful veggies from the crisper. It looks gorgeous and tastes even better!

Go to Sauerkraut Salad recipe >

If you cook sauerkraut, most probiotics won’t survive, but the other health perks stick around. Fermented cabbage is still a powerhouse.

Not All Sauerkraut Brands Are Equal

When it comes to store-bought sauerkraut, try a few brands and see which ones your taste buds love. They can vary a lot!

Once you find a couple you like, do a little test like I did: drain them and compare:

Compare sauerkraut brands to find the one you like best and then make this dish.

I was shocked at the difference! one brand barely left anything behind! Safe to say it’s off my shopping list.

But if you love drinking sauerkraut juice (and some people do), you might pick the juicier one.

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Get Your Kraut On: Oma’s Easy Sauerkraut Recipe

Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is the tangy, gut-loving German side dish you can whip up fast. Oma says it’s a must with wurst and pork!

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 28-ounce (800 g) jar sauerkraut
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 - 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) oil (if vegan), butter, or bacon drippings
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) liquid (broth, white wine, apple juice, or water)
• salt, pepper
• 1 - 2 (8-16 g) tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 juniper berries or 1 teaspoon (~ 2 g) caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 apple, peeled and diced (optional)

Instructions:

1. Drain sauerkraut in colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
2. Heat oil in frying pan.
3. Add onion and sauté slowly until golden.
4. Add sauerkraut and continue browning. Add more oil if necessary.
5. Add apple, juniper berries and caraway seeds, if using.
6. Add liquid and bring to simmer.
7. Cover and cook at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Stir occasionally, adding more liquid if necessary.
8. Mix cornstarch in a little cold water and slowly add just enough to sauerkraut to thicken sauce.
9. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes & Hints:

• If you wish, you can dice some bacon (unless vegan) and brown it first. The longer it's browned, the better. Then add the onion and well drained sauerkraut and continue with the recipe.
• Preferable is to use fresh sauerkraut, although jarred or canned will work.
• The difference between Bavarian sauerkraut and a regular German sauerkraut recipe is that the Bavarian one is milder and sweeter. So, add a bit of sugar (even brown sugar) if you're going Bavarian! As well, it is usually flavored with caraway seeds.
• Leftover sauerkraut makes a fabulous casserole.
• Add a bay leaf or two bay leaves if you're adventuresome.
• This is a wonderful comfort food served with pork chops or even on top of hot dogs!
• Learn how to make your own sauerkraut from scratch for this recipe and others, such as sauerkraut soup.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated: April 27, 2025

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.