Oma's Traditional German Sauerkraut Salad (Sauerkrautsalat)

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

Published: July  02, 2013, Updated: June 12, 2025

My German sauerkraut salad is an easy, healthy 'pickle-style' side ... bright, crunchy, and perfect for summer buffets or picnics.

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Beautiful Sauerkraut salad, refreshing, and a scrumptious Summer treat! Perfect for picnics.

It’s one of those dishes that always gets compliments ... so simple, so gesund, and totally crowd-pleasing. I love tossing in whatever crunchy veggies I have on hand, and when I use my homemade sauerkraut, it feels extra special. Even my vegan friends come back for seconds!

This tangy German sauerkraut salad is one of my favorites. Like most salads, measurements aren’t exact ... adjust to your taste! Sauerkraut is one of those German foods known for boosting the immune system, and when eaten raw like in this salad, it’s a great addition to almost any diet.

Top Tips For Best Results

1. Drain Sauerkraut Well: Reserve about ½ cup of the juice to add back for flavor and avoid a soggy salad.
2. Adjust Sweetness: Stir in sugar slowly and taste. You can always add more if you like it sweeter.
3. Chill Before Serving: Letting it rest in the fridge for a few hours lets the flavors meld beautifully.
4. Customize Veggies: Toss in your favorites, such as red or green onions, radishes, cucumbers, beets

Interesting Facts About Sauerkraut 

• Popular across Europe ... not just in Germany, but also in Poland, the Baltics, Ukraine, Russia, and Romania.
• Fermented cabbage leaves (like “sauerkraut leaves”) are used in dishes like cabbage rolls.
• Sauerkraut juice is drinkable and considered very healthy.
• Korean kimchi is similar ... less acidic, but saltier.
• Sauerkraut likely originated in China over 2,000 years ago.
• Captain Cook took 25,000 pounds of it on voyages to fight scurvy.
• It’s fat-free, low in calories, and full of flavor ... perfect for a tasty diet food!

Tender roasted pork hock served with tangy sauerkraut salad and boiled potatoes. German comfort food at its finest.

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Is Sauerkraut Good for You?

Absolutely ... at least that’s what my Mutti always said! She called it tasty medicine, especially when things weren’t quite “moving.”

Since it’s fermented cabbage, sauerkraut is naturally full of helpful stuff created during the fermentation process. Plus, it’s a good source of fiber and nutrients like vitamin C and K.

Just a note: it can be salty (that’s part of how it’s made), so a little goes a long way if you're watching your salt.

Homemade Sauerkraut? So Easy.

Raw sauerkraut is best ... but store-bought versions are usually pasteurized, which kills off the good stuff. That’s why I make mine at home. It only takes about 45 minutes of work, and then a few weeks to ferment.

Go to homemade sauerkraut recipe >

I use an E-Jen container so there are no smells in the kitchen. After about 4 weeks, I move it to the fridge and scoop from there. So easy!

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Oma's Traditional German Sauerkraut Salad (Sauerkrautsalat)

My German sauerkraut salad is an easy, healthy 'pickle-style' side ... bright, crunchy, and perfect for summer buffets or picnics.

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Standing Time:

2 - 3 hours

Total Time:

3+ hours

Servings:

makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 cups (320 - 480 g) sauerkraut
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 large carrot, coarsely grated
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Drain sauerkraut in a sieve over a bowl. Measure ½ cup of liquid and reserve.
2. Put the drained sauerkraut into a large bowl. Mix in sugar.
3. Let sit about 15 minutes. Add ½ cup reserved sauerkraut liquid and oil. 
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Season with freshly ground pepper, salt, and extra sugar, if required.
6. Let stand in fridge for several hours, if possible, before serving.

Notes/Hints:

• As with most salads, quantities are just approximate. Add extra or less of what you like.
• Optional additions are red or green onions, cucumbers, radishes, and even grated beets. 
• This is best made with fresh sauerkraut, but you can use jarred, canned, or frozen as well.
• If you have more sauerkraut than needed for this salad, then turn it into this traditional amazing sauerkraut soup!

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

Recipe updated on June 12, 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.