If you have a fondness for fermented vegetables like kimchi and pickles, you will most likely love sauerkraut. The word ‘sauerkraut’ is German in origin. Sauerkraut means ‘sour cabbage’ in German. How can you prepare and combine sauerkraut with food to make it taste amazing? Keep reading for an answer.
For preparing sauerkraut, the raw shredded cabbage is stored in a container after adding salt. The cut-up cabbage is then submerged in this brine. The beneficial bacteria present on the surface of the cabbage secretes lactic acid that causes the fermentation to take place and produce delicious sauerkraut. Whether you are coming across this food item for the very first time or whether you have always been a sauerkraut lover, here are some recipes for you. You can attempt to make the classic recipes.
1. What is Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is a preparation of fermented cabbage. A cabbage is finely chopped and fermented, by what is called lacto-fermentation, to make sauerkraut. It is very common to have strong cravings for sauerkraut. A lot of pregnant women crave spicy and tangy foods like sauerkraut.
Moreover, sauerkraut is quite easy to make at home! Although store-bought sauerkraut is good, you can ferment fresh cabbage and prepare it yourself. You do not need elaborate equipment; a Mason jar works just as effectively. Nowadays, fermenting kits are also available in stores, with simple ways and easy directions to make homemade sauerkraut.

2. What Can You Eat with Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is crunchy and sour, creating an absolute explosion of taste in your mouth. It adds a dash of tanginess to your food and gives a much-needed crunch to it. Furthermore, sauerkraut can be enjoyed on its own, be prepared into a main dish, or even served as a side accompanying different kinds of meals.
There are no rules when it comes to the question of how to eat sauerkraut or what to eat with sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is extremely versatile; if you like to have it with something, that is all the validation you need. Use sauerkraut with anything that you think needs a tangy flavour to it. Be imaginative! Still need some ideas for inspiration. Here are some ways to eat sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut is an excellent addition to all kinds of roasted vegetables. Eat sauerkraut with an elaborate combination of your preferred veggies. This is a safe option if you are trying sauerkraut for the first time. Drizzle oil and salt on vegetables – carrots, eggplants, beans, onions, or other seasonal finds. Mix sauerkraut in it or use it as a side, and surely your stomach will be left satisfied!
2.1. Salads
One of the best ways to eat Sauerkraut is to add it to your go-to salad recipe for a little bit of twist. Or, if you love it that much, make it the main ingredient of your salad bowl. You can add a portion of Sauerkraut to any kind of salad to elevate its taste. Your usual ingredients in a green salad– Lettuce, sprouts, and cucumber might seem boring, but they are great foods to eat with sauerkraut! Add some olive oil, lemon, or some meat if you want.
Drain the sauerkraut after taking it from the jar, and add apples, onions, chives, green pepper, carrot, and celery. Make a dressing with olive oil, honey and salt. Or you can whip up a combination of sugar, vinegar, and celery seeds. Pour this dressing over the salad and add salt according to your taste. Refrigerate and serve the sauerkraut salad chilled!
The German potato salad is traditionally made with Russet potatoes, but sweet potatoes work fine. The key element of this beloved German dish is the tangy bacon vinaigrette dressing. The potatoes coated in bacon dressing and topped with tangy sauerkraut create a delicious potato salad, which is a must-try for foodies. The salty bites, and the added texture that the sauerkraut gives to the soft potatoes, create a perfect balance of taste in our mouths.
Toss some sauerkraut in your potato salad! Potatoes go well with tangy sauerkraut. The crunch of the sauerkraut gives a better texture to an amazing potato salad. However, sauerkraut can go well with an egg salad too. For that matter, sauerkraut is so versatile it can complement the flavours of any salad that you like. Chickpea salad, tuna salad, carrot slaw with peanuts-you name it!

2.2. Sauerkraut In Breakfast
There are so many ways to enjoy this cabbage delicacy! You can use it just as it is as a dip or mix sauerkraut with a salsa that you prepared. You can also consume Sauerkraut just by itself! You might not have to make a hearty dish if you tolerate salty and sour flavours. Be lazy and eat sauerkraut right out of the jar. It tastes just as good and is just as nutritious.
Avocado Toast:
Like to start your mornings with avocado toast? Avocado is something that you can eat with sauerkraut and enjoy. Top this classic breakfast with a spoonful of sauerkraut and a fried egg. See how the flavours blend to create the heartiest meal with which you can start the day! Sauerkraut undeniably goes very well with the taste of avocados. The subtle flavour of the avocado complements the sourness of the sauerkraut beautifully.
To make an avocado boat, slice it in half and scoop out its seed. In the cavity, add a generous dollop of sauerkraut and enjoy. This burst of nutty, creamy, and tangy flavour will be something you want as a snack. And it is rich in nutrients, too!

Tacos and Burritos:
Yes, you can add sauerkraut to Tacos and Burritos as well. Wrapped in a warm tortilla, a burrito’s filling of meat and eggs must appeal to you. You can add sauerkraut to this filling to make it even more delicious and savoury. Classic Tacos mostly already have shredded cabbage in them. However, when instead of normal cabbage sauerkraut is added, a more flavorful and fresh bite is created.
Eggs:
Starting your day with protein-rich nutritious eggs is very ideal. You can add some taste and fibre to it. Whether you like boiled, fried, or scrambled eggs, all of them are good options to eat with sauerkraut. The addition of even a small amount of sauerkraut will make your morning eggs taste heavenly!

2.3. Potatoes with Sauerkraut
It has already been established that sauerkraut goes wonderfully well with potatoes. So, the next time you make your staple mashed potatoes, add in sauerkraut to add a zing to it! If you are not a fan of bland mashed potatoes, adding sauerkraut will change your mind and make you a big fan of this comfort dish. The creamy, buttery flavour of the classic mashed potato will be enhanced with the salty and crunchy taste that sauerkraut brings.
Baked Sweet Potatoes: The sauerkraut baked potatoes could be a side dish for a meal or even a hearty main dish if you want. Bake some sweet potatoes and serve some delicious sour cabbage to add flavour. The sweetness and softness of the potatoes combined with the tangy sauerkraut give you one of the best ways to eat sauerkraut. This dish will be sweet and savoury, an absolute celebration of flavours in your mouth!
2.4. Cabbage Rolls
No amount of cabbage is too much. If you enjoy this vegetable, combine raw and fermented cabbage and roll it. Make a stuffing of your choice with meat, chopped vegetables, onion, pepper, and spices. Add sauerkraut to it and roll it up in a piece of cabbage leaf. Add the rolls to a gravy or make a delicious, warm cabbage roll soup.

2.5. Sauerkraut Soup
A hearty and healthy sauerkraut soup is a very popular dish, especially in Ukraine. Called by the name Kapustnyak in Ukraine, this dish is similarly popular in other places like Germany. It is made with sauerkraut and millet and is a warm and comforting dish perfect for winter evenings. Moreover, the soup can be enjoyed with fresh, crispy bread.
2.6. Sauerkraut with Sandwiches
If you are crazy about Deli sandwiches, let me tell you that you have great taste. This sandwich is a deli sandwich recipe that has sauerkraut as one of its main ingredients. A classic Reuben sandwich is made with the following ingredients: rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, corned beef, and a dressing, either Thousand Island or Russian dressing. The delicious flavour is packed together in this grilled and served sandwich. The tangy fermented sauerkraut is an inseparable part of this preparation.
You can add a layer of fermented sauerkraut to any sandwich that you like. The delicious grilled cheese sandwich is a very common comfort snack. The nutrition and fibre content can be increased if you add a spoonful of sauerkraut as a layer. Don’t be afraid to give the classic sandwich an interesting new variation. Simple cheese sandwiches or vegetable sandwiches are also something you can eat with sauerkraut. Just make sure to drain the brine from the sauerkraut before adding it to the bread. This is done to make sure that the bread does not get soggy.
2.7. Bratwurst and Sauerkraut
This classic dish is very popular in Germany. Bratwurst and Sauerkraut are indeed a very compatible pair. Bratwurst is a kind of German sausage. It is made from beef or pork. It has a smoky flavour to it. Bratwurst is seasoned with mustard or nutmeg and served on bread with Sauerkraut. The salty and smoky flavours are very satisfying for your taste buds. What else does one need, along with a side of mustard or mashed potatoes and a glass of beer?

2.8. Sauerkraut With Meat
The sauerkraut can be served with your most loved dishes as a side dish. Hot dogs are a very loved fast food that can be made extraordinary by adding sauerkraut to it. This condiment goes very well with meat. So if you are a fan of hotdogs, you should try it!
You can have pork chops or baked ribs with a side of Sauerkraut. It makes an easy and cozy dinner. You can fry your pork chops to make them crunchy to match the sour cabbage. A side of apples or potatoes can also be added. Smoked sausage and potatoes are a rich, hearty meal that most are familiar with. This is also a delicious meal that you can eat with sauerkraut! Sauerkraut adds the salty flavour that is missing in a classic sausage and potato combination.
Crispy fried chicken breasts, or Chicken Schnitzels, is a popular tasty meal in Germany. One of the ways to eat sauerkraut is to use it as a side dish to this delicious and juicy chicken schnitzel. Sometimes noodles are also served along with Chicken breasts and sauerkraut. Furthermore, sauerkraut can be served as a side to other preparations like Chicken tenders, fried chicken salad, etc.

2.9.Sauerkraut Toppings
Yes, you have read that right, sauerkraut can be used on top of a pizza base. When pineapple topping has already been tried, does sauerkraut sound too risky? It goes very well as a topping with a lot of traditional pizzas.
Nachos:
Talking about sauerkraut as toppings on salads and pizzas, we should not exclude nachos from the list. Nachos are topped with many delicious things and enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. To the list of toppings that taste good on nachos, sauerkraut can be added! Lay the nachos on a layer on a plate and add generous helpings of whatever you deem fit – peppers, corn, chicken, tofu, cheddar or Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, or other dressings. Top it with sauerkraut and enjoy a crunchy snack that bursts with flavour in your mouth!
Ramen:
A hot, steamy bowl of Ramen is nothing without its toppings. A good bowl of ramen has boiled eggs, meat slices, cilantro, boiled greens, or sesame seeds. Next time you prepare some ramen for yourself, remember to add a spoonful of sauerkraut to it! The spice of the soup, the soft noodles, and the sheer variety of the toppings will be heavenly.
3. In The End
Why should you include sauerkraut in your diet? The fermentation process in making sauerkraut is essentially conducted to preserve sauerkraut for months on end naturally. But it provides major health and nutritional benefits as well. Furthermore, sauerkraut contains beneficial bacteria and probiotics that are extremely good for human health. It is replete with vitamins, minerals, and much-needed fibre. It aids digestion and helps with gut health. Sauerkraut is more nutritious than even raw cabbage or salads.
Due to the high concentration of salt in brine, the sodium content in sauerkraut is high. If you have limitations on sodium intake, that should be kept in mind. Sauerkraut is not just any condiment. The health benefits that this probiotic food has include helping boost immunity. So, take inspiration from any of these delicious recipes and help yourself to some sauerkraut!
Last Updated on by Arnab