A quick and easy Kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipe that takes right around 25 minutes to prepare in a pressure cooker! Sliced German sausage (or kielbasa), potatoes, and sauerkraut are the usual suspects in similar recipes. But I've taken it a step further by adding bacon, onions, garlic, and a few other yummy ingredients, including beer! 🍺
The story behind this recipe
The origin of my original kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipe goes back to the early 1990s when I was a Deputy Sheriff in San Diego.
My friend, Joni, who was one of the deputies I worked with, shared her Kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipe with me after bringing it to one of our many potlucks.
Joni's kielbasa recipe was pretty simple: kielbasa, sauerkraut, potatoes, and caraway seeds, but man was it delicious!
Her recipe called for it to be slow-cooked in a crockpot and that's how I've cooked for years. Joni comes to my mind every single time.
Why This Recipe Works
Recently, I decided to resurrect Joni's Kielbasa recipe and freshen it up a bit.
The other changes I made include adding bacon, onion, garlic, brown sugar, an apple, crushed red pepper, and some beer. I mean honestly, can you blame me?
What Goes into This Recipe
Recipe Notes
- Beer — I like to use a good beer like Heineken, but if you prefer not to add alcohol, you can use a mixture of water and apple juice instead.
- Brown Sugar — The brown sugar adds a little sweetness to the recipe and really balances out the flavors, so don't leave it out.
- Caraway Seeds — My husband, Scott, doesn't like caraway seeds so I usually end up leaving them out. However, I highly recommend leaving them in the recipe.
How to Make This Recipe
Peel potatoes and slice in half. Chop each half into thirds. Next, peel the garlic and roughly chop the apple.
Slice the onion, and mix with the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. If using caraway seeds, add them too.
Slice the sausage on the bias (at an angle).
Select the "saute" setting on your pressure cooker/Instant Pot. Add diced bacon until some of the fat is rendered (if it's too lean, add 1 tablespoon oil)
Add the potatoes and onions and saute until they begin to brown (approximately 3 minutes).
Next, add the sausage and garlic and saute a few minutes longer.
Add the chopped apple to a bowl, along with the brown sugar, sauerkraut, and 6 ounces of beer, preferably, a good beer.
Drink the rest of the beer while you work on dinner, you deserve it!
Stir the contents of the bowl and add to the Instant pot/pressure cooker.
Lock the lid and seal the vent. Select "pressure cook" and set the timer to 5 minutes.
(It will take approximately 5 minutes to seal and start counting down).
After the time has elapsed, do a "natural release" for 3 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid and serve.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
Although my friend, Joni, used Yukon potatoes, this is a pretty forgiving recipe. Feel free to use other potatoes such as gold, red, or russet potatoes. I wouldn't, however, use sweet potatoes in this recipe.
I usually use kielbasa in this recipe, which was called for in the original recipe. However, the last time I prepared it I used fully cooked German sausage, which also tasted wonderful.
If you choose to use Braatz instead (which is usually uncooked) I would not slice it like I recommend in the instructions, since it would most likely fall apart in the pressure cooker.
If you use Braatz links, make sure to poke a few holes in them first so they don't explode while cooking. I would also recommend browning them first.
This Kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipe could be the poster child of comfort food. This one-pot dish has everything you'd want in a delicious meal. Protein, carbs, and plenty of good-for-you sauerkraut!
Honestly, a bowl of this dish is quite filling, so I usually don't serve it with a side dish. If you really want to serve something on the side, how about some sourdough bread to sop up the delicious juices?
However, personally, I would save some room for dessert. An Apple Strudel would be a perfect option!
Sauerkraut is loaded with probiotics or live bacteria. It's known for its gut-health benefits, which is due to the fermentation process used to make sauerkraut.
There is also promising research regarding the weight loss benefits of sauerkraut. But that's not all! According to WebMD, it has other benefits too!
"Sauerkraut contains far more lactobacillus than yogurt, making it a superior source of this probiotic. A bite or two of kraut every few days -- or whenever your tummy is upset -- may help treat ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. It may also treat and prevent eczema."
So use fresh sauerkraut when at all possible and whatever you do, don't rinse it!
- If you don't like caraway, try sage, thyme, or your favorite herbs.
- If you don't want to use beer, you can use apple juice instead. You might want to leave the brown sugar out though so that the dish is not overly sweet.
- Peeling the potatoes is optional. If you decide to leave them unpeeled, make sure you scrub them thoroughly first.
- To cook this dish on the stovetop, follow the recipe directions up to the point where everything is in the pot, then cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, and sausage is cooked (if using Braatz).
Related Recipes
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Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes (chopped in large chunks)
- 1 small yellow onion (sliced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
- 2 oz bacon (4 slices)
- 4 cloves garlic (diced)
- 8 links German sausages or 2 lbs. kielbasa (fully cooked)
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple (chopped in large chunks)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 lb. sauerkraut (drained)
- 6 oz German beer (¾ of a cup)
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and slice in half. Chop each half into thirds. Next, peel the garlic and roughly chop the apple.
- Slice the onion, and mix with the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. If using caraway seeds, add them too.
- Slice the sausage on the bias (at an angle).
- Select the “saute” setting on your pressure cooker/Instant Pot. Add diced bacon until some of the fat is rendered (if it’s too lean, add 1 T. oil)
- Add the potatoes and onions and saute until they begin to brown (approximately 3 minutes).
- Next, add the sausage and garlic and saute a few minutes longer.
- Add the chopped apple to a bowl, along with the brown sugar, sauerkraut, and 6 ounces of beer.
- Drink the rest of the beer while you work on dinner, you deserve it!
- Stir the contents of the bowl and add to the Instant pot/pressure cooker.
- Lock the lid and seal the vent. Select “pressure cook” and set the timer to 5 minutes.
- (It will take approximately 5 minutes to seal and start counting down).
- After the time has elapsed, do a “natural release” for 3 minutes.
- Carefully remove the lid and serve.
Notes
- If you don't like caraway, try sage, thyme, or your favorite herbs.
- If you don't want to use beer, you can use apple juice instead. You might want to leave the brown sugar out though so that the dish is not overly sweet.
- Peeling the potatoes is optional. If you decide to leave them unpeeled, make sure you scrub them thoroughly first.
- To cook this dish on the stovetop, follow the recipe directions up to the point where everything is in the pot, then cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, and sausage is cooked (if using Braatz).
Tracy says
I made this tonight for my husband and I. Husband asked... "Why haven't you made it like this all the times before?". Thanks for the great recipie!
Hilda Sterner says
Haha, I love that, thank you, Tracy!
Lisa Tuckett says
Made this tonight to eat in front of Monday night football. What a hit! My husband and I loved it. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Lisa,
I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it. Who are you rooting for?
Cathy P says
My family loved this recipe! I only had sweet potatoes, so used them and halved the brown sugar. Other than that, followed it exactly (stove top method). Delicious. Thanks!
HildaSterner says
Hi Cathy, Thank you so much for the review. I'm so glad your family enjoyed it. I know sometimes finding a recipe that everyone likes can be a challenge. Thanks for stopping by!