Easy Fermented Cabbage (Sauerkraut)

5 from 44 votes

Easy Fermented Cabbage (Sauerkraut)

This is an incredibly easy way to ferment cabbage and make your own sauerkraut! Ferment it for 1-3 weeks and enjoy as a topping for a wide variety of dishes!

Prep Time30

Fermenting Time7

Total Time7 30

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: German

Servings: servings

Calories: 11kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Ingredients

1 large cabbage (2 lbs)
1 clove garlic
5 tsps sea salt (divided)
½ teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Instructions

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage then wash throughly. Next, chop the cabbage with a sharp knife and add it to a large non-metallic bowl. Add slivered garlic, spices, and half of the salt. Stir to combine.
Let the cabbage sit for at least 15 minutes then stir once more.
Pack the shredded cabbage mix into 2 sterilized, wide-mouthed 1-quart mason jars using a rubber spatula or non-metallic spoon.
Combine 2 cups of water and the remaining salt and stir to dissolve. Pour over the cabbage until it reaches the rim of the jar. Loosely cap the jar with a sterilized lid.
The cabbage will begin to bubble as it ferments, so place jars on a rimmed tray or glass dish to catch the juices. Store somewhere cool (between 65 and 72 degrees F).
Every few days, look inside the jar to see if the water level has fallen below the rim. If so, top it off with more salt water, using 1 ½ teaspoon of salt for every cup of water. If the cabbage is floating to the surface, push it back down until the cabbage is submerged.
You can ferment your sauerkraut for 1 to 3 weeks, tasting it every few days, until the desired flavor and texture is achieved.

Video

Notes

Most fermented cabbage recipes recommend smashing the cabbage and allowing it to release its juices for 1-2 hours before bottling, but I've tried it both ways and the end result is the same.
If you have fermenting glass weights, use them. They do an excellent job of keeping the cabbage submerged in the liquid and not exposed to oxygen as it ferments.
If you have an airlock you can use it to keep impurities out while allowing the air bubbles to escape. You can buy fermenting lids with the airlocks, however, they are not absolutely necessary!
Don't use metallic utensils or bowls when making fermented cabbage. The metal reacts with the acid from the cabbage, causing your sauerkraut to taste like metal.
If you don't own fermenting weights set aside a cabbage leaf when you first start. Once the shredded cabbage is bottled, place the reserved cabbage leaf on top to keep the cabbage from floating to the surface.
You can use this recipe to make red cabbage sauerkraut by swapping purple cabbage for the green cabbage.

Nutrition