How to Make Sauerkraut: Easy Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
Making homemade sauerkraut is one of the simplest ways to start fermenting food at home.
All you really need is fresh cabbage, salt, and a little patience.
Over time, ordinary cabbage transforms into tangy, crunchy fermented sauerkraut that can be served with meals, added to sandwiches, or eaten straight from the jar.
And if you want to do it the old-fashioned way, you can even make your sauerkraut in a traditional stoneware fermentation crock.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to make sauerkraut at home, including the correct cabbage-to-salt ratio, how to keep the cabbage under the brine, how long to ferment it, and how to know when your sauerkraut is ready.
What Is Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is simply cabbage that has been fermented with salt.
The salt draws water from the cabbage and creates a natural brine.
During fermentation, naturally occurring bacteria on the cabbage convert sugars into lactic acid.
That lactic acid gives sauerkraut its familiar sour flavor while helping preserve the cabbage.
No vinegar is needed.
And you don’t need to purchase a starter culture.
Fresh cabbage already contains the microorganisms needed for fermentation.
Why You’ll Love Making Homemade Sauerkraut
There is something so satisfying about turning a simple head of cabbage into a fermented food that can last for months in the refrigerator.
Homemade sauerkraut is:
- Made with just cabbage and salt
- Inexpensive to make
- An easy beginner fermentation project
- Naturally fermented
- Crunchy and tangy
- Easy to make in a crock or glass jar
- A great way to preserve extra cabbage
- Easy to customize once you learn the basic method
Raw, unheated sauerkraut also contains live microorganisms created during fermentation and provides fiber and vitamin C.
If preserving the live cultures is important to you, refrigerating the finished sauerkraut rather than heat-processing it is the way to go.
Ingredients for Homemade Sauerkraut
For approximately 1 gallon of sauerkraut, you’ll need:
- 5 pounds fresh green cabbage, weighed after trimming and shredding
- 3 tablespoons canning, pickling, or other suitable non-iodized salt
That’s it.
You really don’t need anything else to make traditional sauerkraut.
The Correct Salt Ratio for Sauerkraut
The amount of salt is one of the most important parts of making sauerkraut.
This isn’t a recipe where I recommend simply adding salt to taste.
Salt helps draw moisture from the cabbage to create the brine, encourages the desirable fermentation organisms, and helps control unwanted microorganisms.
A good rule is to use approximately 2–2.5% salt based on the weight of your prepared cabbage.
An easy tested ratio is:
5 pounds shredded cabbage + 3 tablespoons canning or pickling salt
If you want to make a smaller batch, using a digital kitchen scale is the easiest way to calculate the salt accurately.
For example, if your prepared cabbage weighs 1,000 grams, approximately 20–25 grams of salt would give you a 2–2.5% salt concentration.
Do not dramatically reduce the salt in fermented sauerkraut.
What Kind of Salt Should I Use?
Canning or pickling salt is an easy choice because it dissolves readily and doesn’t contain additives that may affect the brine.
A plain non-iodized salt without anti-caking ingredients can also be used.
Avoid guessing at the amount based on different types of coarse salt because the volume of a tablespoon can vary depending on crystal size.
If you use anything other than fine canning or pickling salt, weighing the salt is the most accurate method.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need much special equipment to make sauerkraut.
You can use:
- Fermentation crock or large glass jar
- Large mixing bowl
- Sharp knife, mandoline, or cabbage shredder
- Cutting board
- Kitchen scale
- Sauerkraut tamper or clean hands
- Fermentation weights
- Clean towel or fermentation lid
I really like the traditional crock method because it feels like one of those old-fashioned kitchen skills that has been passed down for generations.
But a clean wide-mouth glass jar also works well for smaller batches.
Can You Make Sauerkraut in a Fermentation Crock?
Absolutely.
A stoneware fermentation crock is one of the traditional ways to make sauerkraut.
As a general rule, you’ll need about a 1-gallon fermentation container for every 5 pounds of cabbage.
Make sure your crock is intended for food use and doesn’t have cracks or chips.
Many modern fermentation crocks also come with ceramic weights that help keep the cabbage below the brine.
That’s especially helpful because keeping the cabbage submerged is one of the most important parts of successful fermentation.
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut
Step 1: Prepare the Cabbage
Start with fresh, firm heads of cabbage.
Remove any wilted, dirty, or damaged outer leaves.
Rinse the cabbage under cool running water and drain.
Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the hard core.
Shred the cabbage into thin, fairly uniform pieces.
You can use a sharp knife, mandoline, food processor, or old-fashioned cabbage slicer.
Weigh the shredded cabbage after it has been trimmed and prepared.
This gives you an accurate weight for calculating your salt.
Step 2: Add the Salt
Place about 5 pounds of shredded cabbage into a large non-reactive mixing bowl.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt over the cabbage.
Mix thoroughly using clean hands.
Let the salted cabbage sit for about 5–10 minutes.
You’ll notice it beginning to soften.
Step 3: Massage the Cabbage
Now start squeezing, pressing, and massaging the cabbage with your hands.
Continue for several minutes.
The cabbage will become softer and begin releasing a surprising amount of liquid.
This liquid becomes the natural brine that ferments the cabbage.
You don’t normally need to add water when making sauerkraut because fresh cabbage produces its own brine.
Step 4: Pack the Fermentation Crock
Add a handful of cabbage to your clean fermentation crock or jar.
Press it down firmly using your fist or a clean sauerkraut tamper.
Add another handful and press again.
Continue packing the cabbage tightly in layers.
You want to remove as many trapped air pockets as possible.
As you press the cabbage down, the brine should begin rising above it.
Pour any remaining liquid from your mixing bowl into the crock.
Leave several inches of room at the top of a large crock so the ferment has space to bubble without overflowing.
Step 5: Keep the Cabbage Below the Brine
This is one of the most important rules of making sauerkraut:
Keep the cabbage submerged beneath the brine.
Place clean fermentation weights on top of the cabbage.
The cabbage should remain covered by at least about 1 inch of brine.
If you’re using a traditional crock, use the weights that came with it.
If you’re fermenting in a jar, glass fermentation weights work very well.
Any little pieces of cabbage floating above the brine should be pushed back underneath.
Keeping the cabbage under the brine reduces its exposure to oxygen and helps encourage the proper fermentation environment.
What If My Cabbage Doesn’t Make Enough Brine?
Fresh cabbage will usually release enough liquid when properly salted and packed.
If it doesn’t, don’t simply add plain water.
You can make supplemental brine by dissolving:
1½ tablespoons salt in 1 quart of water
Boil the water, dissolve the salt, and allow the brine to cool completely before adding only as much as necessary to cover the cabbage.
Step 6: Cover the Sauerkraut
If you’re using a traditional open crock, cover the opening with a clean towel to help keep out insects and debris while still allowing gases to escape.
If your fermentation crock has a water-sealed lid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
For glass jars, a fermentation airlock makes the process particularly easy.
Place the container on a plate or tray in case the ferment bubbles over.
Step 7: Let the Sauerkraut Ferment
Place your sauerkraut somewhere out of direct sunlight with a fairly stable room temperature.
Temperature affects how quickly sauerkraut ferments.
Traditional USDA guidance recommends fermenting sauerkraut at around 70–75°F, where a large traditional batch may take approximately 3–4 weeks to fully ferment.
Smaller batches and different fermentation methods may develop the flavor you like sooner.
Instead of relying only on the calendar, watch what your ferment is doing and taste it as it develops.
What Should Sauerkraut Look Like While Fermenting?
During the first several days, you may notice:
- Tiny bubbles rising through the brine
- Liquid increasing in the crock
- A sour or fermented smell
- Cabbage gradually becoming more translucent
- The flavor becoming increasingly tangy
All of these can be normal signs of fermentation.
Bubbling is usually most noticeable early in the process and gradually slows.
How Long Does Homemade Sauerkraut Take?
There isn’t one exact fermentation time that works in every kitchen.
Temperature, batch size, cabbage, and your preferred flavor all make a difference.
Start tasting the sauerkraut after about a week.
For a milder sauerkraut, you may like it earlier.
For a stronger, more traditionally sour sauerkraut, allow it to ferment longer.
Traditional large-batch sauerkraut fermented around 70–75°F may take roughly 3–4 weeks to fully ferment.
Cooler temperatures slow the process.
Very warm temperatures can result in softer sauerkraut, so avoid placing the crock near a stove, sunny window, or other warm location.
How Do You Know When Sauerkraut Is Done?
Sauerkraut is ready when it has developed the sour flavor and texture you enjoy and active fermentation has slowed substantially.
Look for:
- Pleasantly sour aroma
- Tangy flavor
- Cabbage that still has some crunch
- Slower bubbling
- Plenty of acidic brine surrounding the cabbage
If you like the flavor, you can move it to the refrigerator and slow the fermentation.
How to Store Homemade Sauerkraut
Once the sauerkraut tastes the way you like it, transfer it to clean jars if necessary.
Make sure the cabbage remains covered with brine.
Place an airtight lid on the jars and refrigerate.
Properly handled fermented sauerkraut can keep for several months in the refrigerator.
Always use clean utensils when removing sauerkraut from the jar.
The colder refrigerator temperature dramatically slows fermentation, although the flavor may continue developing slowly over time.
Troubleshooting Homemade Sauerkraut
Fermentation can look a little strange when you’re new to it.
Here are some of the most common questions.
Why Isn’t My Sauerkraut Making Enough Brine?
First, make sure you used the proper amount of salt and thoroughly massaged the cabbage.
Fresh cabbage generally releases plenty of liquid.
Letting the salted cabbage sit for 5–10 minutes before massaging can help.
Packing it firmly also forces more liquid to the surface.
If necessary, add a small amount of properly prepared salt brine rather than plain water.
Why Isn’t My Sauerkraut Bubbling?
Fermentation activity isn’t always dramatic.
A cooler kitchen can slow fermentation considerably.
You may see only tiny bubbles around the cabbage rather than lots of obvious bubbling.
Give it time and keep the temperature fairly consistent.
Why Is My Sauerkraut Soft?
Temperature is one possible culprit.
Sauerkraut fermented in a kitchen that is too warm can become softer than sauerkraut fermented at cooler, more controlled temperatures.
Using too little salt can also affect the quality of the finished sauerkraut.
This is another reason I recommend measuring rather than salting to taste.
What Is the White Film on My Sauerkraut?
Surface yeasts can occasionally develop during fermentation.
Keep the cabbage submerged and minimize exposure to air.
If you see obvious fuzzy mold, unusual colors, a ropey or slimy texture, or the ferment smells rotten rather than pleasantly sour, I would discard the batch rather than taste it.
When in doubt about a questionable ferment, don’t eat it.
Does Sauerkraut Need to Stay Under the Brine?
Yes.
Keep the cabbage beneath the brine throughout fermentation.
Fermentation weights make this much easier.
Check your ferment periodically and push down any cabbage that has worked its way above the liquid.
Is Homemade Sauerkraut Good for Gut Health?
Fermented sauerkraut is often associated with gut health because raw, unheated sauerkraut can contain live microorganisms produced during fermentation.
Sauerkraut also provides fiber and vitamin C.
I prefer to think of sauerkraut as one of many traditional fermented foods that can be included in a varied diet rather than treating it as a cure-all.
If your goal is to eat sauerkraut with live cultures, choose raw refrigerated sauerkraut rather than heat-processed sauerkraut.
Ways to Eat Homemade Sauerkraut
There are so many ways to use it.
Try sauerkraut:
- Alongside roasted meat
- On bratwurst or sausage
- On hot dogs
- In a Reuben sandwich
- With eggs
- On sandwiches
- With potatoes
- Alongside pork
- Added to grain bowls
- Straight from the jar
I especially love fermented foods because you don’t need much.
A small spoonful alongside a meal adds acidity, crunch, and plenty of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need a Starter Culture to Make Sauerkraut?
No.
Traditional sauerkraut is made with cabbage and salt.
The microorganisms needed for fermentation naturally occur on fresh cabbage.
Do You Need Vinegar to Make Sauerkraut?
No.
Traditional fermented sauerkraut does not need vinegar.
The sour flavor develops naturally as lactic acid is produced during fermentation.
How Much Salt Do I Need for Sauerkraut?
Use approximately 2–2.5% salt based on the weight of your prepared cabbage.
An easy ratio is 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt for every 5 pounds of shredded cabbage.
Can I Make Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar?
Yes.
Wide-mouth glass jars are convenient for small batches.
Leave enough space at the top, use a fermentation weight to keep the cabbage submerged, and use a fermentation lid or another appropriate covering.
Can I Make Sauerkraut in a Crock?
Yes.
A food-safe stoneware fermentation crock is one of the traditional ways to make sauerkraut.
A 1-gallon crock is a good size for approximately 5 pounds of cabbage.
How Long Should Sauerkraut Ferment?
It depends on the temperature, batch size, and the flavor you prefer.
Begin tasting around one week.
Traditional USDA guidance for larger batches at 70–75°F is approximately 3–4 weeks for complete fermentation.
Should I Burp My Sauerkraut Jar?
If you use a proper fermentation airlock, gases can escape without manually opening the jar.
If you’re using a tightly sealed jar without an airlock, pressure can build up.
I prefer using a fermentation lid or crock designed to allow fermentation gases to escape.
Does Homemade Sauerkraut Need to Be Refrigerated?
Once it has fermented to the flavor you like, refrigeration is the easiest way to slow fermentation and store the sauerkraut for an extended period.
Can You Freeze Sauerkraut?
You can freeze sauerkraut, although freezing may soften the texture.
Refrigeration is usually my preferred storage method for raw fermented sauerkraut.
More Fermented Recipes to Try
Once you start fermenting vegetables, it’s hard to stop.
Try some of these next:
15 Kombucha Flavor Ideas for Second Fermentation
Fermentation is one of those old-fashioned kitchen skills that can sound intimidating until you actually try it.
Start with cabbage and salt.
Keep everything clean.
Measure your salt carefully.
Keep the cabbage beneath the brine.
And let time do the rest.
Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
Yield: About 1 gallon
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Fermentation Time: About 1–4 weeks, depending on temperature and desired flavor
Method: Lacto-fermentation
Ingredients
5 pounds fresh cabbage, trimmed and shredded
3 tablespoons canning or pickling salt
Instructions
Remove the damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage, cut it into quarters, remove the cores, and shred into thin, uniform pieces.
Weigh 5 pounds of prepared shredded cabbage.
Place the cabbage in a large non-reactive bowl and add 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt.
Mix thoroughly with clean hands and let the cabbage sit for 5–10 minutes.
Massage and squeeze the cabbage until it softens and releases plenty of liquid.
Pack the cabbage firmly into a clean 1-gallon fermentation crock or suitable fermentation container, pressing each layer down tightly.
Pour any remaining cabbage juice over the top.
Place clean fermentation weights over the cabbage and make sure the cabbage is covered by at least about 1 inch of brine.
If there is not enough natural brine, make supplemental brine using 1½ tablespoons salt per quart of boiled and cooled water and add only enough to cover the cabbage.
Cover the crock appropriately and place it on a tray in a location away from direct sunlight.
Ferment at a relatively consistent room temperature. Begin tasting after about 7 days and continue fermenting until the sauerkraut has reached the sourness you prefer.
Keep the cabbage submerged beneath the brine throughout fermentation.
Once the flavor is where you want it, transfer the sauerkraut to clean jars if needed, cover tightly, and refrigerate.
Notes
Do not reduce the salt simply to make lower-sodium sauerkraut. Salt is an important part of traditional sauerkraut fermentation.
For a smaller or larger batch, weigh the prepared cabbage and use approximately 2–2.5% salt by weight.
Keep the cabbage submerged under brine during fermentation.
If you see obvious fuzzy mold, unusual spoilage, a ropey texture, or a rotten odor, discard the batch.
