25 Delicious Uses for Sauerkraut
At wildbrine, we love to incorporate sauerkraut into some of our favorite classic recipes for an unexpected twist of texture and flavor. Looking for some healthy, delicious ideas on how to add this probiotic powerhouse to your own culinary regimen? Read on for what to do with sauerkraut. Have a favorite sauerkraut use of your own? Share in the comments!
Tips for Cooking with Sauerkraut
- Sauerkraut naturally lends itself to recipes that call for pickles, olives, or other briny ingredients. Keep this in mind when brainstorming your own uses for sauerkraut.
- Preserve sauerkraut’s beneficial bacteria by keeping its temperature below 115 degrees F.
- Sauerkraut brine is also a versatile ingredient and can be used in recipes such as salad dressings, cocktails, or sauces. (Be sure to keep enough brine in the jar to cover the vegetables, as this helps keep it fresh.)
Our Favorite Uses for Sauerkraut
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- Smoothies: We’re serious! Add a couple of tablespoons to your next fruit smoothie for an incredible lift of flavor. Try this smoothie recipe.
- Tuna salad: Love dill pickle relish in your tuna salad? For extra zip, try chopped sauerkraut instead.
- Deviled eggs: Minced sauerkraut could be the new secret ingredient to your deviled eggs. Here’s a recipe where we use kimchi, but you can substitute kraut.
- Grilled cheese: Elevate your grilled cheese sandwich with the addition of sauerkraut. That little bit of saltiness takes this humble classic to the next level.
- Baked potato: Potatoes and sauerkraut are a Bavarian favorite. We like to top baked potatoes with sour cream and our Dill Garlic Sauerkraut.
- Dessert: Here’s another shocker! Try these healthy brownies that feature sauerkraut as a star ingredient.
- Fish tacos: Brighten your traditional fish tacos by topping them with sauerkraut instead of plain cabbage. Cilantro and chipotle crema also highly recommended! Try this fish taco recipe and substitute kraut for the pickled red onions.
- Cubano sandwich: Sub out sauerkraut for pickles in this classic pressed sandwich of ham, Swiss cheese, and mustard.
- Guacamole: Want to add a little salty goodness to your guac routine? Stir in a spoonful of kraut and watch it transform your recipe.
- Potato salad: Sauerkraut is an appealing addition to both classic and German potato salad. Give it a try at your next gathering.
- Egg salad: Add new dimension and crunch to classic egg salad with the addition of sauerkraut.
- Bagel and lox: Sauerkraut adds a caper-like zing to a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Not to mention a gut healthy zing!
- Cheese plate: Sauerkraut seamlessly stands in for olives or pickles on an artisan cheese plate. Try pairing it with aged gouda and some crusty sourdough bread.
- Pizza: Pizza is one of those dishes that invites any and all to the party. Plop some kraut on top and you’re good to go.
- Avocado toast: Whole grain bread, sliced avocado, and sauerkraut could become your new favorite avocado toast.
- Burgers: Hamburgers and meatless burgers are guaranteed to sing with the addition of sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese.
- Sausage: Sauté up some sausage (meatless or meat-full) and stir in some kraut at the end. To keep the probiotic benefit, don’t heat above 115 degrees F.
- Coleslaw: Sauerkraut and coleslaw are practically cousins. Let them hang out by combining five parts shredded cabbage to one part sauerkraut and refrigerating for at least 30 minutes. Want something fancier? Our recipe for Sauerkraut Slaw.
- Sushi: Looking for a unique accompaniment to sushi? Try our Arame Ginger Kraut instead of traditional pickled ginger
- Dirty sauerkraut martini: Combine 6 oz vodka, 1 oz sauerkraut brine, and a dash of vermouth for a fun twist on the dirty martini. Prefer tequila? Here’s another sauerkraut-brine based cocktail recipe.
- Breakfast burrito: Instead of salsa, add zippy sauerkraut to your next breakfast burrito of eggs, cheese, and sausage
- Sandwich or wrap: Give your favorite hand-held meal (with turkey and avocado, hummus and veggies, roast beef and Swiss cheese) an extra kick with addition of sauerkraut. You will NOT be disappointed.
- Salad: Pack even more nutritional power into your next Buddha bowl or Superfood Salad with the addition of sauerkraut.
- Soup: Garnish potato leek soup with a dollop of sour cream or crème frâiche and a smattering of sauerkraut.
- One of our favorite uses for sauerkraut: Eat it right out of the jar. Don’t be shy!
Cantrell
Those were great suggestions for meal additions.
The wild Bunch
Thank you!
Marcia Lapossy
You mentioned Costco sized Sauerkraut – I agree with you totally – but the Costco’s in the Cleveland area stopped carrying it – unless you know something I don’t know! Advise if you do……vsnsks@att.net
The wild Bunch
Hi Marcia – Thank you SO much for your support! It looks like we’ve been shipping to Costco in the Cleveland area. If you’re not seeing it on the shelves at your Costco location, we suggest putting a note in the suggestion box and/or talk to a manager and let them know that you’d like to see them bring wildbrine back in.
Debbie
It’s really good on pizza too. I warm it slightly to preserve the goodness and put it on top of delivery or homemade after it’s out of the oven.
The wild Bunch
LOVE that idea Debbie! Thanks for sharing.
April Belknap
I slice up sausage, throw it in a frying pan cover it in saurkraut and when it’s hot, it’s ready ! Serve with A side of fried taters and you are going to go !
The wild Bunch
Mmmmm… tasty good!
Joel
I just purchased for the first time at Costco yesterday. I used to enhance leftover chicken: I reheated a chicken leg with some of the naturally occurring chicken broth with a sliced potato and some left over cooked vegetables. Toward the end I added about three table spoons of the kraut to the dish and cooked at power level five for two minutes. The kraut added a wonderful flavoring and greatly enhanced the leftover chicken meal. This is my first experience with the wildbrine kraut and it was a delicious one!
The wild Bunch
Joel – That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your first wildbrine experience.
Tracy
Added it to a chicken goulash; an ingredient one doesn’t want to leave out.
Would be good with pork chops and apple sauce.
John Akard
In some countries it is good luck to eat pork and kraut for the New Year. My mother added dumplings. These were 1/8th inch thick and 2″ x 2″ in size. The pork she used were Pig’s Tails.
Bonzer
I like spicy brat sliced thick and fried. Throw on some mixed Mexican shredded cheese and wait for melt. Move all onto sourdough with mustard and mayo and slather kraut liberally on top. @killersandwich
Julian
Recently discovered original wildbrine sauerkraut at Costco a week ago. Absolutely delicious! I went through a 1.5 kilo jar in a week. Thank you for providing recipes, looking forward trying new dishes.
The wild Bunch
Julian – Our pleasure! Thank you so much for the kind words.
Karen
My mom always added Sauerkraut to mashed potatoes. We had a crock fermenting in the basement every fall.
The wild Bunch
Karen – What a lovely idea! Thanks for sharing.
Dobrinka
I fry onion and bay leaf, black pepper and paprika seasoning and add cooked risotto rice and add sauerkraut.
Sometimes instead of the rice I use cooked white beans or potatoes or elbow macaroni.
The wild Bunch
YUM! Great ideas.
Deena
Some great ideas here! Thanks so much 🙂
The wild Bunch
Thanks!
Bud
Your product is exceptional! Great taste and texture, and as an added bonus, the probiotics really help with digestion!
The wild Bunch
Thanks for the props!
Lisa Fishetti
How long does the Sauerkraut last after you open it? I bought the Costco size and I am the only one in the house that is eating it. I always use a clean spoon and put it back in the fridge after I scoop out a couple tablespoons into a bowl. I love it!
The wild Bunch
Hi Lisa – We’re so happy you’re a fan of our kraut! As long as your wildbrine products are kept in the fridge with the brine covering all of the solids – the brine is a natural preservative – it’ll be good until at least 1-2 months past the expiration date printed on the package. But even then, they’re still good to go, although the crunch might dull a bit and, since wildbrine is alive and actively fermenting, expect the flavors to continue to deepen as they chill out in your fridge.
Grace
I have a jar of your sauerkraut that’s a few weeks past the expiration date, but it has a bunch of white fizzy-looking stuff on top recently. I tried to keep the brine covering the solids. But, given the white stuff, I should toss it, right?
The wild Bunch
Unfortunately, yes.
Carol
We always had sauerkraut with fried pork chops.
Dan C
Hi, I just picked up a large sized Green Sauerkraut at Costco. I cannot wait to dig into it!
The wild Bunch
Excellent! Enjoy 🙂
Gloria
Thanks to all of you for you ideas. I’m new to sauerkraut.
The wild Bunch
Gloria – Appreciate you stopping by to read this post!
Shelley
I put it on everything. Smoked kippers,sardines, eggs! Really goes with a chef lifestyle.
The wild Bunch
Great!!
GERALD
Does walmart.winn dixie.publix carry your products?
The wild Bunch
Hi Gerald! Some do. Please see our handy product finder to see where to buy wildbrine near you: https://wildbrine.com/where-to-get-wild/