This quick sauerkraut recipe can be made in 30 minutes and taste like it had been marinating for days. Killer overnight sauerkraut recipe. Just one of our favorite simple cabbage recipes.
If you’re looking for a stovetop quick sauerkraut recipe, this is it. Yes you can buy it in a jar at the store but once you get the hang of this you can make it with green cabbage or red cabbage, more pungent or sweeter with some sugar. (affiliate links present)
Overnight Sauerkraut Recipe
You don’t even have to let this sit overnight to enjoy it. If you do like yours really cold though that would be my suggestion. To me I have to have it quite chilled to enjoy it, some find it just as wonderful right out of the pot. The decision is yours my friends.
You literally only need 4 ingredients for this, I don’t count water as one. If you are totally opposed to garlic then it would be only 3, but that is crazy if you ask me.
I add this to all sorts of cabbage recipes in Instant Pot too. Whether it is left whole, chopped, roasted, minced, to everything savory. I mean if you don’t I don’t know if we can be friends. 😉
Recipe for Quick Sauerkraut
This time you are just going to break apart and add whole cloves into the mix. You’ll still get that great flavor permeating but not as intense as if it were minced and worked into everything. Whole will allow you to dig them out at the end, just remember how many you added so you don’t forget one. lol
The old fashioned method suggests 3-4 weeks! Yes longer is better and the flavors will evolve over time for sure but if you need to make it fast we have an overnight recipe for you here.
You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper or add things like caraway seeds, juniper berries, dill and/or celery seeds. When making homemade you can test out several ways to see which is your all time favorite combination.
As far as what you’ll need other than the ingredients themselves, a large cooking pot and wooden spoon come in handy. OH and a large or a few small mason jars are my favorite ways to store this for later. Very similar to making pickled red cabbage.
Ok so as you can see we went super simple, you can take it from there. You might have a “secret seasoning” that is a must. The only other I have added is some red pepper flakes for heat that my husband enjoys, and I have made an Old Bay recipe version that was quite nice too.
Ingredients
- Shredded head of green cabbage
- White vinegar gives it that zing
- Water as the base liquid
- Sea salt are larger granules
- A head of garlic
As you cook down your vegetable the liquid will absorb. You need to keep an eye on it now and then to rotate and make sure the bottom doesn’t get too browned. If your heat is too high and it absorbs quickly, turn down the heat and add a bit more water.
Stovetop Sauerkraut Quick Recipe
Chop up and or shred head of cabbage. I think thin strips are best. Smash garlic head, remove the outside on cloves but leave those whole.
- Place everything into heavy soup pot and simmer / bring to a boil over low heat for about 20-30 minutes.
- Keep an eye on the pot so that none of the leaves get too done and/or burned on the bottom.
- Gently stir every 5 minutes or so to rotate in the pot.
- The liquid should be nearly gone and cabbage tender when done. Remove garlic cloves and pour into a large bowl. Let cool in the fridge for a good 15 minutes to 30 and then place in glass jars.
You should enjoy this quick and easy within the next 2 weeks. We love it best served on top of Instant Pot brats or Traeger sausage inside hoagie buns!
Quick Sauerkraut Recipe
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 2 mason jars
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage, shredded or chopped
- 3/4 c vinegar, white
- 1 head garlic, cloves left whole
- 1 1/4 tbsp salt
- 1 1/4 c water
Instructions
- Shred cabbage thinly. Smash garlic, remove the outside on cloves but leave those whole. Place everything into heavy soup pot and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot so that you don’t get any burnt cabbage, gently stir every 5 minutes or so.
- The liquid should be nearly gone when done and the cabbage should be wilty. Remove garlic cloves and pour into a large bowl. Let cool in the fridge and then place in glass jars. This is meant to be eaten within 14 days.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
