Sauerkraut is a staple for many fermenting foodies… and it’s an easy way to get a dose of probiotics. But eventually, even the most enthusiastic kraut-heads get tired of adding a few forks full of sauerkraut to every meal. Here is a round-up of 16 delicious ways to serve sauerkraut.
Heating sauerkraut above 104 F (40 C) will kill some of the probiotic bacteria. If probiotics are really important to you, then avoid recipes that involve cooking the kraut. However, throwing a few forkfuls of sauerkraut in a hot bowl of soup is just as delicious and will preserve most of the probiotic cultures.
Soups and Stews
- Sauerkraut soup: One of my favorite ways to serve sauerkraut is in soup. I created this sauerkraut soup based on a traditional Eastern European recipe. It’s the ultimate comfort food at my house. So it definitely deserves to be first on my list!
- Creamy soups: I was served cream of cauliflower soup with a dollop of spicy sauerkraut when visiting with a fellow fermentation enthusiast. After spending the whole day traveling, the soup really hit the spot.
- Flavorful soups: Most soups are improved by a forkful of sauerkraut. It’s perfect for adding freshness and flavor. For example, the photo above is of my sweet potato and peanut butter soup.
- Curries: A dollop of fermented cabbage is a delicious way to add a bit of freshness to a mung bean curry.
- Stews: Adding sauerkraut to a traditional meat stew provides a nice contrast to the rich flavor.
Main Dishes
- Pierogies love to be served up next to a side of sauerkraut. They can also be stuffed with sauerkraut!
- Pupusas are a stuffed corn tortilla that is traditionally served with a spiced sauerkraut-like topping called curtido.
- Tacos, burritos and nachos: Curtido is also delicious on tacos and burritos. One of the trendy restaurants in my city even serves it on their nachos!
- Buddha bowl: A Buddha bowl, grain bowl, glory bowl, etc. are ideal for serving sauerkraut. Just add a forkful for a dose of probiotics.
- Potato Salad: Adding a few forkfuls of sauerkraut to potato salad is absolutely delicious. It adds a tangy, flavorful element that complements the creaminess of potatoes. Best of all, potatoes are prebiotic. So this potato salad is perfect for gut health!
Burgers and Sandwiches
- Reuben sandwiches are a classic way to serve sauerkraut. Whether you make a traditional sandwich or a vegan version, it’s sure to be a favorite.
- Grilled cheese: Adding a forkful of sauerkraut to a grilled cheese sandwich adds a burst of flavor that perfectly compliments the cheese.
- Hot dogs and sausages: Sauekraut and spicy mustard are classic toppings for hot dogs and sausages. Or if that’s too classic for you, then try serving hot dogs with kimchi instead!
- Hamburgers: Why not serve sauerkraut on a hamburger? It’s perfect with the classic condiment mix of ketchup and mayo.
Breakfasts
- Quick fried sauerkraut: Serving fried sauerkraut with sausages and eggs is actually quite traditional. It’s also a delicious addition to a big breakfast fry-up.
- Latkes: Adding sauerkraut to a potato latke packs in a whole bunch of flavor.
This is a great list of recipes for using fermented foods! I have thought of adding sauerkraut to baked goods, but I like that you mentioned Latke and soup! The traditional use of sauerkraut is obviously Reubens – my Grandpa used to serve sauerkraut at our family dinners when we had corned beef. Very nostalgic! Thanks again for this great list of dishes.
Doesn’t cooking the sauerkraut destroy the beneficial bacteria?
Yes, so not all of these recipes are probiotic. However, adding sauerkraut at the end of cooking will still provide some probiotic benefits.