Raw sauerkraut is a wonderful, inexpensive source of probiotics. You need only two ingredients to make your own!
Make your own raw sauerkraut with two ingredients!
Probiotics are the "good guys" that help your body fight off diseases and infections caused by the "bad guys." Cultured foods such as yogurt, kombucha, and raw sauerkraut contain naturally-occurring probiotics. I guess I've started the new year on a culturing trend! I made Vegan Cashew Yogurt earlier this week.
What is the difference between raw sauerkraut and sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is often pasteurized by heating so it can be canned. Unfortunately, the heat destroys the beneficial probiotics. If you're concerned with getting good bacteria, you'll need fresh raw sauerkraut.
Learning to make raw sauerkraut is a valuable skill. I've tried lots of ways to make sauerkraut. Some worked. Many didn't. Let me share what I've learned with you.
What you DON'T need:
- Water
- Starter culture
- Special lids.
Yes, I've tried all of the above.
What you DO need:
Two Ingredients
- Cabbage
- Salt
Basic Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Bowl
- Nonmetal container
Optional Equipment
- Food processor
- Crock with plate-like lid and a weight to hold it down
- Large wooden spoon or something to press the cabbage down
Raw sauerkraut is a great, inexpensive source of healthful probiotics.
Tips for Success with Raw Sauerkraut
- Work the salted cabbage well with your hands until it becomes juicy. This is key! There are no reliable shortcuts here.
- While your raw sauerkraut is fermenting, keep the cabbage submerged in its liquid. Exposure to oxygen causes problems.
- Allow your cabbage to ferment in a dark place for about a week. The higher the temperature, the faster the process.
Containers for Making Sauerkraut
The ideal container for making raw sauerkraut would be an opaque crock with straight sides. If it has a lid that fits inside it, even better. Straight sides would allow the lid, or ideally-fitting plate to sit inside pressing down on the cabbage. It would need to be large enough to cover the surface but small enough to slide freely up and down. In the old days, I'm told, people set a rock on the plate to keep it weighted down.
You can use any glass or crockery container you have available as long as you keep it covered or in a dark place. Light destroys lactic acid bacteria which are crucial for good fermentation.
Don't leave your sauerkraut sitting in a metal container. It can react with the salt.
A plastic zip-lock bag filled with water will do the job of holding down the cabbage and sealing out air. However, I don't like to leave plastic next to my food.
I use a two-litre, or two-quart, mason jar to make my raw sauerkraut. Then, I save a couple of large cabbage leaves before I chop up the rest. I put one or two of them on top of my cabbage after I've pressed it into the jar. The cabbage leaf is usually stiff enough to keep the cabbage submerged under the liquid and flexible enough to take on the shape of the jar around the edges. Then, you need something to set on top of the cabbage leaf to press it down enough to hold the chopped cabbage under the surface of the juice. I use a tiny ramekin that happens to fit inside the neck of my jar. You might have a drinking glass that works for you.
Raw Sauerkraut Fermenting in a Mason Jar
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Update - April 29, 2025
After making sauerkraut this way in the Mason jar for several years, I realized that this was not a passing fancy but something that I wanted to do longterm. While the Mason jar was a great, low-budget way to get started, I decided last year to invest in a fermentation crock from Amazon. It comes with a 2-part heavy ceramic disc which keeps the cabbage submerged in liquid. It also comes with a wooden pounder for pressing the cabbage down.
Another great feature of this crock is the water seal. With the disc to keep the vegetables submerged in liquid and the water seal, I now don't open the crock to peek for a week.
Recipe
Raw Sauerkraut
Equipment
Ingredients
- fresh cabbage
- 2 teaspoons sea salt per pound of cabbage
Instructions
- Chop or shred cabbage to a consistent size. Sprinkle with salt.
- Working vigorously with clean hands, mix the salt throughout the cabbage as you squeeze and press it. Do this for about 10 minutes until you have liquid accumulating that has been squeezed out of the cabbage.
- Pack your pressed cabbage and its juice into a clean crock or jar. (Don't use a metal container.) The cabbage needs to be kept submerged under the surface of the juice. This can be accomplished by weighing down a large cabbage leaf or two.
- Store your mixture in a dark place at room temperature. Check on it daily to make sure that all cabbage remains submerged below the surface of the liquid. You can press down on it a little each day. Fermentation time may vary. It will be faster in a warmer environment.
- After about seven days, your sauerkraut will be ready. Remove the cabbage leaf from the top, and store the sauerkraut in the refrigerator in a sealed, nonmetal container.
Barbara GlutenFree says
Questions: 1. using a mason jar with tight lid like in your pic, does it every explode? 2. When searching the web for a 'fermentation crock' most of them have a water well lock and say it needs to be an opaque material so light and air don't contaminate the process-your thoughts?
Cathy Brak says
That's a very good question, Barbara! I have never had a problem with it exploding, but that might be because I opened it every day to check on it and press the cabbage down into the liquid.
I now use a crock that I got on Amazon. It does have a water well, and I don't open it for a week. I'll put a link for it in the post.
As for the opaque material, I store the jar in a dark pantry or cupboard.
I appreciate your bringing these things to my attention, and I will update the instructions to clarify.
Vicki Rollins says
I made this and just tasted it yesterday after fermenting for seven days. It is crispy and crunchy and has a fantastic taste. I put it in the frig and then this morning when I opened the jar, it's as if the liquid has absorbed and it's no longer covering the kraut. What should I do?
Cathy Brak says
I'm happy to hear that your sauerkraut is working nicely! At this point, you can press the kraut down, and a little liquid will likely rise to the surface. If it doesn't, it's not a big deal now. It seems that your sauerkraut has already fermented nicely. Now that you're keeping it in the fridge, the liquid is not so important. Whenever, I take some out, I always try to press the remainder down into any liquid, but I think you're doing fine!
Billy says
Thanks so much for this helpful guide on making good sauerkraut! I've been through many recipes, and keeping it simple and straightforward has always worked the best. Thank you for including a video too!
Cathy says
No problem! I'm glad you appreciate it!
Nicole | Culinary Cool says
I'm a huge fan of sauerkraut, and I'm loving how easy this recipe is to make on my own. My Baba used to make her own in a giant barrel in her basement, and apparently it exploded once. Making a small batch in a mason jar seems like a better idea, haha!
Cathy says
Ha, ha! That must have been quite a mess! Thanks for stopping by.
Lily {Gastro Senses} says
I grew up with fermented foods and know well how they promote a healthy gut flora, aids digestion, helps manage weight, improves immunity and clears skin! Just love how simple this sauerkraut is to make! Just two ingredients!
Cathy says
What great knowledge to grow up with!
Nicole | What She Ate says
Yesssss! I was just saying the other day that I need to have a sauerkraut and pickle making day soon. Now I feel extra encouraged. I'll have to make your cashew yogurt while I'm at it too!
Cathy says
A sauerkraut and pickle making day sounds good to me! I had gotten away from it for awhile, and I'm glad to be back at it!
Maria says
Can't believe there is so much juice from the cabbage! Reminds me a lot of zucchini. Fantastic tutorial Cathy! You are right, the video was so very helpful. Have pinned to try. Great post ♥
***** definitely 5 stars!
Cathy says
Thanks, Maria! I'm glad the video was helpful.
Terri @foodmeanderings says
This is fantastic! I love sauerkraut and never thought making it would be so easy and require only TWO ingredients. Sounds like a fun rainy day activity 🙂
Cathy says
Thank you, Terri! It really is simple once you've got the method right.