EASY SAUERKRAUT

This sauerkraut is one of the easiest thing you will ever make. It's homemade from scratch with simple ingredients, full of flavor and probiotics that help promote a healthy gut and very affordable. It's fresh, crunchy, and very delicious!

When you consume fermented foods, you supply your digestive system with many strains of beneficial bacteria that help balance your gut flora, force out pathogenic bacteria and strengthen immune system. Fermented foods are full of digestive enzymes that help break down the nutrients for faster and better absorption and also add nutritional value to foods because fermentation process help produce vitamins and digestive enzymes not naturally present in the foods before fermentation.

Sauerkraut is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, manganese, vitamin B6 and folate. Try to stick to smaller serving size since sauerkraut is a bit high in sodium.

Additionally, I prefer using grey celtic sea salt because it's minimally processed and is full of micronutrients and trace minerals.

To save time on slicing, chopping and dicing I use mandoline slicer on it's thinnest setting (don't forget to wear a glove!) for slicing cabbage and food processor for shredding carrots.

Nutrition Facts

EASY SAUERKRAUT

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 34

% Daily Value*

Sodium 725mg32%

Potassium 206mg6%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 3140IU63%

Vitamin C 31.8mg39%

Calcium 43mg4%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Resting time3

Total Time20

Servings: people

Calories: 34kcal

Ingredients

12 cups green cabbage thinly sliced
3 tsp sea salt grey celtic
3 carrots shredded
1 cup white vinegar optional
2 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add thinly sliced cabbage and shredded carrots to a large mixing bowl and add sea salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Wash hands thoroughly and start massaging all the ingredients in a bowl. Cabbage will soften and start shrinking in size and release liquid.
Keep massaging and gently squeezing the cabbage for the next 5 minutes.
Add vinegar to a mixing bowl and continue massaging and gently squeezing all the ingredients together. You don't have to add vinegar since the fermentation will occur naturally, it's just going to take a bit longer but I like adding it for the flavor. It also helps cutting the time in half (in case I accidentally forget to start my sauerkraut for next day's meal).
When there is enough liquid to cover the cabbage put the sauerkraut mixture into a half a gallon glass jar and pack tightly. Make sure there is plenty of room for sauerkraut to expand so leave some space between sauerkraut mixture and the jar mouth. Cover glass jar with coffee filter or paper towel wrapped around the opening and secured with a rubber band.
Leave sauerkraut on a kitchen counter in a warm spot away from direct sunlight for proper fermentation for 1-5 days. Then mix and turn sauerkraut using a clean spoon once a day to let it breath during the fermentation process. Make sure it is covered in released fermented cabbage juice. If there isn't enough liquid, put and press a saucer on top of sauerkraut and put something heavy on top, like a mason jar filled with water, securely sealed.
The longer the sauerkraut ferments, the tangier it becomes. Taste it with a clean fork to avoid contamination. When it reaches the desired taste, cover the glass jar with a lid and transfer to the fridge. It should keep for at least 2-3 months refrigerated.
When ready to serve, transfer a serving to a dish and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Nutrition