How to Make Sauerkraut the Easy Way

Crisp, Delicious, and Great for Gut Health

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This easy homemade sauerkraut recipe uses just cabbage and salt to create crisp, tangy sauerkraut that supports gut health and requires no special equipment. If you want a simple, beginner-friendly way to start fermenting without complicated steps or fancy tools, this method is for you.

I think traditional and straightforward is best!

This recipe is great for busy moms, beginners, and anyone interested in gut health who feels intimidated by fermentation or has tried sauerkraut before and ended up with soggy, moldy or smelly results.

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Why Make Homemade Sauerkraut Instead of Buying It?

Many store-bought sauerkrauts are either pasteurized or packed with vinegar, which kills or prevents the beneficial bacteria that support gut health. So, you’re eating sauerkraut thinking it’s super healthy, great for your gut, but in reality like so many things we buy most of the nutrients that make sauerkraut so great for you, are lost!

When you make sauerkraut at home using natural fermentation, you get:

• Live probiotics that support digestion and immunity
• A crisp, fresh texture that doesn’t turn mushy
• A clean ingredient list with no preservatives
• A budget-friendly fermented food you can make again and again

One small daily serving of homemade sauerkraut can contain billions of beneficial bacteria, far more than many probiotic supplements.

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Why I Love This Method

I always used to buy my sauerkraut. I never felt I had time to do a bunch of canning, and making homemade sauerkraut seemed like a daunting task to me.

Then I decided to give it a try, and realized how incredibly simple it is to make. On top of how easy it was, and much money it saved making it myself, the taste is FAR superior. Once I started making sauerkraut, I knew there was no way I’m going back to store-bought.

With just a couple simple tips and tricks to prevent anything from going wrong in the fermentation process, I simplified the recipe to use just cabbage, salt, and proper packing. The cabbage ferments consistently, stayed crisp, and tasted better than anything I have ever purchased at the store.

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Ingredients for Easy Homemade Sauerkraut

You only need two ingredients:

• 1 large cabbage
• 1–2 tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt

How much salt is used depends on the how much cabbage you use. As a general rule of thumb, use 1 tbsp for a small-medium sized head and 2 tbsp for a large head (1.5 to 2 teaspoons of salt for every pound of cabbage).

That’s it. No starter cultures. No vinegar. No sugar. The cabbage has all the bacteria needed to start the fermentation, and the salt brine preserves it while it’s doing it’s thing.

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Cabbage

Cabbage naturally contains beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) on its leaves. When submerged in salty brine, these bacteria multiply and ferment the cabbage safely.

Green cabbage is ideal for beginners because it:

• Ferments reliably
• Stays crisp
• Has a mild, classic sauerkraut flavor

Salt

Salt plays three critical roles:

• Draws water out of the cabbage to create brine
• Prevents harmful bacteria from growing
• Creates the ideal environment for fermentation

Use sea salt or kosher salt, ideally non-iodized if possible. I often use iodized salt though because that’s what I have, and it works perfectly fine as well. Avoid table salt, which can interfere with fermentation.

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How to Make Sauerkraut the Easy Way (Step-by-Step)

Before you start make sure you have mason jars cleaned and sterilized to pack the sauerkraut into. Nothing fancy is needed, you can boil the jars or run them through high heat in the dishwasher. For one large head of cabbage, I usually need 2 quart sized jars.

I suggest just buying these at your local dollar store or department store.

You will also want to have some fermenting weights to help keep the cabbage in the brine while it ferments.

Buy in CAN or buy in USA

Step 1: Prepare the Cabbage

• Remove outer leaves, wash them and set them aside (you need to keep these for later)
• Cut cabbage into quarters
• Remove the core
• Thinly slice the cabbage (don’t worry too much about how perfect this is, just get it as thin as possible with a knife)

Tip: If you have a food processor or chopper, use it to slice the cabbage. That would take the time it takes to make this from 30 mins to 15 mins.

Step 2: Salt the Cabbage

• Place sliced cabbage in a large bowl
• Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt
• Massage the salt into the cabbage with clean hands for 5 minutes
• Sprinkle the 2nd tablespoon of salt on the cabbage
• Massage for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cabbage starts breaking down and brine starts to build on the bottom of the bowl

You’ll notice liquid releasing and the cabbage softening. This liquid becomes your brine.

Step 3: Pack It Into the Jar

• Transfer cabbage and liquid into a clean glass jar
• Press down very firmly to remove air bubbles
• Make sure cabbage is tightly packed into the jar and fully submerged beneath the brine
• Pour all the liquid from the bowl into the jar(s) to cover the cabbage
• Leave about an inch of room at the top of the jar

Step 4: Cover and Ferment

• Fold the reserved cabbage leaf and push it on top to keep shreds submerged
• Place the fermenting weights on top to hold the cabbage beneath the brine (Buy in CAN or buy in USA)
• Loosely cover the jar with a lid (DO NOT tighten the lid, make it very loose so gas can get out)
• Place the jars inside a low baking dish to catch the liquid that will bubbling out of the jar while it ferments
• Place on the counter away from direct sunlight

If needed, add a small amount of filtered water to cover the cabbage.

Step 5: Ferment and Taste

• Let ferment for 5 days–3 weeks
• Check for air bubbles after 2-3 days (bubbles let you know it’s working)
• Check liquid levels every 2-3 days and top with filtered water if needed (cabbage should always been full submerged)
• You can taste it after day 5 to see how you like it
• Once it reaches your desired tanginess, tighten the lid and refrigerate

I like to let mine ferment for at least 2 weeks, but closer to 3 weeks is even better as I like a tangy sauerkraut. Also, the longer you leave it, the more probiotic rich and gut healthy it will become.

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How to Keep Sauerkraut Crisp (Not Mushy)

Crisp sauerkraut comes down to a few simple rules:

• Slice cabbage thin but not shredded
• Massage just until liquid releases, not until limp
• Keep cabbage fully submerged
• Ferment at room temperature, not near heat

If your kitchen is warm, fermentation will happen faster.

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Homemade Sauerkraut for Gut Health

This homemade sauerkraut recipe for gut health supports digestion naturally through lacto-fermentation.

Benefits include:

• Improved digestion
• Better nutrient absorption
• Support for immune health
• Reduced bloating over time

Start with 1–2 tablespoons per day if you’re new to fermented foods.

Tip: Always add sauerkraut after cooking meals. Heat kills beneficial bacteria.

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Common Sauerkraut Questions

How long does homemade sauerkraut last?

Stored in the refrigerator, it can last several months.

Is mold normal?

White foam (kahm yeast) is common and harmless. Fuzzy or colored mold means it did not ferment properly, and the cabbage was exposed to air. Unfortunately, it will need to be thrown out if this happens.

Can I add flavors?

Yes, but I suggest keeping it simple at first. Garlic, caraway seeds, shredded carrots or juniper berries work well once you’re comfortable.

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