How To Make Raw Sauerkraut

homemade sauerkraut lifted on a fork from a jar.

How To Make Raw Sauerkraut

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sauerkraut recipe

Prep Time: 30

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 18kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

If you're like me, you might be nervous to ferment your own veggies. But if this is your first time making sauerkraut, I'll walk you through the process step by step! I originally shared this recipe 13 years ago, when I had the tiniest kitchen and no special equipment other than a big glass jar. So, if you don't own a fermenting crock, you can still do this!

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Ingredients

1 head green or purple cabbage
2 tablespoons sea salt

Instructions

Start with really clean tools. Sanitize your jar, knife, cutting board, tongs and glass bowl with boiling water, which should kill off any lurking bad bacteria. We only want the good kind growing in our veggies!
Rinse cabbage well, and remove the large outer leaves. (You'll want to save these for later.)
Using a sharp knife, shred the cabbage and transfer it to a large glass bowl. Assuming you have 2 pounds of cabbage, add 2 tablespoons of salt and gently toss them together. Wait 15 minutes, so the cabbage will start to sweat. Then use clean hands to massage the cabbage until it starts to break down from the salt. It will release even more moisture and reduce in size.
Transfer the massaged cabbage to a clean glass jar, preferably one that is large enough to fit your hand through the top. The most important part of making fermented veggies is that you remove all the air in the jar-- so you want to pack the cabbage tightly, leaving no gaps! I used my fist to punch it down, but a clean wooden spoon would work, too.
While there is already plenty of moisture released from the cabbage to make the brine, I like to add a little salt water solution to make sure the liquid level is completely ABOVE the shredded cabbage. (Do not use tap water; see the ingredient notes in this post if you need to cover it with a 2% salt water solution.)
Once you've added the water, use the reserved cabbage leaves to press down the shredded cabbage-- keeping it submerged under the liquid.
Ideally, you'd fill up the jar all the way to the top, but mine didn't work out that way. If that's the case for you, too, simply fill a plastic bag with salt water (in case it bursts in the jar, you want it to be salt water!) to use as a "weight." Place the salt water bag on top of the large cabbage leaf layer, and seal the jar. You should be able to see the liquid layer above the shredded cabbage line.
Cover the sealed jar loosely with a lid, so gas can escape, or with cheese cloth and a rubber band. Let it ferment for 2 weeks and check on it occasionally to make sure the cabbage it still fully submerged.
Once the sauerkraut has fermented to your liking, remove the weight and outer leaves and discard. Note: It's not uncommon for a layer of mold to develop on the outer leaves. This doesn't mean your sauerkraut is ruined! Simply discard the layer of mold, and everything underneath the brine should be safe. As always, use your best judgement-- if it smells off, don't eat it.
Store in the fridge and enjoy! The sauerkraut will last for months in the fridge, so feel free to make a BIG batch!

Notes

Once you're comfortable making your own sauerkraut, feel free to get creative with the veggies you add to it! Ginger, beets, carrots, garlic, and lemon juice all make tasty additions.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2026 with only minor changes. In 2012, I used to place the jar in an insulated bag to try to keep the temperature consistent for fermentation. You can do that, too, if you live in a place where the temperature might change daily. (Crazy Spring weather, for example, might be cold one day and very hot the next.) But it's not necessary if your home is temperature-controlled.

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