I was hesitant to make sauerkraut when I first learned about it. But now that I can make delicious variations like this special beetroot sauerkraut with caraway seeds, it’s like a whole new world has been opened up to me!
Here’s the short story…
I didn’t grow up putting sauerkraut on hamburgers or eating it for New Year’s Day. The honest truth is that I had never heard about the stuff until learning about fermentation and how it could help my son with his digestive issues, allergies and asthma!
I bought Bubbies sauerkraut to try because it was the closest to homemade I could find at the time, I found that it wasn’t so bad. Delightfully sour, a little too salty, but definitely something I could get used to!
Then I tried making my own. I followed the directions I received from Kathleen, founder of the Pickl-It fermentation jars. I was in love from my very first batch! No saltiness at all, perfectly sour, no off-flavors at all! While I loved the plain sauerkraut, I was also desperate to try new flavors!
And so, it began.
Different flavor combinations.
Experiments that were kind of meh.
Perfect combinations that absolutely wowed me!
This beetroot sauerkraut with caraway seeds is a very simple combination but such a flavor powerhouse!
If you’re looking for a great caraway sauerkraut recipe without beets, click here. You’ll also find valuable information about the health benefits of adding caraway seeds to your sauerkraut. Also, in this recipe you can omit the caraway seeds if you’re not a fan. I personally LOVE them, but if you just want a plain beet sauerkraut recipe then it’s perfectly fine to leave the caraway seeds out!
While I mostly added the beets to this recipe for flavor, there are many benefits to eating fermented beets. You can find valuable information on beet fermentation health benefits in my beet kvass post. The addition of beets also creates a beautiful color that adds depth and variation to salads and will tempt kids to try it!
Beet Caraway Sauerkraut Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs cabbage (you need approximately 1 3/4lb shredded)
- 1/2 lbs beet (approx 1 lg beet or 2 small beets, shredded)
- 2 tsp caraway seeds (I use these organic caraway seeds)
- 12.5 g salt
Instructions
- Clean and shred your cabbage.
- Clean and shred your beets.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix approximately 1 3/4lb shredded cabbage, 1/2lb shredded beets, 2 tsp caraway seeds and 12.5 grams salt. Mix well!
- Stuff into jar and press down as much as you can. Leave a few inches of head space. My general rule of thumb is to fill only to the shoulder of a Fido jar, which leaves about 3 inches of headspace.
- Close jar and let ferment for 24 hours, then check brine level. If cabbage is not well-submerged, you may need to add more brine.
- Ferment at room temperature for 1-2 weeks (if your house is on the warmer side, you’ll ferment at room temperature for less time). Then move to the fridge where you will leave it an additional 9-10 weeks.
- Enjoy!
I’d love to hear what you think about this recipe once you’ve tried it. Is it one of your most favorite sauerkraut recipes ever? I sure hope so! Please also pin this post so others can easily find it as well!
Caraway Sauerkraut Recipe: Why Add Caraway Seeds? | Nourishing Time
Thursday 26th of November 2020
[…] In this post I will share how to make caraway sauerkraut and several reasons why you should! You might also want to check out my recipe for beet caraway sauerkraut! […]
David
Sunday 9th of August 2020
Does not seem like enough salt. Most sauerkraut recipes I have seen call for 3T salt for 5 lbs of cabbage. Three Tablespoons is 51 grams. Your recipe is 2.5 lbs. so should be around 25.5 grams, not 12.5.
Jo
Sunday 9th of August 2020
The recipe has the correct amount of salt. I use a 2% ratio in an anaerobic vessel. :) Most recipes call for more salt to discourage mold or other pathogens. This is not necessary in an anaerobic vessel. Less salt also leads to a much more delicious ferment!