Turmeric Free Homemade Sauerkraut
Tangy, crunchy, and alive with probiotic goodness, this homemade sauerkraut is one of those fridge staples that makes everything it touches taste better. It comes together with just two ingredients — green cabbage and sea salt — so there's no guesswork about what's actually in the jar. Many store-bought versions sneak in additives, vinegars, or spice blends that can be hard to vet, but making your own means you control every single thing that goes into it. The process is mostly hands-off: a good massage to draw out the natural brine, a tight pack into a glass jar, and then time does the rest. Pressing the cabbage down daily for the first few days keeps everything submerged and the fermentation on track, and by day seven you can start tasting until it hits that perfect level of sour. It's genuinely satisfying to watch a humble head of cabbage transform into something so complex and flavorful on your own countertop. Pile it on sausages, stir it into grain bowls, or eat it straight from the jar — no regrets either way.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 1 small head green cabbage (about 2 lb), outer leaves reserved
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt (non-iodized)
Instructions
- 1
Peel off and set aside 1–2 large outer cabbage leaves. Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core, and slice the remaining cabbage into thin shreds about 1/8-inch thick.
- 2
Place the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the sea salt evenly over it. Massage and squeeze the cabbage firmly with clean hands for 8–10 minutes, until it has released a significant amount of liquid and feels limp and wet — the brine should pool visibly at the bottom of the bowl.
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