Anti Inflammatory Orange-Garlic Sauerkraut
Fermented foods have earned a serious reputation for supporting gut health, and this bright, aromatic sauerkraut takes that foundation and layers on some of the most celebrated anti-inflammatory ingredients around. Turmeric, fresh ginger, and garlic join forces with cabbage in a live-culture ferment that's as functional as it is genuinely delicious. The orange zest is the unexpected star here — it cuts through the tang with a citrusy lift that makes this batch taste nothing like the plain jarred stuff at the grocery store. The whole process is hands-on in the best way: you massage the cabbage with sea salt until it releases its own brine, which means no vinegar shortcuts and a truly living, probiotic-rich end product. Watching the bubbles form over those first couple of days is oddly satisfying, and by day three you can start tasting to find your perfect level of tang. Once it's sealed and chilled, it keeps developing flavor slowly in the fridge, so it actually gets better over time. Pile it on grain bowls, tuck it into wraps, or eat it straight from the jar — no judgment.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 small head green cabbage (about 2 lb), outer leaves removed
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt (non-iodized)
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Quarter the cabbage through the core, then cut out and discard the core. Slice each quarter crosswise into thin shreds about 1/8-inch thick. Reserve one of the large outer leaves before discarding the rest.
- 2
Transfer the shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the cabbage, then massage and squeeze firmly with both hands for 8–10 minutes, until the cabbage 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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