How To Make Colorful, Tasty Sauerkraut Salad

Sharing is caring!

A great salad that really holds its crunch

Every table full of rich, hearty food needs something crisp and tangy alongside it! This colorful sauerkraut salad fills that spot beautifully. Sweet peppers, carrots, celery, onion, and a crunchy apple mingle with sauerkraut in a simple sweet-and-sour dressing. Even if you usually save sauerkraut for a bratwurst, try this. It might surprise you!

I love a salad that lets me get the chopping done ahead of time, and this one actually tastes better after a day in the refrigerator. It stays crunchy instead of turning limp, making it a handy dish to take to a potluck or serve alongside a big dinner. And you don’t need a garden overflowing with summer vegetables—everything you need is available year-round at the grocery store!

Every bite delivers a balance of zing, crunch, a touch of sweet, and color that pairs as easily with grilled brats as it does with Turkey, roast chicken, or a sandwich at lunch.

Sauerkraut has long been known as one of the world’s original “superfoods.” It’s rich in vitamins C and K, low in calories, and naturally supports gut health — all while bringing bold flavor to your table. Whether you’re eating clean or just love a side with personality, this kraut salad is an easy way to add freshness and flair to everyday meals.

Sauerkraut salad may seem like an unlikely idea. Wait, isn’t sauerkraut something that goes on bratwurst? The answer is yes! However, when you combine sauerkraut with crispy, colorful veggies and one surprise ingredient in a tangy marinade, something amazing and magical happens.

How To Make This Incredibly Colorful Tasty Sauerkraut Salad

Everything in this salad is fresh, raw, colorful, and delicious! It’s a beauty to watch it all come together. First, I dumped the bag of fresh refrigerated sauerkraut, undrained, into a large bowl. I love Frank's fresh sauerkraut!

I used red, green, and yellow peppers, plus chopped carrots to add punch. The surprise ingredient? A crisp apple, unpeeled and chopped, is the only fruit in the mix, but it adds a bright pop of flavor!

To my eyes, this kraut salad was becoming an artful composition! Celery added more crunch, and sweet onion helped tie all the flavors together. Use red onion if you like for even more color!

Now, make a simple dressing of sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. I heated the vinegar and oil on the stove and stirred until the sugar dissolved completely. Then I added the salt and pepper, let it cool, and poured the dressing over the veggies.

This sauerkraut salad improves as it marinates in the fridge. For maximum flavor, wait a day or two before you eat it. (I know, it’s tempting!) But remember, it will stay crisp and fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks or more. It’s a great side dish, perfect with brats or pulled pork. You might even use it as a topping for burgers, brats, or hot dogs!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Continue to Content

Yield: 8 servings

Amazing Sauerkraut Salad

No Ratings

Print

A crisp, tangy, colorful salad that's loaded with fresh veggies! So good and so good for you!! Make it anytime, and it's extra good in the summer when fresh garden produce is abundant! It's perfect for picnics because there's no mayo!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 1 day

Total Time 1 day 20 minutes

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 16 ounces of refrigerated sauerkraut, do not drain
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, chopped (I used red, yellow, green, and red peppers)
• 1/3 cup sweet onion, chopped
• One crisp apple, unpeeled, chopped. (I used a Fuji apple.)

Dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the undrained sauerkraut into a large glass or plastic bowl.
2. Chop and add all the vegetables and the apple to the sauerkraut.
3. Combine vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and heat on the stove until sugar is all dissolved.
4. Add the oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Cool to room temperature and pour over the salad ingredients.
6. Stir to combine everything thoroughly.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
8. This salad keeps for two weeks or more in the refrigerator.
   

What Is Sauerkraut, Anyway?

Sauerkraut is finely cut raw cabbage that has been salted and fermented. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, created by lactic acid formed when bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage leaves. It is one of Germany's best-known national dishes.

This all may make you think sauerkraut originated in Germany. But in fact, it’s a Chinese invention! Two thousand years ago, they fermented cabbage in rice wine!

Sauerkraut is made from cabbage, the same vegetable that stars in coleslaw. But when cabbage is fermented to become sauerkraut, it becomes something more. It’s versatile and tastes great, but sauerkraut is well known as a “superfood.” In fact, it’s one of the top-ranked foods recommended for a healthy diet.

We love salads, and they really add so much to mealtime. Every time I have a great salad with dinner, I think I should have one at every meal! Here are a couple of our favorites.

🥒Danish Cucumber Salad. Our whole family loves this Danish-style cucumber salad, and it works with any menu, any time of year, because it's crisp and crunchy, a little sweet, and a little salty. Around our house, we affectionately call this dish "cukies."

🧀Old School Cottage Cheese Salad. An iconic salad bar favorite from the golden age of steakhouses. Still a favorite today.

Love,

GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.

Sharing is caring!