No-salt sauerkraut

Author: Jo Bridgford - Chef, Food Stylist

Photographer: Melanie Jenkins

First published: Jun 2019

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Here is a basic sauerkraut recipe that doesn’t use salt, so it's even healthier! Your belly will love the healthy dose of good bacteria you get from this tasty homemade fermented food.

Serves: 30

Time to make: 15 mins , plus 5-7 days fermenting

Hands-on time: 15 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

1 large green or red cabbage or a mixture, 3 outer leaves reserved, core removed, finely sliced
4 carrots, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons caraway or cumin seeds
1 large clean sterilised jar
juice of 1 lemon
filtered water

Instructions

1 Place sliced cabbage and carrots in a large bowl (glass is best). Mix together using your hands, pressing down hard on the vegetables as you mix to start releasing the juices.

2 Sprinkle over the spices and mix again, pressing as you mix. Transfer to a large jar.

3 Pour over lemon juice and enough filtered water to just cover the vegetables. Place the cabbage leaves on top of the mix and press down again to make sure the liquid is above the level of the vegetables. Put something heavy, such as a fermentation weight or smaller jar, on top of the cabbage leaves to keep veges submerged.

4 Leave to ferment for 5-7 days at room temperature (20-25°C is a good ambient temperature) then transfer to the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for at least 3-4 weeks.

Variations

Make it gluten free: Check chilli powder is gluten free.

HFG tip

Keep the juice from your first batch to use in subsequent batches. This speeds up the fermentation process.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 15cal

Kilojoules 60kJ

Protein 1g

Total fat 0g

–Saturated fat 0g

Carbohydrates 2g

–Sugars 2g

Dietary fibre 1g

Sodium 10mg

Calcium 20mg

Iron 0.5mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.