Sweet and Tangy Sauerkraut Salad: A Perfect Summer Side Dish

Growing up, our family reunions always featured one dish that disappeared faster than anything else on the table—my grandmother’s sauerkraut salad. While most kids turned their noses up at the mention of sauerkraut, I learned early that this wasn’t your ordinary fermented cabbage. The perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, combined with the satisfying crunch of fresh vegetables, made this recipe an unexpected crowd-pleaser. Now, decades later, I’m sharing this treasured family recipe that takes just minutes to prepare but creates lasting memories around any summer table.

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What is Sauerkraut Salad?

Are you looking for a salad that is both sweet and sour? Kraut salad is the perfect salad for you.

Sauerkraut is the main ingredient in this salad. It also has fresh crunchy vegetables (bell pepper, celery, and onion) that give it great texture.

The kraut and veggies are brought together with a simple dressing that’s tangy and sweet. All-in-all it’s a light, flavorful, and wonderful side dish that provides a refreshing contrast to hearty main courses.

Why This Sauerkraut Salad Recipe Is The Best

This is one of those easy recipes that everyone loves. Whenever we needed a quick salad, this cold sauerkraut salad recipe is one we made.

It is perfect for picnics, summer barbecues, and potluck dinners. We would make this with our own kraut. If you don’t have any homemade on hand, you can use store-bought sauerkraut.

This old-fashioned sauerkraut salad is actually my Grandmother’s recipe. She cooked simply, but her food was always amazing. She would make this kraut salad during the summer when it was too hot to cook, and it became a family favorite that’s stood the test of time.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

• Sauerkraut – Provides the tangy base and main flavor component of the salad
• Onion – Adds pungency and crunch that balances the acidity of the sauerkraut
• Celery – Creates texture with its signature crisp bite and adds a fresh, clean flavor
• Green bell pepper – Contributes color, crunch, and a slightly sweet pepper flavor
• Sugar – Balances the sour notes of the sauerkraut and creates a sweet-sour dressing
• Vinegar – Enhances the tanginess and helps create the dressing that brings all ingredients together. We love using white wine vinegar in this recipe

Ingredient Notes

I recommend using refrigerated sauerkraut you find either in the produce or deli section of the grocery store. You can use homemade or canned. Either variety will work for this side dish.

Check out my how to make sauerkraut video.

How to Make Sauerkraut Salad

This recipe is super easy. Here are the steps:

1. Drain the sauerkraut.

2. Chop the bell pepper, celery, and onion.
3. Combine the drained sauerkraut, chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion together in a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together well.

4. Make the dressing for this recipe by combining sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Heat the vinegar and sugar together just enough to where the sugar dissolves.

5. Pour the dressing over the sauerkraut and stir to combine.
6. Refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Cold Sauerkraut Salad Recipe Variations

My family recipe is an excellent starting point for you, but you may want to switch out some of these salad ingredients to make it your own. Here are a few ideas:

• Swap white distilled vinegar for apple cider vinegar or other flavored vinegar.
• Use a red onion in place of white or yellow onion.
• Add about a teaspoon of celery seed.
• Add about a teaspoon of mustard seeds (this adds a really nice texture).
• Swap the green bell pepper for red bell pepper.
• Chop up some tart apples and add them to the mix.
• Shred a couple of large carrots and add them to the mix.

How to Serve and Store Sauerkraut Salad

Ideally, this salad should be refrigerated for a few hours before serving. This will give the flavors a chance to mingle together. Sauerkraut salad tastes better the second day, that is if you can wait that long to enjoy this summertime treat.

Kraut salad is served cold as a side dish, the same way you would serve coleslaw. The only real difference between the two is the cabbage being fresh or fermented. And yes, there is such a thing as coleslaw without mayo.

Store sauerkraut salad in an airtight container. It will last up to 2 weeks refrigerated and 4 months frozen.

I hope you give this recipe a try. This is the perfect way to use sauerkraut.

What to Serve Sauerkraut Salad With

Since this salad is made with a sweet and tangy vinegar dressing, it pairs nicely with fried and grilled food. It’s perfect for summer barbecues and potlucks. It goes well with:

• Air Fryer Hot Dogs
• Barbecue Chicken or Pork
• Backyard Burger
• Double Cheeseburger
• Fried Chicken

So next time you get out the grill, be sure to make this tangy salad.

Favorite Salad Side Dish Recipes

If you love salads that are great sides, here are some more to try:

• Apple Waldorf Salad
• Carrot and Raisin Salad Recipe
• Copper Penny Carrots
• Cucumber Onion Salad
• Grape Salad
• Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad
• Lime Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
• Spaghetti Salad Recipe
• Suddenly Pasta Salad
• Three Bean Salad

Check out more of my easy salad recipes and family favorite recipes here on CopyKat!

This recipe is from Ethel Eynard. Jefferson City, MO. 1998.