This vibrant and probiotic rich AIP Ginger-Carrot Sauerkraut is made with red cabbage, ginger and carrots. Ginger adds a delicious zing and the carrots are a great source of beta-carotene.
This Ginger-Carrot Sauerkraut is delicious, nutritious and super easy to make!
If you’re following the autoimmune paleo protocol, you know probiotic-rich fermented foods are highly encouraged for their health-promoting and gut-loving qualities.
While I enjoy fermented foods, I tend to dislike store-bought versions that are often pasteurized to make them shelf-stable and have a strong vinegary taste. So since I’ve been spending a lot more time at home these days, I’ve begun regularly making my own pickled and fermented foods. This vibrant Ginger-Carrot Sauerkraut is one of my favourite ways to get a delicious dose of probiotics into my diet.
Making your kraut
Sauerkraut is traditionally made with just two ingredients: cabbage and salt. In this recipe, ginger adds a delicious zing to the red cabbage and is great for digestion while the carrots provide some extra flavour and are a great source of beta-carotene.
The process begins by finely shredding cabbage and massaging it with salt to release water. Next, the grated carrots and ginger are added to the mixture which is pressed down with an outer cabbage leaf to encourage it to continue to release water and ferment over a period of days. In my home, it’s usually ready in about 6 days, but this can vary based on the temperature of the environment in which you make it.
Where/How to use your kraut
Once your sauerkraut is ready you can eat it as is, serve it as a side on your AIP grazing boards, as a topping on your sourdough toast or sandwiches, or mixed into your favourite salads!
If you’ve never tried fermented foods, I’d suggest introducing them slowly at first. Some people (such as those who have yeast and/or histamine sensitivities) might have trouble with fermented foods.
Looking for more Ginger-flavored recipes? You might also enjoy:
- AIP Charred Broccolette & Cabbage Salad
- Ginger-Cilantro Pork Meatballs
- Ginger-Garlic Pork Noodle Soup
- Gingery Roasted Winter Squash Soup
If you try this Ginger-Carrot Sauerkraut, I would love it if you would give the recipe a star rating and short review. Also, be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious.
PrintGinger-Carrot Sauerkraut (AIP, paleo, vegan)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 16oz jar 1x
Description
This vibrant and probiotic rich Ginger-Carrot Sauerkraut is made with red cabbage, ginger and carrots. Ginger adds a delicious zing and the carrots are a great source of beta-carotene.
Ingredients
- 1 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 TBSP sea salt
- 2 tsp ginger, grated
Instructions
- Clean cabbage, saving a couple of the outer leaves of cabbage to use at the end. Shred the remaining head of cabbage. Finely slice or shred the cabbage.
- Peel and finely grate carrots and ginger.
- I recommend using a mason jar that is bigger than fits the mixture and allows a couple inches of space at the top for overflow and additional water that the vegetables will spring.
- Place shredded cabbage into a large bowl.*
- Add salt to cabbage and, using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage for at least 10 minutes so it can release some of its juices.
- Add to the cabbage, along with the grated ginger.
- Pack the mixture into a very well cleaned/sterilized glass jar. Cover the mixture with one or two outer cabbage leaves and push the kraut below the brine so that it stays submerged. You may have to add a little bit of water to ensure this.
- Seal jar and let ferment at room temperature for at least 5 days. Once every day, open your jar to check on mixture and allow it to release gas. Scoop out any scum that appears and ensure the cabbage and carrots remain under the brine. More liquid will continue to form.
- After five days, taste your kraut. Once it’s sour and fermented enough for you, you can go ahead and eat it. The longer you ferment, the more the flavour will develop.
- Store in the fridge with a lid on the jar.
Notes
*Throughout the process, you want to ensure sure that your hands, your glass jar and everything that comes into contact with your sauerkraut mixture are as clean as they can be so as not to contaminate your mixture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
Christine
I’ve got this on my counter right now! When you say to seal the sauerkraut, does that mean use the piece of cabbage that I reserved and lay it on the top of the jar, as it’s fermenting? I’ve already eaten at least half a cup of salty cabbage…So excited to have my first home-fermented food!
Nicole Charles
Hi Christine, I like to use the piece of cabbage and press it down on top of the kraut within your large mason jar to encourage the kraut to submerge in its liquid. Then seal the jar with its cover and open it once a day to release some gas. Hope this helps! Do let me know how it turns out!