Kimchi-Style Fermented Sauerkraut
Whether you’re an avid kimchi-lover or you’ve never had it before, you are going to love this kimchi-inspired sauerkraut! It combines the spicy, salty, umami flavors of kimchi with the crunch and lightness of sauerkraut.
Equipment
- 1-liter Weck jar or a quart-sized mason jar
Ingredients
- 440 g savoy cabbage chopped
- 50 g green onions chopped
- 60 g carrots julienned
- 30 g turnips or daikon radish sliced
- 12 g garlic minced
- 7 g ginger minced
- 2 T gochugaru chili flakes
- 200 g water filtered or dechlorinated (see notes)
- 20 g sea salt don't use iodized table salt
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients, including the water, in a large bowl and mix them well, kneading the cabbage lightly with your hands. Allow it to sit and wilt for about 30 minutes.
- Pack the jar: Pack the veggie mixture in a jar, pressing down as needed to make it all fit and to submerge the veggies. Pour the remaining liquid into the jar, making sure to scrape the bowl to get any salt or chili flakes that are left behind.
- Set the weight: Set the weight on top, making sure everything is submerged under the brine.
- Secure lid: Place the lid on top. If it’s a fermentation lid, you can secure it. If you are using a weck jar, don’t clamp the lid on.*
- Ferment: Allow the kimchi to ferment at room temperature for 2-4 weeks. Taste it regularly to decide when it’s done, based on how tangy you like it.
- Store: Once the kimchi sauerkraut reaches your desired flavor, switch to an airtight lid and transfer the jar to the fridge. You can remove the fermentation weight, but make sure your cabbage remains covered by the brine to prevent mold.
Notes
- *Important: During the first few days of fermentation, the jar will likely overflow. I recommend keeping it on a baking tray or bowl to catch the liquid that spills out.
- You want dechlorinated water — this can be filtered or distilled, or you can let it sit out for a couple of days so the chlorine dissipates.
- I recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible.
- This recipe uses 2.5% salinity. If you want to use different vegetables, just swap them out gram for gram with other vegetables in the recipe.
- Store your kimchi sauerkraut in the refrigerator once it's done with the initial ferment. It will last around a year if everything remains submerged under the brine.
- It's important to have everything submerged under the brine while it's fermenting to prevent mold from growing. You can put a whole cabbage leaf over the top to hold down floaters if needed. If you find mold on your kimchi, unfortunately, it's recommended to toss it and start over.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 15kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 538mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1156IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!