Sauerkraut and Dumplings is classic European comfort food. This dish has meaty chunks of Kielbasa intermingled throughout for a complete one-pot meal!
I come from a family with a strong German heritage on both sides. As such, meals such as Sauerkraut and Dumplings were commonplace in our home growing up. Though I contend this recipe is German in nature, you will find similar recipes for Polish Sauerkraut and Dumplings, as well as Czech Sauerkraut and Dumplings. The truth is, this low-cost meal is a classic European staple among many nationalities.
Sauerkraut and Dumplings
My parents didn't grow up rich by any means, so I suspect this is a recipe my mother also ate as a child. Sauerkraut and Dumplings is a hearty dish that is void of any costly ingredients, making it ideal to serve large families on a shoestring budget. Though I make my version with Kielbasa, my mother would add ham hocks, or even hot dogs.
Sauerkraut and Dumplings with Roast Pork is a popular alternative as well. This makes a great crock pot dish since the sauerkraut and dumplings can simmer in the slow cooker while the pork cooks.
The point is, this is a very versatile dish that will not dent your budget. If you like sauerkraut, this needs to go on your shopping list!
The protein is not the only versatile portion of the dish. You can get equally creative with the dumplings.
The way I show you how to make Sauerkraut and Dumplings includes traditional dumplings. However, shortcut methods include making dumplings with Bisquick, or even potato dumplings. Potato dumplings are simply gnocchi. Though perhaps not traditional, I bet tender gnocchi dumplings would taste phenomenal in this dish!
If you want to try your hand at making gnocchi, check out my tutorial on making gnocchi from scratch!
One thing to note, my recipe calls for using a 12" skillet, which I suspect you have. However, I also recommend covering the skillet with a lid during cooking since that will help cook the dumplings. I am aware everyone may not have a lid that fits a 12" skillet. If you don't, you can either buy one cheaply from Amazon, or you can cook your sauerkraut and dumplings in a pot. This won't give the dumplings as much room to spread out, but the recipe will still turn out great!
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Sauerkraut and Dumplings with Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 48 oz sauerkraut
- 14 oz Kielbasa, sliced into 1" chunks
Dumplings
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add eggs to a bowl and beat.
- Add remaining dumpling ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine into a batter.
- Pour sauerkraut with its juice into a 12" skillet and add kielbasa chunks. Spread out evenly in the pan. Heat to a simmer.
- Scoop dumpling batter with a spoon and dot the skillet with dumplings of your preferred size, spacing them out to allow room for expansion.
- Cover skillet and cook for 25 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional Information
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Sandra
Although we love kielbasa and ‘kraut, we really love making center cut pork chops sautéed, then add sauerkraut when chops are done, heat until hot, just a couple of minutes. Then put in baking dish and cook for about 30 or so minutes and top of Kraft is a little golden brown. While that’s baking, I fry some homemade pierogi that I always have in the freezer, with chopped onion. The pork chops come out so tender, juicy and infused with the flavor of the sauerkraut. It’s one of our favorite dishes and have it once every week to two weeks! I save a lot of money by picking up a large center cut pork roast and cut it into either all pork chops, or half chops and half roast. If I cut it into all chops, I get 3 generous meals for my husband and I. I love your recipe with dumplings, but we are pierogi loving freaks!😉🤣🤪
Courtney
Could you make this in the crockpot? Or will the dumplings not turn out?
Fox Valley Foodie
You can make this in a slow cooker, but I recommend using my slow cooker recipe to do so.
asavagewife
This looks so good! So excited to try it tomorrow. Thanks for the quick meal idea to help with the midweek dinner slump!
Chris Dattilio
I'm sorry Bertha Krupp in Germany in the 60' and seventies and we would have never had any dumplings like that.
It would have been more like a heavy Spätzle type(thick noodles) not like these .
I'm thinking this is an Americanized version.
But thanks for posting it it looks like a lot of people didn't know how to make it.
Jo
My grandparents came from Germany and I know that this was a weekly dish. We still make our own sauerkraut and sausage!
Joanne Bennett
We have this regularly. When I was younger it was pork hocks or pork roast. Occasionally I do make a pork roast with it. We also used to make glacé which was basically flour and water. You made a soft dough and then you patted it into little shapes and put it into boiling water to cook. In the boiling hot water was also cubed potatoes and just a couple of cubed onions. You remove this with a slotted spoon and mix the potatoes in with the sauerkraut as well as an onion that was fried in butter. The glacé would be mixed in as well. The liquid was made into a drink. You would put homogenized milk in with the water that you had the glacé, potato and the onion. Add a lot of pepper and top it with toasted croutons and drink it. We always would fight over this.
Jon
This will be Sunday dinner today! It’s great to be able to scale the recipe just by entering how many servings. Thanks!
Cliff
Made this last night, and my 3 and 5 year old boys gave me a thumbs up..well..technically my 3 year old gave me two thumbs up. I can't wait to see how they like it when I can find some decent Kielbasa, instead of what I had to settle for at the store.
Nich R.
Memories!!! I didn’t realize this was an actual dish... I thought my Gran just made it up! Haha I have been wanting to make it and I’m so happy that google brought me here! Yay!
Katie
Thank you! Delicious recipe!!
Matt Arnett
My family recipe that I learned from my gma many decades ago involved bacon, bacon drippings, and browned butter. Then it is all served over sausage of choice. Doing it on Labor Day and trying gluten free flour for someone who is gluten intolerant. Should be interesting!
Paula
Hello... thank you for sharing this recipe, truly a forgotten childhood favorite. Are there any cooking steps omitted? I cooked exactly according to the recipe and it was clearly not done.. cold sauerkraut, sausage and dumplings were still raw.
Fox Valley Foodie
Thanks for the comment. Did you cover the skillet and let it simmer for 25 minutes? Nothing should be cold after simmering in 200+ degree juice for 25 minutes.
Valerie
Did I miss in the recipe the oven temperature.
Fox Valley Foodie
Nope! No oven is needed, it simmers on the stovetop.
Billy
I love keilbasa and sauerkraut. I've never tried it with dumplings before - but I have in other dishes. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I would love to try and make these at home!
Kristin
You truly don’t know what you’re missing I have a to since I was a kid, I’m getting ready to make it for my daughter for her and her husband tonight for dinner. Try it you’ll love it.
Uncle Mike
I'm glad to see you used the heavy dumplings that your mom and grandma Jo always made. They hold up bettr for reheating better than the light fluffy things some people call dumplings.
Fox Valley Foodie
You are right, they are perfect for sopping up every last splash of juice!
Emily
I used to eat this all the time as a child. Thanks for the memories!