Sauerkraut Casserole

Total Time
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 1 hour

Updated on Sep. 04, 2024

An unexpected blend of sweet and savory ingredients makes this sauerkraut casserole a delight you'll want to serve at barbecues, holiday dinners and tailgate parties alike.

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Who knew that just seven ingredients could create as wildly tasty a dish as this sausage and sauerkraut casserole? Oh, and by the way, one of those ingredients is water, so it’s really just six foodstuffs that harmonize here. And while, at first, you might not expect to find apples, sausage and sauerkraut together in one dish, once you’ve tried this meal you may never think of one without thinking of the others.

A perfect side dish to serve with a winter meal or to make an entire batch of for a cookout or tailgating party, this hearty, savory sauerkraut and sausage casserole will be a hit wherever hungry mouths are found. And you’ll find it pleasing to know that it only takes about 20 minutes of prep before you pop it in the oven.

Sauerkraut Casserole Ingredients

  • Italian sausage: This recipe uses mild Italian sausage links cut into 1-inch slices.
  • Onion: A large yellow onion is best here, though white is fine as well.
  • Apples: Use two medium-sized apples, peeled and quartered. It’s your call on the variety, but don’t use a green or golden apple.
  • Sauerkraut: Make sure the sauerkraut is rinsed and well drained.
  • Brown sugar: As usual when measuring brown sugar, make sure it is well packed.
  • Caraway seeds: Caraway seeds have a lot of flavor, so measure carefully here.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the sausage and onion

Taste of Home Sauerkraut Casserole recipe photo of the cooked sausage and onion in a large skillet.ERIC KLEINBERG FOR TASTE OF HOME

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large greased skillet, cook the sliced sausage and onion over medium heat until the sausage is no longer pink and the onion is tender and fragrant, then drain off any excess liquid.

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients

Taste of Home Sauerkraut Casserole recipe photo of the remaining ingredients added to the skillet.ERIC KLEINBERG FOR TASTE OF HOME

Stir in the apples, sauerkraut, water, brown sugar and caraway seeds, combining everything well.

Step 3: Bake the casserole

Taste of Home Sauerkraut Casserole recipe photo of the baked casserole in a baking dish.ERIC KLEINBERG FOR TASTE OF HOME

Transfer the ingredients to a lightly greased 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover the dish, and bake the sauerkraut casserole for one hour.

Taste of Home Sauerkraut Casserole recipe photo of the finished recipe served on plates.ERIC KLEINBERG FOR TASTE OF HOME

Sauerkraut Casserole Variations

  • Switch up the sausage: This recipe calls for a mild Italian sausage, but you could by all means use German or Polish sausage, and a spicy sausage would be welcome as well.
  • Swap the apple for pear: For a sweeter yet milder flavor profile, try replacing the quartered apple with large hunks of pear instead. It’s OK if the pear is slightly underripe too.
  • Leave out the caraway seeds: Not everyone is a fan of the strong bitter, slightly citrusy and earthy flavor of caraway seeds. You can absolutely leave them out and still have a great dish.

How to Store Sauerkraut Casserole

This casserole is best fresh, there’s no doubt about that, but you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days, reheating it in a pan, or you can freeze it for up to three months. In both cases, make sure you use airtight containers.

How to reheat frozen sauerkraut casserole?

If you froze a sauerkraut casserole, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a pan, adding a bit of water (or, better yet, chicken or veggie broth) as you do so.

Sauerkraut Casserole Tips

Taste of Home Sauerkraut Casserole recipe photo of the finished recipe served on plates.ERIC KLEINBERG FOR TASTE OF HOME

What should I serve with sausage and sauerkraut casserole?

Your best bet to pair with this salty and savory dish is a generous serving of mashed potatoes and a crisp green salad, ideally one with romaine lettuce, raw kale or another hearty leaf.

Can I make this casserole less sweet?

Some people do find this casserole too sweet and opt to cut back on the sugar. Go ahead and halve the amount of brown sugar you use, then you can work upward from there.

Can I cook this casserole with beer?

Yes, and you should! A classic German lager will taste amazing in this dish, and note that you can by all means cook with a nonalcoholic beer as well.

Sauerkraut Casserole

Prep Time 20 min
Cook Time 60 min
Yield 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage links, cut into 1-inch slices
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 medium apples, peeled and quartered
  • 1 can (27 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain. Stir in the apples, sauerkraut, water, brown sugar and caraway seeds.
  2. Transfer to a 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 188 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 905mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (19g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.

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Mom brewed her own sauerkraut and, of course, the cabbage was from our big farm garden! Blending the kraut with spicy sausage and apples was Mom's favorite way to fix it, and I still love this country dish. —Rosemary Pryor, Pasadena, Maryland
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