• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wine Lover's Kitchen
  • About
  • Father's Day
  • Recipes
  • Wine
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Father's Day
  • Recipes
  • Wine
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Father's Day
    • Recipes
    • Wine
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Sides

    Fried Sauerkraut Cakes

    Published: Feb 18, 2021 by Carolyn Hetke · This post may contain affiliate links,

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Fried Sauerkraut Cakes make an easy, tasty, savoury side dish. If you are looking for a low-carb alternative to potato pancakes or latkes these sauerkraut log in at 6 carbs per serving compared to 27 for these German Potato Pancakes.

    Fried sauerkraut cakes stacked on a serving plate.

    We eat a lot of sauerkraut at our house. We usually have it slow-cooked with onions and apples and beer! But one day I was looking for a side that was not juicy and I hit on these Fried Sauerkraut Cakes.

    Jump to:
    • What to Serve With Fried Sauekraut Cakes
    • FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Fried Sauerkraut Cakes

    The taste of these little cakes is surprisingly mild. For that reason DO NOT rinse the sauerkraut when you take it out of the jar. Just let it drain in a sieve until no more juice is dripping.

    You can fry up a batch of these and keep them warm in the oven till you are ready to serve. They also reheat beautifully.

    Fried sauerkraut cakes on a plate.

    So, if you are looking for a side that is a bit different consider these!

    What to Serve With Fried Sauekraut Cakes

    Fried Sauerkraut Cakes would go well with pretty much anything as a side but sausages, schnitzel, wieners, meatloaf are obvious choices.

    Applesauce is a wonderful accompaniment! I buy the sleeves of individual applesauce containers and I can just open one of those up to serve on the side.

    I have to say applesauce is my favourite with these but a dollop of sour cream is pretty darn good too!

    FAQs

    Can I Freeze Fried Sauerkraut Cakes?

    You could but they won't be as crispy as they are fresh and they may crumble while defrosting so it isn't really recommended.

    Can I Make These Ahead?

    You could fry them up earlier in the day and reheat them in the oven to crisp them up again.

    What Kind of Sauerkraut Should I Use

    Sauerkraut has lots of variations- some with caraway, some with white wine, Polish brands, German brands. But in the end, they are all pretty much the same thing so any kind will work here.

    Related Recipes

    • Close up of Transylvanian Goulash in a bowl over yellow potatoes, garnished with sour cream and fresh dill.
      Transylvanian Goulash
    • Apple Onion Sauerkraut and Sausage
    • Two halves of a Reuben Sandwich on a board with Swiss Cheese and Sauerkraut oozing out of the sandwich
      Classic Reuben Sandwich with Russian Dressing
    • cabbage-rolls
      Cabbage Rolls Three Ways
    Fried sauerkraut cakes on a plate.

    Fried Sauerkraut Cakes

    An unusual but versatile side. Serve them like potato pancakes with sour cream on the side!
    Author: Carolyn Hetke

    If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!

    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    SaveSaved!
    Print Pin Facebook
    Course: Sides
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
    Total Time: 23 minutes mins
    Servings: 10 cakes

    Ingredients

    • 1 liter jar sauerkraut (about 33 oz jar)
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅓ cup flour or 3 Tbsps cornstarch for gluten free
    • ½ cup green onion sliced (can sub diced yellow onion)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 cup apple sauce can also use sour cream

    Instructions

    • Drain the sauerkraut in a sieve but DO NOT rinse. Allow sauerkraut to drain for several minutes then wring as much moisture as possible from it using a clean tea towel. You should end up with about 2 ¾ cups of sauerkraut.
    • Mix sauerkraut, onion and eggs. Then stir in flour, salt, pepper and caraway seeds.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Pack sauerkraut mixture into a ¼ cup measuring cup. Form a patty in your hand. Transfer patties to skillet and lightly press down with spatula. Cook about 4 minutes per side til golden brown.
    • Serve warm with apple sauce or sour cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thewineloverski or tag #thewineloverski!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Robert Frasure

      March 31, 2023 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Made the first batch as written and then amped up the second batch with 4 cloves crushed garlic, a tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup finely-diced ham, double the caraway, and a sprinkle of MSG. Delicious!
      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • thewineloverskitchen

        April 01, 2023 at 4:16 pm

        I like the way you think!! I might try some of your variations myself!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I am Carolyn - the Wine Lover in the Wine Lover's Kitchen! I absolutely love having friends and family around my table with great food and wine to enjoy. If you want great recipes and wine recommendations you have come to the right place!

    Learn more about me →

    Father's Day Recipes

    • French Brie Burger

    • Juicy burgers filled with melted cheese, caramelized onion and bacon, on a bun on a summery plate with dill pickle slices.
      Beer Can Stuffed Burgers

    • bourbon-bacon-burger
      Double Bourbon Bacon Burgers

    • Quartered quesadillas on a plate with avocado on the side
      Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

    Popular Recipes

    • Close up of creamy Cafe de Paris sauce.
      Café de Paris Sauce - The Original 'Secret Sauce'

    • Puffy, crispy flour tortilla flavoured with olive oil and chili, lime seasoning.
      Air Fryer Tortillas

    • Golden brown spinach feta scones on a plate.
      Savoury Spinach and Feta Scones

    • Piece of Italian crumb cake with pistachio cream filling, topped with crushed pistachios and icing sugar.
      Pistachio Cream Crumb Cake

    • Medium rare beef tenderloin sliced on a platter.
      Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin

    • Baked sweetened condensed milk buns piled in a basket.
      Bread Machine Sweetened Condensed Milk Dinner Rolls

    Footer

    ↑ Back to top

    Home

    Recipes Wine

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy
    • About

    Newsletter

    Tired of wandering around looking at wine labels? Get recipes and my Best Buy wine picks every two weeks!

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact

    Follow me on:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • X -Former Twitter

    Copyright © 2025 The Wine Lover's Kitchen

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.