Published: · Modified: by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Sauerkraut and Dumplings isclassic 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 isGerman 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 versatiledish that will not dent your budget. If you like sauerkraut, this needs to go on your shopping list!
The protein is not the only versatileportion 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 sauerkrautand dumplings in a pot. This won't give the dumplings as much room to spread out, but the recipe will still turn out great!
The above link is an affiliate link. Any Amazon purchases made through this link helps support FoxValleyFoodie.com at no additional cost to you.
Sauerkraut and Dumplings with Kielbasa
Sauerkraut and Dumplings is classic Europeancomfort food. This dish has meaty chunks of Kielbasa intermingled throughout for a complete one-pot meal!
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Entree
Cuisine: German
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 450kcal
Author: Fox Valley Foodie
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
Inspired by meals from my youth, this recipe was adapted from RecipeTips.com.
IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE you will love my German Skillet with Mustard Cream Sauce!
Nutritional Information
Calories: 450kcal
Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!
If you enjoyed reading my Sauerkraut and Dumplings with Kielbasa recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.
« Student Blogging Scholarship
Baked Italian Sausage, Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, and Onions »
Reader Interactions
Comments
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!😉🤣🤪Reply
Courtney
Could you make this in the crockpot? Or will the dumplings not turn out?
Reply
Fox Valley Foodie
You can make this in a slow cooker, but I recommend using my slow cooker recipe to do so.
Reply
Luke Heikkila
I cut up a pork shoulder into 1” chunks. Seasoned and sautéed for color. Then put into crock pot. Added two jars of Franks and only Franks sauerkraut. Let that mixture cook all day. I usually use pork chops but they seem to fall apart easier. It was unbelievable. The meat melted into your mouth with so much flavor. I use simple dumpling recipe. Egg, flour, juice from the crock with sauerkraut. It gives the dumplings more flavor. Make the batter thick and cook in a seperate water bath. I essentially blanch the dumplings in boiling water. Then strain and put into crock. This eliminates the clouding of my sauerkraut gravy. Plus it ducks in even more juice and flavor. At the end in add old fashioned weiners and smoked sausage. People who hate sauerkraut live this because it isn’t as strong sauerkraut flavor as it cooked for a bit. A little tab of butter on the dumplings and your in heaven.Reply
asavagewife
This looks so good! So excited to try it tomorrow. Thanks for the quick meal idea to help with the midweek dinner slump!Reply
Chris Dattilio
See AlsoMom’s Salad DressingI'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.Reply
Jo
My grandparents came from Germany and I know that this was a weekly dish. We still make our own sauerkraut and sausage!
Reply
robbie
I work in a shelter and have an older lady and she asked for the meal with dumplings.
Reply
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 hom*ogenized 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.Reply
Jon
This will be Sunday dinner today! It’s great to be able to scale the recipe just by entering how many servings. Thanks!
Reply
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.
Reply
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!
Reply
Katie
Thank you! Delicious recipe!!
Reply
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!
Reply
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.
Reply
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.
Reply
Valerie
Did I miss in the recipe the oven temperature.
Reply
Fox Valley Foodie
Nope! No oven is needed, it simmers on the stovetop.
Reply
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!Reply
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.
Reply
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.Reply
Fox Valley Foodie
You are right, they are perfect for sopping up every last splash of juice!
Reply
Emily
I used to eat this all the time as a child. Thanks for the memories!Reply
