4 Ways to Get Creative with Sauerkraut

Being around for more than a century gives you time to perfect your product, and Frank’s Kraut in Fremont has figured out a variety of ways to use sauerkraut as a star ingredient in your own kitchen creations.

The family-owned company has a portion of its website dedicated to recipes ranging from Kimchi-Ramen Salad to Kraut and Apple Slaw to Grilled Kraut and Veggies. The effort is the work of Frank’s Kraut marketing manager Katie Peterson, who collects ideas from the sauerkraut-maker’s faithful Facebook and Instagram followers.

“We get, ‘My grandma bought this, I buy it, I make it every Thanksgiving, we grill with it on weekends,’ ” she told us when we spoke with her in 2018.

Frank’s Kraut has been a sponsor of Waynesville’s Ohio Sauerkraut Festival since the mid-1980s, and every vendor at the festival featuring food with sauerkraut as an ingredient uses the company’s cabbage in their creations.

“It’s just such an all-around perfect ingredient,” Peterson said. “It adds flavor, it adds crunch and texture, you can bake it, cook it, boil it, grill it, eat it straight out of the jar or can.”

Here are four fun recipes from Frank’s Kraut’s trove of recipes. To browse others, visit frankskraut.com. 

Grilled Kraut and Veggies | Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
14-ounce can Frank’s Kraut, drained
1 green pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 pound asparagus, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper 

DIRECTIONS
In a foil pouch, combine kraut and vegetables and coat with oil, salt and pepper. Fold to close tightly and grill over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Creamy Kraut and Sausage Soup | Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
14-ounce can Frank’s Kraut
1 sweet onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons salted butter 
4 tablespoons. all-purpose flour 
2 cups heavy whipping cream 
1 quart chicken stock 
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, diced
14 ounces Polish sausage, sliced
2 tablespoons dill, diced
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Boil sliced potatoes until soft and set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown sausage three to five minutes and remove. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and butter to Dutch oven and cook until carrots soften. Add in flour and stir occasionally for three minutes. Add in chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then stir in whipping cream. Add kraut, sausage, dill, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy. 

Mac and Beer Cheese Casserole | Serves 12

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk 
1 cup heavy whipping cream 
4 cups cheddar cheese 
2 cups beer
2 14-ounce cans Frank's Kraut, drained
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle cooked pasta with olive oil and stir, set aside to cool. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour until golden. Whisk in milk, and whipping cream. Gradually add in beer, whisking until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Gradually add cheese, whisking until thick. Combine cheese mixture with pasta and fold in kraut. Pour mixture into a greased, 3-4 quart baking dish, top with bread crumb mixture (instructions below) and bake for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy. 

How to Make Bread Crumb Topping: In a bowl, combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of crushed pretzels, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of paprika. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter, pour over crumb mixture and combine. 

Sweet and Smoky BBQ Kraut Meatballs | Serves 60-80 meatballs 

INGREDIENTS
1 32-ounce bag frozen meatballs
1 16-ounce jar of Frank's Sweet & Smoky BBQ Kraut 
1 cup barbecue sauce 

DIRECTIONS
Place frozen meatballs in a slow cooker and add in kraut and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for four hours, stirring occasionally. Serve on toothpicks as an appetizer and enjoy.