Gingered Crimson Beet Kraut
- 15m Prep Time
- 0sCook Time
- 15m Ready In
A vibrant crimson kraut made with green and red cabbage, beet, onion, bell pepper, and ginger. Perfect as a topping for toast with cream cheese or smoked salmon.
Ingredients
- 680 g green cabbage
- 227 g red cabbage
- 19.7 ml kosher salt
- beet
- 1 small white onion
- 113 g red bell pepper
- ginger peeled and grated
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 5 of 7 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 456 mg
- Iron: 9.16 mg
- Magnesium: 238 mg
- Phosphorus: 458 mg
- Potassium: 3446 mg
- Zinc: 3.62 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 680 g green cabbage
- 227 g red cabbage
- 19.7 ml kosher salt
- beet
- 1 small white onion
- 113 g red bell pepper
Prepare
- ginger, peeled and grated
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Weigh the whole green and red cabbages together, noting the total weight. Halve each cabbage head from north to south through the core, then cut away the thick V-shaped core from each half. Cut each half lengthwise into two wedges. Take one wedge, remove the inner section so you can flatten the outer part with your hand, and slice ⅛-inch ribbons. Repeat with all wedges and inner sections. Place all shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
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Step 2.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per ½ pound of whole cabbage weight over the shredded cabbage. Let it sit while you prepare the other vegetables.
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Step 3.
Grate the beet on the large holes of a box grater into a separate medium bowl. Slice the onion into thin half-moons and the red bell pepper into thin slices. Add the onion, bell pepper, and peeled grated ginger to the beets. Set aside.
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Step 4.
With clean hands, massage the salted cabbage firmly, as if kneading tight muscles, for at least 3 minutes until the cabbage softens and releases liquid.
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Step 5.
Add the beet mixture to the cabbage and mix thoroughly with your hands.
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Step 6.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to a fermentation vessel (a 1-gallon wide-mouth glass jar, large ceramic crock, or two wide-mouth quart jars). Using your fist, compress the mixture firmly into the bottom, adding handfuls at a time and pressing hard after each addition to release juices. The vegetables should be submerged in their own brine.
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Step 7.
Place a weight directly on top of the vegetables: for a crock, use a small plate topped with a water-filled quart jar or clean rock; for quart jars, use a sealed half-pint jar filled with water. Cover the vessel with a clean dishcloth to keep out dust while allowing airflow.
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Step 8.
Place the vessel on a counter in your normal walking path. Over the next 8 to 10 hours, press down firmly on the weight several times to help extract liquid. Within 8 to 10 hours, the vegetables should be fully submerged in brine.
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Step 9.
Let the kraut ferment at room temperature, covered with a cloth, for 7 to 10 days. Taste it after 7 days; if you prefer a tangier flavor, let it ferment longer.
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Step 10.
Once the kraut reaches your desired tanginess, pack it into jars (metal hinge and rubber gasket jars work best), ensuring the vegetables are covered with a layer of liquid. Refrigerate. The kraut will keep for up to 6 months or longer, continuing to ferment slowly.