This Mexican sauerkraut recipe turns red cabbage into a bold condiment, spiced with hot peppers, smoked paprika and cumin.
I have a confession to make: I spent most of my life hating sauerkraut.
That canned stuff on grocery store shelves, so salty and vinegary it assaults your senses — definitely not for me. For years, I thought that was sauerkraut. End of story. I had written it off completely.
Then I went to Alsace during my studies. I tasted it reluctantly. It was love at first bite! There, I discovered remarkable sauerkraut dishes of a completely different nature: softer, rounder, with real depth. Nothing like what I had in mind, and I only regretted not having the appetite to finish them all…
I came home with a promise to myself: to understand this, and to recreate it in my own kitchen one day, my way. But my experiments had to wait. I was heading straight into a university exchange in Mexico, which reshaped my palate for good.
Later on, while searching for my flavour, I landed on this version. The bell pepper, the onions, the paprika and the hot peppers give the cabbage a depth that has nothing to do with the harsh sourness of the canned stuff. We are a long way from Alsace, I admit. But this is the recipe that won my heart.
It was my very first original sauerkraut recipe. I have refined it over the years. It is also the one I start over every time I have the misfortune of finishing my last jar. It brings colour, heat, tanginess and crunch to everything it touches. Unbeatable in tacos, it turns even the simplest omelette into a trip abroad.
Spicy Mexican Sauerkraut Recipe
Equipment
- ViscoDisc Insert with large opening or a wide mouth glass weigh
- Large bowl
- Pickle packer tamper (optional)
Ingredients
- 750 g shredded red cabbage 26 oz
- 100 g onion 3.5 oz
- 100 g red bell pepper 3.5 oz
- 1 to 3 red jalapeno hot pepper
- 1 lime (zest) (optional)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin (ground or whole)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tbsp mexican chili powder
- ½ tsp celeri seeds
- 20 g fine sea salt (or 2% of the weight in total) 3/4 oz
Steps
Preparing the Vegetables
- Gather your ingredients and equipment. Put on gloves, as this recipe contains hot peppers.
- Finely dice the bell pepper, the onions, the zest and the hot peppers. Place in a large bowl.
- Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, mustard seeds and celery seeds.
- Lightly rinse the cabbage and remove any dirty or damaged parts.
- Peel off one large cabbage leaf and set aside for later.
- Shred or very finely slice the cabbage. Discard the core.
- Add the cabbage to the bowl until you reach 2.2 lb (1 kg) in total.
- Pour the coarse salt over the mixture (2% of the total weight).
- Mix thoroughly with your hands (for 1 to 2 minutes).
- Let stand for at least 15 minutes to draw out the liquid.
- Mix again for 1 minute with your hands, pressing firmly. The cabbage will release some of its water. Once liquid runs out under pressure, the mixture is ready to jar.
Filling the Jar
- Fill the jar with the mixture. Pack it down firmly with the tamper as you go.
- Fill the jar to 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the rim.
- Place the reserved cabbage leaf on top and press down well. It helps keep the vegetable pieces away from oxygen. This leaf will not be eaten.
- Place the insert or the glass weight over the cabbage leaf.
- If the vegetable juices do not cover the underside of the cabbage leaf, add a little water to cover and a small pinch of salt.
- Close the jar.
Fermentation
- Place the jar on a large plate, in case it overflows during fermentation. Red cabbage stains!
- Keep the jar for 3 to 4 weeks at room temperature, in the coolest room of your home, without opening it.
- Refrigerate once opened to keep your probiotics alive!
Notes
No red cabbage on hand, or you would rather use another variety? No problem — check out our article Which Cabbage Should You Choose for Sauerkraut?
Looking for ideas to use up your sauerkraut? Discover our other sauerkraut recipes:
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