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Sometimes in winter, when I don’t know what to cook, I go down into my basement to look at all my jars of homemade preserves. And I’ve always found an inspiration there! One of the most versatile staples there is sauerkraut. Have you ever tried it in pastry? Today, I’m going to share one of my favourite recipes: authentic Bavarian sauerkraut strudel.
As Bavarians, we often eat sauerkraut together with fried sausages, of course. But there are so many other ways to use it! This strudel will soon become one of your go-to recipes, too. The crispy dough, the juicy filling and the wonderful combination of flavours will leave your family and guests begging for more.
What is Bavarian Sauerkraut Strudel?
Strudel is a wonderful dish. Honestly, if we hadn’t already got it, somebody would have to invent it. You can put anything on strudel dough — apples, sauerkraut, potatoes, or fish — wrap it up, and bake it in the oven. In this case, we have crispy strudel dough with a savoury sauerkraut filling.
This sauerkraut strudel recipe makes for a perfect weekday winter dish. The rich, hearty filling makes it a down-to-earth, warming comfort food. And using homemade sauerkraut is the cherry on top!
In Bavaria, we eat this strudel as a main dish. You can serve it with a cream sauce and a fresh seasonal salad like lamb’s lettuce, beetroot or carrot salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the dough
Strudel dough is easy to make. You just need
- 250 g flour: all-purpose flour is best, make sure it’s not self-raising
- 1 egg, free-range
- 1/8 l lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp vinegar and
- 1 tbsp oil or melted butter
- a pinch of salt
Mix everything and let it rest for half an hour before you thinly stretch it out.
Instead of making the dough from scratch, you can buy a ready-made version, but make sure it’s a high-quality product. Honestly, making the dough is a matter of minutes, and while it rests, you can prepare the filling. There’s almost no time-gain in buying one.
For the filling
For the rich, savoury filling you need
- 750 g sauerkraut (that’s one large jar): use your homemade staple, if you have one or a good store-bought one. Quality matters!
- 1 large onion
- 200 g sour cream
- 200 g bacon ( you can leave the bacon out for a vegetarian dish)
- salt, pepper, and
- 1 tbsp caraway seeds
Bavarian Sauerkraut Strudel Recipe: Step-by-Step
We start by preparing the dough, as it has to rest for about half an hour.
Making the strudel dough
Weigh the flour and put it into a bowl. Now add the egg, the salt, vinegar and oil or melted butter. Warm the water until it’s lukewarm and slowly pour it into the mix. Don’t add all the water in one go, but rather mix the dough and add water as necessary. Depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen, you need less or more water.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly and knead the dough
In this post, I describe in detail how to make strudel dough. If you prefer watching a video, look here:
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Now, the dough has to rest for about half an hour. Just put it back into the bowl and cover it with a second bowl so that it won’t dry out.
As I said before, you can also use store-bought dough, either strudel dough or puff pastry dough. Phyllo/filo dough is an alternative, as well; you just have to “glue” the sheets with oil on top of each other.
Preparing the Filling
Finely chop the onion and cut the bacon into small squares or strips. Heat a skillet and cook the bacon until the fat is released. When the bacon has become bright and glassy, add the chopped onions and stir the mixture until the onions are glassy, as well.
When the bacon becomes glassy like that, add the onions
Let it all cool down and put the bacon-onion mix in a bowl.
If your sauerkraut has a lot of brine, drain it first. Mine is usually fine without draining since I ferment it with less liquid. Now, add the sauerkraut, the sour cream, pepper and caraway seeds to the bacon and onion mix and stir it together. Don’t add salt yet. Due to the sauerkraut and the bacon, it could be salty enough already. Taste the filling and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Assembling the Sauerkraut Strudel
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F) top/bottom heat or 160 °C (320 °F) fan oven.
Dust a kitchen towel with some flour and roll the dough out on it. Then stretch it out with your hands as shown in the video until it’s very thin.
Start pulling the dough carefully at the edges with your fingers.
Spread the filling evenly onto the dough, leaving about 1 inch from the edges free.
Fold in one inch of the dough on the short edges. Now start rolling the strudel by carefully lifting the kitchen towel and letting the dough roll more or less by itself.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and put the strudel onto it.
Bavarian sauerkraut strudel, ready for the oven. Larger than life – or rather larger than the tray. Had to bend the strudel to put it onto the baking tray.
Mix one egg with a bit of water in a bowl and brush the strudel with it. Alternatively, you can brush it with melted butter or oil.
Baking
Put the strudel into the preheated oven (remember? It’s 180 °C / 355 °F top/bottom heat or 160 °C/320 °F fan oven) and bake it for 40 – 45 minutes.
You know that it’s done when the surface is crisp and has turned into a beautiful golden brown. When the strudel becomes suspiciously dark before the end of the baking time, cover it with baking paper or aluminium foil. It’ll still bake but won’t get too dark.
When the strudel is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes. This helps the filling settle and allows any juice that’s leaked out to be reabsorbed into the dough.
Sauerkraut strudel fresh from the oven
Serve the sauerkraut strudel while it’s still hot.
Traditional Bavarian Sauerkraut Strudel
Ingredients
Method
- Weigh the flour and put it into a bowl. Now add the egg, the salt, vinegar and oil or melted butter. Warm the water until it's lukewarm and slowly pour it into the mix. Don't add all the water in one go, but rather mix the dough and add water as necessary. Depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen, you need less or more water.
- Now, the dough has to rest for about half an hour. Just put it back into the bowl and cover it with a second bowl so that it won't dry out.
- In the meantime, finely chop the onion and cut the bacon into small squares or strips. Heat a skillet and cook the bacon until the fat is released. When the bacon has become bright and glassy, add the chopped onions and stir the mixture until the onions are glassy, as well.
- Let it all cool down and put the bacon-onion mix in a bowl.
- If your sauerkraut has a lot of brine, drain it first. Mine is usually fine without draining since I ferment it with less liquid. Now, add the sauerkraut, the sour cream, pepper and caraway seeds to the bacon and onion mix and stir it together. Don't add salt yet. Due to the sauerkraut and the bacon, it could be salty enough already. Taste the filling and add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F) top/bottom heat or 160 °C (320 °F) fan oven.
- Dust a kitchen towel with some flour and roll the dough out on it. Then stretch it out with your hands as shown in the video until it's very thin.
- Spread the filling evenly onto the dough, leaving about 1 inch from the edges free.
- Fold in one inch of the dough on the short edges. Now start rolling the strudel by carefully lifting the kitchen towel and letting the dough roll more or less by itself.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and put the strudel onto it.
- Mix one egg with a bit of water in a bowl and brush the strudel with it. Alternatively, you can brush it with melted butter or oil.
- Put the strudel into the preheated oven and bake it for 40 - 45 minutes.
- You know that it's done when the surface is crisp and has turned into a beautiful golden brown. When the strudel becomes suspiciously dark before the end of the baking time, cover it with baking paper or aluminium foil. It'll still bake but won't get too dark.
- When the strudel is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes. This helps the filling settle and allows any juice that's leaked out to be reabsorbed into the dough.
- Serve the sauerkraut strudel while it's still hot.
Notes
Variations
This recipe is the basic version of a traditional Bavarian sauerkraut strudel. However, there are several variations you may want to try.
Red cabbage strudel
A festive, slightly sweet variation perfect for holidays
Instead of sauerkraut, use 750 g fermented red cabbage for the filling. Leave out the bacon and add some roughly chopped cooked chestnuts instead. For a touch of fruit, either add some orange zest or add roughly chopped baked apples and a generous pinch of cinnamon.
Heartier version with vegetables
Makes the strudel more filling and hearty
Leave the filling as it is, but add 200 g of pre-cooked, peeled and roughly chopped potatoes or carrots. You can also put the carrots in raw, but finely grated.
Different meat options
Use up leftovers or add more protein.
Instead of bacon, add roughly chopped or whole raw frying sausages, ground pork or meat leftovers.
Mediterranean twist
For a Mediterranean version, leave out the caraway seeds and instead add 100 g dried tomatoes and thyme, oregano and ground paprika to taste.
Oriental version
If you prefer an oriental touch, add sesame, 1 -2 tsp of chilli powder, ground cumin and nutmeg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought dough?
Absolutely. Look for strudel dough, puff pastry or phyllo leaves.
How do I store leftovers?
You can store leftovers in your kitchen at room temperature for one day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze sauerkraut strudel?
Yes, you can freeze the strudel raw or baked. To defrost, put the strudel out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature overnight. Heat it in the oven before eating.
What type of sauerkraut works best?
Homemade sauerkraut is always the best option, of course. If you want to use store-bought sauerkraut, look for a fermented, organic product.
Can I make it ahead?
Good idea! To make the strudel one day ahead, there are two options:
- Fill, roll and bake the strudel, then let it cool down completely. Wrap it in cling film or put it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge overnight. Before serving, heat the sauerkraut strudel in the oven.
- Fill and roll the strudel and put it on the baking tray. It’s important that the filling is not too moist. Brush the raw strudel with melted butter to prevent soaking through. Loosely cover the strudel with cling film and store it in the fridge overnight. Due to cooling, the dough becomes denser and needs some extra minutes to bake the next day.
Time To Bake Your Own Sauerkraut Strudel
Traditional Bavarian sauerkraut strudel is a wonderful winter dish that warms the belly and the soul. It grounds us with its down-to-earth, hearty flavours and transforms simple preserved cabbage into something truly special.
Whether you make the traditional version with bacon and caraway or experiment with one of the variations, this strudel is sure to become a cold-weather favourite. The crispy golden crust and tangy, savoury filling never fail to impress—and your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing while it bakes!
I’d love to hear how your sauerkraut strudel turns out! Which version did you try? Did you make the dough from scratch or use a store-bought option? Share your experience in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out my other traditional Bavarian recipes for more warming winter inspiration.
Happy baking, and enjoy every crispy, flavorful bite!
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Browse my recipe library for more Bavarian and international recipes.