Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (2024)

By Allie

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut is perfect dinner for Fall. This German dish only contains five ingredients and is ready in a few hours.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (1)

Fall is my favorite season. The weather is perfect and the scenery is beautiful. I alsoenjoyall the autumnactivities and events. One OctoberfestivalI would love to visit is the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. It’s a world famous autumnfestival thatfeatures beer-drinking and merrymaking. The festivalseems like it would be fun and I wouldlove to visit the country where my ancestors lived.My family has lived in themiddle of Pennsylvania Dutch country for a few generations now. But we still honor some of theGerman traditionslike eating pork and sauerkraut for good luck on New Years. Since Oktoberfest is happening right now, I decided to celebrate by making Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (2)

I went to Walmart to pick up the ingredients. I purchasedHillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa which is delicious and already fully cooked.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (3)

My Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut only uses five ingredients: sauerkraut, Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa, brown sugar, apple and onion. I always buythe refrigerated bagged sauerkraut since I think it has a betterflavor. The brown sugar and apple help to cut down the biteof the sauerkraut. The onion and kielbasa also gives the sauerkraut added flavor.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (4)

My Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut is pretty easy to make. You do need to do a fair amount of prep work. You have to slice the kielbasa, slice the apple and chop the onion. In a slow cooker, combinethe sauerkraut, brown sugar, sliced kielbasa, sliced apple and chopped onion. Set the slow cooker on low and let sit while occasionally stirring for two to four hours. The kielbasa is already fully cooked so it’s mainly about heating everything up and letting the flavors mingle. I usually like to serve it with mashed potatoes. The Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut is a delicious dinner that is perfect for fall and a great way to celebrate your German heritage.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (5)

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Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

Author:Sugar, Spice and Family Life

Recipe type:Main

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Ingredients

  • 2 lb. bag of sauerkraut
  • 14 oz. Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa, sliced
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 Gala apple, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. In a slow cooker, combine the sauerkraut, kielbasa, brown sugar, onion and apple.
  2. Cook on low for 3 hours.

What types of German food do you enjoy?

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Comments

  1. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (6)JanetGoingCrazy says

    My husband loves sauerkraut so I should make this for him. We both love the Hillshire Farm sausage! [client]

  2. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (8)Catherine Holt says

    I’ve been to the Oktoberfest a couple of times and it is absolutely amazing. I love German food, and you can literally go sauerkraut crazy!!

    I could dig into this recipe that’s for sure.

    Thanks for linking up to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.

    • Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (9)Andrea Eckles says

      Absolutely the BEST combination of ingredients I have ever tasted for this recipe! I have enjoyed this dish my entire life! My grandparents and parents always made it, and so did I. When my daughter came home from college, she decided to make it because I had purchased the main ingredients. She found your recipe (since I was at work) and WOW!! You have just changed our family dish forever!! And we thought it was good before!! Now it is great! Thank you!

  3. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (10)Miz Helen says

    One of my favorites, I love this combination! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great day!
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

  4. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (11)homemadeforelle says

    Looks simple, easy and very tasty! I love saurerkraut. Thanks for sharing this on This is How We Roll linky party!

  5. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (12)Kathleen says

    Simple and delicious! Brown sugar and Apple seasoned it perfectly. Thank you for the recipe

  6. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (13)Christina Marie Schaefer says

    Does the kraut need to be drained and rinsed or just added as is??

    • Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (14)Allie says

      If your kraut has a lot of liquid, then I would drain most of it out but leave some so it doesn’t get dry. I usually don’t rinse sauerkraut since I like the tanginess. But if you want to mellow the flavor of it, you can rinse it.

  7. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (15)Billy says

    I am obsessed with kielbasa and kraut, it really gives me a rush of nostalgia when I think about it. My grandpa used to make this at LEAST once a week when I was younger, he would make his own sauerkraut and it was definitely a champion of our weekly family dinners. Thank you for sharing this! I was looking for a way to venture back down that road, and you provided it!

  8. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (16)Jean L Cornell says

    Could potatoes be added to this? If so how long would you cook it?

    • Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (17)Allie says

      If you add diced potatoes to it, I’m not sure if they will be soft enough in 3 hours on low. You could try setting it on high for two hours and seeing if it works out.

  9. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (18)Billy says

    I love kielbasa and kraut! This looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, these types of meals are extremely nostalgic for me!

  10. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (19)Olga says

    It’s really awesome! This will quickly become a favorite in our house!

  11. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (20)Nataly says

    Allie, thanks for sharing! Saved my butt on a quick impulsive idea for a dinner side!

  12. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (21)Polly says

    It’s amazing! I just randomly found your blog looking for this recipe. Awesome! Good for you!

  13. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (22)Julia says

    Allie, it was delicious and easy to prepare! Thank you, it’s very delicious!

  14. Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (23)Kristie says

    This recipe is absolutely delicious. It was a big hit! And so easy to throw together. Thank you so much for sharing! I will definitely make it again and again.

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe - Sugar, Spice and Family Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook fresh Polish kielbasa? ›

Grill: Place kielbasa on a hot grill for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for another 5 minutes. Bake: Place kielbasa on a tray in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes. Sautée: Cut kielbasa into 1” thick slices and pan fry it with oil and sliced onions.

What to serve with kielbasa and sauerkraut? ›

Things like potato salad and green bean casserole make some of the best side dishes for kielbasa and sauerkraut because the creamy texture is a nice contrast with the acidity of the sauerkraut!

Do you take the casing off kielbasa before cooking? ›

Sausage casings are used to hold and shape the filling inside so that it can be cooked to perfection. While most sausage lovers will cook a sausage in its casing, there are times when the casings can be removed.

Should I peel kielbasa before cooking? ›

No need to peel the casing as it is edible, either a natural casing made from sheep, pig or some other animal intestine or a collagen casing that is completely edible. The casing is there to hold the shape of the sausage while it cooks.

What do Polish people eat kielbasa with? ›

Kiełbasa is also very popular served as a cold cut on a platter, usually for an appetizer at traditional Polish parties. It is also a common snack (zagrycha) served with beer or plain vodka.

What is kielbasa traditionally served with? ›

Cooked kielbasa is traditionally accompanied by sauerkraut or fried onions. Polish kielbasa comes in more than 100 varieties.

What can I eat with sauerkraut to make it taste better? ›

Bagel and lox: Sauerkraut adds a caper-like zing to a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Not to mention a gut healthy zing! Cheese plate: Sauerkraut seamlessly stands in for olives or pickles on an artisan cheese plate. Try pairing it with aged gouda and some crusty sourdough bread.

What is the difference between fresh Polish sausage and kielbasa? ›

In comparison to traditional sausage, kielbasa usually has a distinctive garlic taste along with other flavorings like smoke, cloves, pimentos and marjoram. In Polish, kielbasa means sausage, and sausage plays an important role in Polish culture.

Is fresh Polish sausage the same as kielbasa? ›

While browsing through the meat department or looking at recipes for your next family dinner, you may have come across kielbasa or Polish sausage. And perhaps you're wondering what, if anything, differentiates the two. Simply put, kielbasa is the Polish word for sausage, so the two terms are often used interchangeably.

Is there a difference between Polish sausage and Polish kielbasa? ›

When someone talks about kielbasa most people think of Polish Smoked Sausage or Polska Kielbasa Wędzona. Kielbasa translated from the Polish language is simply the word for sausage. The word kielbasa includes American breakfast sausage, German bratwurst, Italian hot sausage, or any other sausage you could name.

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