Slow cooker kielbasa and sauerkraut is an easy Polish-inspired dinner. You can throw it together in minutes, then set it and forget it. This crockpot recipe features delicious kielbasa sausage, tangy sauerkraut, some light beer, and a bit of mustard. It is an easy comfort food you can whip up any night of the week!
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Any recipe where I can throw a few ingredients in a crockpot and call it a day is a winner in my book, and this slow cooker kielbasa and sauerkraut is one of my favorites.
When cooked in the slow cooker, kielbasa becomes so incredibly tender, while sauerkraut has a slight tang - it's enough to make your mouth water!
This Polish-inspired slow cooker recipe is incredibly versatile as well. Eat it as-is, or enjoy it as a sausage dog, with some buttered noodles over jasmine rice, whatever sounds good.
🥘 Ingredients
You can choose any kielbasa you like. For instance, for a smokier flavor use smoked kielbasa!
- Kielbasa - 1 pound.
- Sauerkraut - A 32-ounce jar or bag of sauerkraut.
- Light Beer - 12 ounces of light, not dark, beer.
- Water - ½ cup.
- Stone-Ground Mustard (optional) - 1 tablespoon of German mustard.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Kielbasa & Sauerkraut
These steps are incredibly simple, and if you choose not to brown your kielbasa, it will still turn out delicious.
You only need a knife, cutting board, 6 to 8-quart crockpot, and a skillet to brown the sausage.
- Prep. Slice 1 pound of kielbasa sausage into ½-inch rounds and drain the liquid from 32 ounces of sauerkraut.
- Brown kielbasa (optional). - If desired, you may brown the kielbasa by heating a skillet to medium-high heat and searing each side of the sliced kielbasa before adding it to your crockpot. *This step is optional, but I feel it adds more flavor.
- Combine. Add the drained sauerkraut, 1 pound of kielbasa, 12 ounces of light beer, ½ a cup of water, and the optional 1 tablespoon of mustard (if using) to your crockpot and mix to combine.
- Cook. Cook the kielbasa & sauerkraut for 4-6 hours on the high heat setting or for 8 hours on low heat.
You could eat it with some rice or boiled potatoes for a heartier meal. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Serving Warm: After cooking, set the crockpot to the warm setting to keep the kielbasa and sauerkraut ready to serve for up to two hours.
- Beer Substitute: If you prefer not to use beer, feel free to replace it with an equal amount of water, apple juice, or chicken broth for a similar cooking liquid.
- Storage Instructions: Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. To reheat, simply warm up the servings in the microwave.
😋 More Slow Cooker Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1 lb kielbasa
- 32 oz sauerkraut (drained)
- 12 oz light beer (not dark)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard (optional, or German mustard)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Slice your 1 lb kielbasa sausage into ½-inch rounds and drain the liquid from your 32 oz sauerkraut.
- (Optional) If desired, you may brown the kielbasa by heating a skillet to medium-high heat and searing both sides of the sliced kielbasa before adding to your crockpot. *This step is optional, but I feel it adds more flavor.
- Add sauerkraut, kielbasa, 12 oz light beer, ½ cup water, and the optional 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard (if using) to your crockpot and combine well.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on high or set to cook for 8 hours on the low setting.
Notes
- You may switch the crockpot to warm once done, and serve from the warm crockpot for up to 2 hours.
- If you choose not to use beer, you can easily swap it for more water, apple juice, or even chicken broth.
CINDY H. says
I made this for dinner tonight, and I will definitely be making it again!
Delicious and easy! I followed the recipe as is except I substituted the beer for chicken broth.
Autumn says
Good basic recipe. I added Granny Smith apple and a large dice russet potato