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!
💭 Tips & 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)
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.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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