Sylvia’s Sauerkraut Salad, A Pickled Salad Recipe

Dressed & ready for 24 hours in the fridge

This is an award-winning salad, by which I mean that Sylvia won a trophy for the most original food brought to a sophisicated potluck last July. She did not get to keep the trophy and, as a matter of fact, has not even seen her name engraved upon it. She has been told that she may not win the trophy again with the same dish at the annual event to be held next week. (I’ve suggested that she make my recipe for baking powder biscuits in five minutes instead of a pasta salad with vegetables in a couple hours.)

See results of squeezing, chopping & grating?

It was well received at Mother’s birthday party (and went very well with my niece’s Instapot baked beans and numerous barbequed things.) The recipe was discussed with numerous people who expected it to taste like kraut, not like sweet-and-sour pickled vegetables. I promised to email it to my cousin-in-law, so this will accomplish at least two purposes.

Kraut, cuke, red bell, orange bell, green onion, celery, carrot, dill weed & dressing

Sylvia’s maternal grandmother brought this recipe from Austria and Sylvia gave me permission to share, thinking that her granny would love to know the recipe lives on, even outside the family. I present herewith the recipe for Sauerkraut Salad along with Sylvia’s suggestions and instructions, and then the changes I made due to personal and family tastes.

The original: MAKE AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE USE! Into a glass or stainless steel bowl: 2 cups (from 1 quart) kraut, rinsed and squeezed by hand/ 1 c. chopped celery/ 1 c. chopped onion/ 1 chopped green pepper/ 1 large carrot, shredded/ 1 teaspoon dill weed

Then: pour 1 scant cup granulated sugar over the vegetables and stir until it dissolves. Mix 1/2 cup salad oil and 1/2 cup vinegar (part Balsamic, if desired & not allergic) and stir into the sugared vegetables, mixing very well. Do NOT add salt. May add a small can of sliced ripe olives, drained. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Serves 8 – 10. Can be halved.

The changes I made: First, I used two jars of Trader Joe’s Sauerkraut with Pickled Persian Cucumbers because I prefer to use the raw and fermented kraut they offer rather than the pasteurized versions on most grocery shelves. I didn’t taste the pickled Persian cucumbers before having some salad the day at the party and I liked them very much in the mix. As for preferences, I never prefer green bell pepper so I swapped it out for sweet red and orange bells. I used green onion and did not add olives or balsamic vinegar. Sylvia had a serving and she approved it whilst noting the changes.