Bavarian Dinner features kielbasa sausage, sauerkraut, and just a few more ingredients. Pair it with boiled or mashed potatoes, or spaetzle, if you wish. Or pick another side dish of your choice for a hearty, filling Eastern-European-style dinner.
I don’t know what it is about the tail end of winter. This time of year, I crave Eastern European foods like my cauliflower soup and this Bavarian Dinner recipe. Maybe it’s the extra energy we expend shoveling snow (ugh!). Maybe it’s just a need for comforting and cozy things. I dunno.
This recipe is great in the slow cooker and comes together in just minutes. You simply layer part of the kraut, thinly sliced onion, celery seed, and Kielbasa. Then repeat layers and finish it off with a final layer of sauerkraut. Chicken broth is poured over it all, and it gently simmers for several hours in the cooker.
About Sauerkraut
You may not have thought of using sauerkraut in a recipe. I know I certainly didn’t until I ran across this idea. for Bavarian Dinner. But it makes sense when you think about it – sauerkraut is really just fermented cabbage. The fermentation process helps maintain freshness, crispness, and flavor., and I’ve heard that some kraut may even include probiotics.
When I was growing up, Mom made kraut every August. She had an enormous crock (5 gallons or more) that she’d pack the shredded cabbage into, interspersing it with layers of canning salt (i.e. non-iodized salt). Then the cabbage was weighted down to keep it under the brine, and the entire crock fermented for weeks until the desired sourness was reached.
I’ve heard of families where the kids would double-dog dare each other to go into the room where their kraut was fermenting. I’ll admit that the smell isn’t that pleasant, but to me, it’s not all that bad. Kraut is great on hot dogs, burgers, bratwurst – basically anywhere you want a little crunch and tartness. When it’s used in a recipe, though, the other ingredients help mellow it out so it’s not nearly so in-your-face sour.
I really prefer Bavarian kraut for this recipe – made with white wine, it’s a little milder than regular sauerkraut. Hengstenberg Bavarian Style is one brand I find locally. But I’ve also included a hack that helps regular sauerkraut taste closer to the Bavarian variety. See the recipe notes.
And it’s probably one of the easiest recipes ever! Just layer the ingredients in the slow cooker, walk away and in a few hours, Bavarian Dinner is ready!
PrintBavarian Dinner with Kielbasa and Kraut
ut, and just a few more ingredients. Pair it with boiled or mashed potatoes, spaetzle, if you wish. Or pick another side dish of your choice for a hearty, filling Eastern-European-style dinner.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients
1 quart Bavarian-style sauerkraut, undrained (see note)
1 pounds pre-cooked Polish kielbasa sausage, cut into 2 or 3-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings or slivers
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
In the bottom of a 6-quart oval slow cooker, layer 1/3 of the sauerkraut, 1 pound of the sausage pieces, half the onion slices and 1/4 teaspoon celery seed. Repeat the layers, spreading the last 1/3 of the sauerkraut over all. Pour in the chicken broth, being careful not to disturb the layers.
Cover and cook on the High setting for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to Low and cook for 7 to 9 hours. (Or cook on High for 3 to 4 hours.) Traditionally served with boiled potatoes, but you can serve it with mashed potatoes, spaetzle, or other side dishes if you wish.
Notes
If you don’t have access to Bavarian-style sauerkraut, you can use regular kraut in a pinch. Drain and rinse it first, and add 1 cup of dry white wine (like a German Gewurztraminer or a chardonnay or chablis) along with the chicken broth.
Keywords: bavarian dinner, bavarian recipe, eastern european food, kielbasa casserole, slow cooker recipe