Name: Instant Pot Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cooking oil (canola, vegetable, etc.); 1 pound kielbasa sausage (precooked; sliced); 29 ounces sauerkraut (undrained); ½ cup water

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Kielbasa and sauerkraut is a family favorite made with scrumptious kielbasa sausage and tart sauerkraut. From pot to table in less than an hour!

Oh man, I’m excited to share today’s kielbasa and sauerkraut recipe. This is a combination I grew up eating and still make it on regular basis.

The salty, tangy flavors of this dish are so satisfying. I like it almost as much as beer, brats, and sauerkraut or baked brats.

In case you were wondering, kielbasa sausage is common here in the States and is seasoned with caraway seeds. Sauerkraut, as you probably already know, is fermented cabbage.

When the two are combined, you get a meal that tickles the taste buds and satisfies your cravings for savory and sour.

Best of all, it doesn’t take long to prepare. Now, we’re using a pressure cooker, but you can still do this on your stove-top.

I’ll provide some stove-top instructions below. Let’s get started!

Two bowls of kielbasa and sauerkraut surrounded by fresh parsley.

Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Instructions:

First, grab your ingredients. Measure out the water, slice your sausage into 1 inch circles, and open your sauerkraut.

For this recipe, we used canned sauerkraut. However, I recommend making your own homemade version.

The kielbasa sausage being sauteed in the pressure cooker before sealing.

Next, turn your pressure cooker on to the saute function and add the oil. Afterward, dump in the kielbasa and let it cook for a few minutes on each side.

I like mine with crispy edges. Now, remove it from the pot and add the water.

Then, get to scraping. Because, you want to loosen up all that flavor from the bottom of the pan.

Once it’s properly de-glazed, add the sauerkraut.

An aerial view of sauerkraut and sausage inside the instant pot.

At this point, you can put the kielbasa sausage back into your cooker and seal it. Move the valve to, “closed,” and set the Instant Pot cook time to 0.

Once the timer goes off, let it preform a, “natural release.” Last, after the 10 minutes are up, your kielbasa and sauerkraut is done.

Stove-Top Directions:

The only difference is that you omit (remove) the oil and water from the recipe. In a large pot, saute the kielbasa for few minutes to crisp it up.

After that, toss in the sauerkraut (with juices) for 3-4 minutes, or until it’s hot. Believe it or not, you’re already done. Truth is, it’s actually faster to do it this way.

The finished kielbasa and sauerkraut served in two bowls with parsley.

Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Tips:

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to deglaze your pressure cooker when making this recipe. Seriously, if you skip this step, you will most likely get a burn notice. Don’t skip it, just don’t!
Want add more flavor to the recipe? Then consider swapping out the water with low-sodium chicken or beef stock.
Love kielbasa but not a fan sauerkraut, then take a look at our creamy kielbasa pasta for a quick and easy dinner option. Or try our Crockpot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole for an almost hands-off dinner.
How do you take the bitterness out of sauerkraut? If you’re serious about removing all that awesome tartness, then simply add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to the recipe before cooking the sauerkraut.