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A creamy sauce, sausage, butter, and German dumplings make this a luxurious, indulgent meal. The smoky aroma of sizzling sausage filling your kitchen, combined with the creamy comfort of dumplings, will make it a hit in your home. Stovetop Sauerkraut and Sausage with German dumplings is serious comfort food—a great skillet dish perfect for a cozy weeknight or when you’re craving something a little special.
🥟 What makes this recipe special?
The truth is that sausage and sauerkraut recipes are a dime a dozen. This one, however, stands out as a German-inspired comfort food worth your attention. The combination of whole milk, butter, sauerkraut, sausage, and dumplings makes a rich, satisfying skillet dinner.
The knoephla dumplings are easy to make and fry until beautifully golden. They go so well with the sauerkraut and German sausage. Add whole milk and butter, and enjoy this wonderful comfort dish.
If German food is on your mind, check out this Traditional Spaetzle recipe, these classic German potato pancakes, this meaty Rouladen recipe, or, of course, this easy schnitzel recipe. One of my favorite soups in the whole world uses the same dumplings, Knoephla soup. For another sauerkraut-and-sausage idea, try this Polish Sauerkraut Soup with Sausage (Kapusniak). Whatever you make for dinner tonight, make sure to treat yourself.
🍖 Ingredients
Because this recipe includes homemade dumplings, there are a few more ingredients than in some similar recipes. Don’t worry, though, they are easy to make and totally worth the effort!
Knoephla dumplings
The homemade knoephla are a simple dough made with eggs, whole milk, salt, and all-purpose flour. Roll the dough into ropes, cut it into small pieces, boil the dumplings until they float, and then fry them in butter before building the rest of the skillet.
Sausage
For the smoked sausage, go with any fully cooked German-style variety if you can find it. Kielbasa works just fine, too. Use what you have and what you like. Since this is a German-inspired dish, a fully cooked German-style sausage keeps it in the spirit, but there’s no need to overthink it.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut doesn’t need to be complicated, but the type you choose can affect the flavor and texture of the final dish. In our house, we make our own sauerkraut and use that whenever we can. It is so easy to make, economical, and so good.
In the store, there are a few options. First, canned sauerkraut is probably the cheapest, easiest, and longest-lasting option. With canned sauerkraut, just open the can, drain it, and add it.
Then there is sauerkraut in the refrigerated section. You are likely to get something that is a bit crisper and more complex. Refrigerated, unpasteurized sauerkraut may contain live cultures when eaten raw, but this dish is cooked, so choose it primarily for the flavor and texture you prefer.
🍲 Instructions
This recipe is divided into two main parts. First, make the dumplings. This is as simple as combining the ingredients, rolling the dough into ropes, and then cutting the ropes into small pieces.
From there, boil the dumplings, drain them, and set them aside. Now comes the frying. In a skillet, fry the knoephla in butter for about 5 minutes, until they begin to brown.
Add the sausage and cook for about another 5 minutes. Add the milk and bring it to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and then add the sauerkraut. Cook until the sauerkraut is heated through, and your German-inspired sauerkraut and sausage dish is ready to go.
🤷 Substitutions and variations
Here are a few easy ways to make this recipe your own.
- Dumplings – Instead of making your own dumplings, you can purchase frozen dumplings. Prepare them according to the package directions, then fry them as directed.
- Sausage – I call for smoked German sausage, but any fully cooked smoked or ring sausage works well. Cooked ground sausage can also work if that’s what you have.
- Kraut – If you like more kraut, use it. I drain my sauerkraut, but you don’t have to if you want a tangier, more briny dish. Keep in mind that leaving the sauerkraut liquid in will also make the sauce thinner.
We are just cooking dinner. Change it up to make the recipe your own.
📦 Storage
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container, within 2 hours of cooking. They will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. When reheating, warm the dish gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much, and reheat leftovers to 165°F. You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best results. The dumplings and milk-based sauce may be a little softer after freezing.
🎓 History tidbit
We use traditional Knöpfle dumplings in this recipe. Here in North Dakota, knoephla are generally used in soup, but frying them is also fairly common. Here is an entire article about the history of knoephla soup.
Knoephla also have a strong connection to the Germans-from-Russia food traditions that are part of North Dakota’s culinary history. NDSU’s overview of Germans-from-Russia foodways discusses knoephla soup and notes the relationship between the local word “knoephla” and the German Knöpfle.
Sauerkraut has been a staple in the German diet since the 1600s! Make sure to check out that link for more sauerkraut history.
❓ FAQ
You don’t need to rinse sauerkraut. Drain it for this recipe; rinse it only if you want a milder flavor.
Any fully cooked smoked German-style sausage works well with sauerkraut. Kielbasa, a Polish smoked sausage, is also a good option.
Good sides include mashed potatoes, rye bread, pretzels, a crisp green salad, mustard, pickles, or tangy potato salad.
📝 Tips and tricks
- You can use any fully cooked smoked sausage in this dish.
- I use a cast iron skillet, but any large skillet should work for this German-inspired sauerkraut and sausage dish.
- Keep the milk at a gentle simmer and stir occasionally rather than letting it boil hard.
🛠 Products used in this recipe
😋 Did you make this German Sauerkraut and Sausage recipe?
Thanks so much for trying this recipe! If you could leave a rating in the recipe card below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.
Sauerkraut and Sausage with Knoephla Dumplings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dumplings
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: German
Description
Smoky sausage, tangy sauerkraut, homemade knoephla dumplings, whole milk, and butter come together in a rich and comforting skillet dinner.
Ingredients
For Dumplings:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For Skillet:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- All of the cooked knoephla dumplings
- 8 ounces fully cooked German-style smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups sauerkraut, drained
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For Dumplings:
- Mix all dumpling ingredients in a bowl and combine well.
- Divide the dough in half to make it easier to work with.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a rope about ½ inch in diameter.
- If needed, dust the dough and work surface with flour to prevent sticking.
- Cut into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the dumplings to the boiling water and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Drain and set aside.
For Skillet:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the drained dumplings and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until they begin to develop a golden-brown crust.
- Add the sausage and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the sausage is warmed through.
- Add the milk, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the sauerkraut and cook until heated through.
- Serve.
Notes
- You can use any fully cooked smoked sausage in this dish.
- I use a cast iron skillet, but any large skillet should work.
- Keep the milk at a gentle simmer and stir occasionally rather than letting it boil hard.
I will be making this tonight for supper for the first time. I attended October Fest last weekend and this sounds like the dish that they served from a food truck and it was delicious. But I have a question about the milk. Does that make it more of a soup or is it just to make it creamy and it gets cooked down?
This should turn out as a thick creamy dish. I hope it turns out well!
Love love love this dish. My Mom used to make this for supper and I’d forgotten all about it. Now I’m able to make it myself. Thanks for posting the recipe.
So good! Made this today and it was delicious.
Thanks for giving it a try and glad you liked it!
LOVE IT MAKE YEARS AGO
Glad you liked it Ieona!
I keep coming back to this recipe. I was introduced to this by a good friend. They didn’t give me measurements just a list of what goes into it. We are making it again tonight for dinner and all the kids are excited. Even to the point that they all want to help make it. Thank you for posting this recipe.
It always makes me SO happy when I get comments like this and I am glad to play a tiny part in helping you all do family stuff together around food.
Thanks for sharing this. My grandma used to make this as a treat for me. Only thing I added were some homemade breadcrumbs to the mix, as that is what my grandma did. Tastes like love.
I actually grew up with this dish! It’s definitely a family favorite!
Not that I want to make this dish heavier in calories than it already is.. you should try frying up some breadcrumbs (the crust from some basic bread works best) in a bit of butter and then adding in the knoephla! It adds a crouton like texture to the mix. Everyone in my family would fight over those little gems haha!
What a cool tip and memory. When it comes to a comfort dish like this, I think it is ok to ignore calories. At least for me.
This sounds so good! I lived in Germany as a kid so this brings back memories!
Looks delicious easy and yummy. Will surely cook
Oh, it is good.
Boy, does this sound good. It kind of reminds me of pierogi in the sense that it has fried dough and sauerkraut – two things that I love. And bring on the sausage!