In the world of fermented foods, sauerkraut stands out as a simple yet profoundly nourishing whole food. This sour, umami-rich condiment, made by fermenting cabbage with spices and salt, offers a daily dose of probiotics when consumed raw. However, not all sauerkraut is created equal. Some products undergo heat treatment or pasteurisation to extend shelf life, which unfortunately kills the beneficial bacteria. To help you navigate the supermarket aisles, we conducted an extensive taste test, sampling everything from economical pasteurised varieties to premium raw options from top fermenters across the country.
The Top Picks: Best Supermarket Sauerkraut
Our tasting panel evaluated numerous brands based on crunch, sourness, aroma, and overall flavour profile. Here are the standout products that earned top marks.
Best Overall: Loving Foods Organic Sauerkraut with Caraway and Juniper
Priced at £6.99 for 475g at Loving Foods, this sauerkraut impressed with its bright white appearance and complex, sour aroma. The texture is exceptionally crunchy, and the flavour is intense, featuring plump fermented caraway seeds and whole juniper berries that pop with every bite. Made with just 1% Celtic sea salt, this raw, alive fermentation product is a clear winner for those seeking premium quality.
Best Bargain: Hurly Burly Original Organic Raw Sauerkraut
Available for £2 for 300g at Ocado, this small plastic jar offers incredible value. It boasts a funky, savoury scent and a refreshing taste with a satisfyingly sour twang. The sauerkraut is white in colour, nice and crunchy, and contains a lower-than-average 1.5% sea salt. For an organic raw product, it's hard to beat this budget-friendly option.
Honourable Mentions: Other Notable Sauerkrauts
Several other brands delivered impressive performances, offering unique flavours and textures worth considering.
Raw Vibrant Living Organic Sauerkraut Classic
At £4.60 for 410g at Ocado, this sauerkraut features a fresh cabbage and sour aroma with a gentle underlying funk. It's very crunchy, with a unique sour flavour and pleasant sweetness. With only 0.75% sea salt, it's also one of the lowest-salt options available, making it brilliant value for health-conscious consumers.
Jamie Ferments Sauerkraut
Priced at £8.90 for 425g, this large jar opened with a satisfying phwummp and crackled with lively fizz. It offers a classic sour cabbage aroma, a mighty crunch, and a complex flavour profile with subtle aniseed notes from caraway and whole black peppercorns. The notably low salt content of 0.8% adds to its appeal.
Biona Organic Golden Turmeric Sauerkraut
Available for £2.50 for 350g at Tesco, this finely shredded sauerkraut has an incredible aroma of fresh turmeric and warming ginger. It's refreshing to taste with bright acidity and a well-rounded, powerful flavour. Although pasteurised, it offers medium crunch and incredible value for an organic product.
The Cultured Collective Fennel, Apple & Dill Sauerkraut
Priced at £4.50 for 235g at Sainsbury's, this explosive jar fizzed and spurted upon opening, indicating it's alive with beneficial bacteria. It features fresh, thick-cut cabbage with a rich, spicy aroma and a bold flavour of fennel, apple, and cabbage. Note that it has a slightly higher sea salt content of 2.5% compared to others in this test.
The Middle Ground: Decent but Not Outstanding
Some sauerkrauts performed adequately but didn't quite reach the heights of our top picks.
Moryń Sauerkraut
At £1.65 for 870g at Morrisons, this huge jar contains very finely shredded long strands of white kraut. Although pasteurised, it has a fresh cabbage smell and delicious crunch, with a quintessential sour twang and a standard 1.94% salt content.
Vadasz Garlic & Dill Sauerkraut
Priced at £4.50 for 400g at Tesco, this thick-cut sauerkraut boasts a sweet and savoury dill aroma. The texture is soft, with a full dill-forward flavour, a hint of garlic, and rich fermented-cabbage undertones. It has a 1.5% salt content and has earned two stars from the Great Taste Awards.
The Bottom Tier: Sauerkrauts to Approach with Caution
While these options may suit certain tastes or budgets, they fell short in our evaluation.
Kühne Sauerkraut
Available for £2.10 for 810g at Ocado, this pasteurised sauerkraut comes in a beautiful round barrel jar. It has a perfectly funky aroma and a tender texture with some bite. The flavour is balanced sweet and sour, with a 1.3% salt content. It might be suitable for hotdogs but lacks the probiotic benefits of raw varieties.
Dawtona Sauerkraut
Priced at £1.74 for 500g at Asda, this sauerkraut features soft, finely shredded short strips. It has a cooked cabbage aroma and a surprising sour and umami-rich flavour, despite containing only cabbage, water, and 1.9% salt. However, its texture and overall profile didn't impress our tasters.
When selecting sauerkraut, consider whether you prioritise raw, probiotic-rich options or prefer pasteurised varieties for longer shelf life. Our taste test highlights that quality and flavour can vary significantly, so it's worth exploring different brands to find your perfect match. Whether you're a fermented food enthusiast or new to sauerkraut, this guide should help you make an informed choice on your next supermarket visit.
