This Traditional Dutch Zuurkoolstamppot with bacon is easy to make and delicious. This old-fashioned tasty recipe is precisely what you need when it gets colder outside.
The slightly sour sauerkraut combined with creamy mashed potatoes and salty bacon is delicious. Served with Dutch smoked sausage, the pot is always empty after dinnertime!

Classic Dutch Sauerkraut Potato Mash
We used to eat Dutch stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables) often. Delicious Dutch hutspot, andijviestamppot, or boerenkoolstamppot. And occasionally, this was alternated with sauerkraut stew. Honestly, that was not my favorite meal when I was young; on the contrary.
But as I got older, I started to like it more and more. I will choose this one if I see it on a menu of different mashes. Well, things can change, can't they?
Mashed Potatoes, Sauerkraut and Dutch Smoked Sausage
But what is very important is that the stew is well seasoned. The right balance of sweet, salty, and creamy is very important. It took me quite a few tries to get this done. But with this recipe, you've hit the mark.
Tradition is to eat these with ribs. You can then mix the cooked meat from the ribs with the mash. I served the stew with smoked sausage because that's what they like to eat here. And the pan went empty. In short, this sauerkraut stew is perfect for a nice meal with the whole family.
Expert Tip
Make sure you don't cook the potatoes and sauerkraut together. The acid in the cabbage prevents the potatoes from getting cooked!

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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
- 1 pound sauerkraut
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 5 juniper berries
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 pounds potatoes, Floury. Peeled and cut into equal-sized pieces.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cube vegetable stock
- ½ stick butter
- ½ pound bacon bits, fried
- 1 Dutch smoked sausage, prepared (or kielbasa)
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can slect which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Mix the sauerkraut, wine, and juniper berries in a pan. Place the bay leaf on top and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, and then turn off the heat. Remove the juniper berries and bay leaf.1 pound sauerkraut, ½ cup dry white wine, 5 juniper berries, 1 bay leaf
- In the meantime, place the potatoes in a second pan and fill with water until they are just covered. Add the salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes until done (when you can pierce the potatoes with a fork without resistance, they are done).2 pounds potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt
- Drain the potatoes.
- Heat the milk with the stock cube in a saucepan. Then, add the butter and let it melt.½ cup whole milk, 1 cube vegetable stock, ½ stick butter
- Mash the potatoes with a masher and add the milk. Stir together.
- Now also mix the sauerkraut and bacon through the mashed potatoes. Serve with the smoked sausage.½ pound bacon bits, 1 Dutch smoked sausage
Notes
- Cook the potatoes separately from the sauerkraut; otherwise, the acid of the cabbage will not cook them.
- To make the stew airy, heat the milk and butter.
- Refrigerator: Store the zuurkoolstamppot covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: This Dutch pot freezes well. Place in a freezer container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Heat the stew in the microwave or fry with butter in a skillet. But this is also tasty to reheat as a casserole. To do this, place the sauerkraut mash in an oven dish. Sprinkle with some breadcrumbs and cubes of butter and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 390 °F (200 °C).
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