Vegan Zuurkoolstamppot Recipe (Dutch Sauerkraut Mash)

This vegan zuurkoolstamppot recipe is tasty, healthy, quick and easy – for a surprising way to include super-healthy sauerkraut in your diet.

But! Beware!

Not all sauerkraut is created the same . . .

Which type of Sauerkraut Should I Use for Vegan Zuurkoolstamppot?

There are basically three types of sauerkraut, and I’m not talking about what actual veggies or flavourings you add to your homemade sauerkraut, I’m referring to actual types.

And they are . . .

1. Sauerkraut found in a jar or tin kept out of the fridge
2. Sold from the fridge in the cold department
3. Homemade

Making a zuurkoolstamppot uses up a lot of sauerkraut and most people make it with the cheaper stuff bought off the shelf.

Don’t!

That stuff has been pasteurised and doesn’t have any of the beneficial live bacteria in it. Which leaves you with two other options.

Buying live sauerkraut from the fridge area is an option but it logically makes this into a bit of an expensive dish.

Plus, when you buy sauerkraut, it’s never quite the same (by a long shot lol) as the homemade stuff.

For these reasons I recommend making this recipe with a delicious homemade sauerkraut.

On this occasion I added carrots to the cabbage for some colour, but you can use any homemade sauerkraut you like.

You could even try making this with a homemade kimchi too.

Do You Cook the Sauerkraut for Zuurkoolstamppot?

Lots of people do cook the sauerkraut but please don’t do that!

You’ll kill off all the healthy goodies, which you loving created when making the sauerkraut in the first place.

So, to retain the health benefits and we take care not to cook (or overheat) the sauerkraut, because we want to keep all the beneficial bacteria alive.

And all the delicious tang too.

There are lots of stamppot recipes in Holland.

There’s the boerenkool stamppot made with kale, then there’s the hutspot, made with carrots & onions, a curly endive stamppot and this zuurkool stamppot, which is definitely my favourite.

It has a mysterious extra layer to its flavoursome profile, the play-off between the bland potato and tangy sauerkraut and the cheesy nutritional yeast.

Stamppot’s a funny dish – it isn’t particularly dazzling or complex in any way.

Yet it’s consistent, extremely popular, and pretty much well-liked by most people.

Interesting, don’t you think?

How to Make Vegan Zuurkoolstamppot Recipe

Ok, so be warned, if you go to Holland and eat a stamppot without checking it’s vegan, it won’t be.

Because typically, stamppot’s made with butter and milk and served with gravy and sausage.

But all those things are so easy to replace, it’s a breeze to make it vegan.

So all we need to do is to cook the potatoes in a little salted water and mash them with a couple of cups of plant milk or a dash of plant cream for extra creaminess.

Make sure to pat the potatoes dry and not to overcook them or the mash will become too slushy.

For the same reason, you want to drain away the liquid from the sauerkraut (don’t discard it though, it’s delicious and teeming with goodness).

Wait until you’re ready to serve before you add half of the homemade sauerkraut and stir it through the hot mashed potato.

Serve the other half of the sauerkraut on top of the mash, et voila, you’re ready to go!

Stamppot is usually served with a gravy sauce, which we can replace with a homemade mushroom vegan gravy or alternatively with a side of vegan creamy garlic mushrooms.