German Krautstrudel: An Easy Savory Cabbage Roll
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German Krautstrudel is a delightfully easy savory cabbage roll, perfect for the season. With soft sauteed strands of cabbage, the smoky flavor of bacon, and a savory crunch of caraway seeds; all wrapped in a delicate, flaky crust.
It's a treat friends and family will love.
Krautstrudel is simply a cabbage strudel.
When one thinks of strudel, apple strudel often comes to mind. Definitely a must for apple season.
Yet a Krautstrudel, or cabbage strudel, should also be a must. Distinctly different, savory, and so easy, it's a dish you won't want to miss this season.
This is a new favorite in our house. And I can thank my niece, Maria, for enlighting me.
She is living with her husband in the Black Forest region of Germany, teaching art. And fully immersed in the culture, cooking her way through German cookbooks, hiking, and traveling throughout the region.
A few weeks ago, she sent me some photos of a Krautstrudel she was making in her German kitchen from Luisa Weiss' cookbook, Classic German Baking.
And I was hooked.
She made her own strudel dough, which looks amazing.
It wasn't but a couple of days before I had to make my own.
And it was as good as it looked!
I simplified the recipe to fit a busy lifestyle.
Krautstrudel Ingredients
Specific ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below but here is a brief summary of the ingredients you'll need:
- Frozen phyllo dough, thawed
- Olive oil
- Cooked bacon (you can also use diced Canadian bacon)
- Large yellow onion, chopped
- Red pepper, diced finely
- Green cabbage, cored and shredded (readers have also enjoyed using sauerkraut instead of fresh cabbage)
- Seasoning: salt, pepper and caraway seeds
Krautstrudel Ingredient Notes
Cabbage: Although I prefer to use a small head of shredded fresh cabbage, if time is a factor, try using a store-bought bag of coleslaw. Or, if you're a sauerkraut fan, you can substitute that for the fresh cabbage too.
Dough Options for Kraustrudel
But if you wanted to make your own strudel dough, it's a simple process that yields delicious results.
Strudel Dough Recipe
- 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl. Add the oil and mix into the flour. Slowly add the water, using a fork or your fingers to stir. Continue to work the dough until it comes together. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Let rest for about 30 minutes. Roll out the dough until it measures 10 by 13 inches. Then begin carefully stretching, with patience and using a towel, until the dough measures about 16 by 24 inches.
Phyllo Dough
We chose to use phyllo dough as it most similarly resembles a homemade strudel dough. And is store-bought ready and convenient. If using frozen phyllo dough, be sure to thaw it ahead of time, following package instructions.
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German Krautstrudel Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 - 10 sheets frozen phyllo dough thawed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 slices bacon diced (or Canadian bacon, diced)
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- ½ red pepper diced finely
- 1 small head green cabbage cored and shredded
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds + more for the top
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Follow package instructions to thaw phyllo dough. Usually overnight in the refrigerator or a couple of hours on the counter. Do not unwrap the phyllo until the filling is ready.
- To make the filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon, onion and red pepper. Saute until the onion is translucent and the bacon is cooked; 3-4 minutes. Then add the shredded cabbage and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft. Add the caraway seeds and season with salt and black pepper. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface that will ultimately fit onto a baking sheet. It's easier to transfer the cabbage roll to the baking sheet when it's already on parchment. Brush a small amount of olive oil directly onto the parchment paper.
- Unroll 4-5 sheets of thawed phyllo dough onto the coated parchment paper. Working quickly, brush olive oil on the top layer of phyllo. Then spread half of the cabbage mixture over one-quarter of the dough along the bottom short side edge, leaving a 1-½ inch border around the lower edges. Gently fold the sides of the dough over the filling, followed by the bottom edge of the dough. Working carefully, begin to tightly roll the dough into a cylinder shape, tucking the side edges in as you roll. Ending with the seam side down. Brush the top liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with caraway seeds and black pepper.
- Repeat with the second roll.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough is flaky and browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice into 2-inch pieces. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This sounds amazing and versatile. I might add a small amount of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar to the cabbage when cooking. My mom always did this with cabbage to take the bite out of the taste.
Hi Diane! It's always a favorite at our house! My grandmother always added a splash of cider vinegar and brown sugar (or sugar) to her cabbage for the same reason-- it was also my grandfather's preference. That method also works well. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this as written until I got to the phyllo dough .It was crap so I mixed in a pack of rice.It was awesome.
Hi Timothy, phyllo dough can be tricky to work with sometimes. Puff pastry is a good alternative and easy to work with too. I'm glad you enjoyed it though!
How many people would this serve? What size piece?
Hi Nicole— I like to plan 6-8 slices per roll, depending on how thick the rolls are.
when you say a "small " cabbage, I am not sure exactly what that means. 5 cups cabbage chopped ? a 1 lb cabbage ? it would help to have weight. just saying....
When I shred a small cabbage weighing about 1.5 to 2 pounds, it usually yields about 7 to 8 cups.
what do you serve it with?
Hi Donna, Krautstrudel goes with so many different dishes. For Christmas, it's nice with a German goose, or a schnitzel. Potatoes and roasted vegetables are delicious sides that pair well with this dish. Think of it as a side dish to serve alongside anything you like!
We just made this dish. It was so good, absolutely phenomenal. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Has anyone added cheese? I was thinking Swiss?
Hi Sis! I've not added cheese to Kraustrudel-- but it sounds amazing. I'd never thought of that. If you try it-- please let me know how it turns out! I think Swiss sounds like a great choice, but maybe also Mozzarella or Gruyere too?
I used smoked Gruyere....amazing.
That is a delicious choice!
I'm wondering if I could do this with my leftover pork & sauerkraut? Just chop up the pork, add some onions, roll it up in pastry & bake?
Hi Ann! You can absolutely make this with leftover pork and sauerkraut. Just mince it finely, roll it in pastry, and bake! Love to hear how it turns out!