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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)

    October 2, 2019 • Updated: September 28, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage & Cheese | Air-fryer recipe | The Good Hearted Woman #Oktoberfest #Airfryer #appetizer #easyrecipe #footballfood

    These Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage and Cheese are the perfect appetizer for all your favorite celebrations! They can be prepared days ahead of time, stay crisp for hours, and are a snap to make in your air-fryer! 

    Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Expert Tips & FAQs
    • More German Recipes
    • Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage & Cheese

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    Some time ago, while Mr B and I were traveling through Billing, Montana, we stopped for dinner at a local favorite, the Oktoberfest German Restaurant. Twice.

    The food at Oktoberfest German Restaurant was fresh and tasty, the portions enormous, and the service friendly and attentive. Over the course of the two nights we dined there (ahem… research), we sampled a wide variety of familiar menu offerings, including sauerbraten, schnitzel, and spaetzle. (Oh my!) We also tried something quite new to us - sauerkraut fritters. 

    The sauerkraut fritters stood out both for their amazing flavor and for their unique presentation, so when we got home, we started working up a recipe. 

    Luckily, we didn't need to reinvent the wheel for this one: we started with this deep-fryer recipe from Food Republic, and then experimented with ingredients, amounts, and refrigeration times to achieve the best flavor and optimal conditions for air-frying.

    For this fritter recipe, process is nearly as important to achieving perfect results as are the actual ingredients. (Don't worry - we've made it super easy!)

    I could not be happier with the results! These little golfball-size babies turn out crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and oh-so-tasty!

    Close-up of thumb and finger holding golf-ball size fritter with bite taken,  interior showing.

    What Goes into this Recipe

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Sauerkraut: My parents used to make crocks full of sauerkraut to can every year: whenever I opened my Dad's office door in the late fall, a wave of thick, pungent fermenting cabbage would hit me square in the face. When I moved out on my own and started buying my kraut from a store, I quickly learned that (like pickles) the flavor of any given sauerkraut is heavily dependent up on both method and maker. For this recipe, use a mild, Bavarian-style kraut for the best results. (We get our sauerkraut from our local German deli.)

    ★ Sausage: Use any good, high-quality smoked German or Polish sausage. Sausages need to be chopped into very small (¼-inch) pieces before frying. If the casing is very tough, remove it before chopping. 

    ★ Cheese: Jarlsberg is our favorite and preferred cheese for this recipe. It holds up well in the fritter mix while adding a subtle nutty essence that enhances the flavor of the entire fritter. The reference recipe I used called for Gruyere, but I found that while processed Gruyere is cheap and widely available, “real” Gruyere is both difficult to find and ridiculously expensive. Personally, I find both the texture and the flavor of processed Gruyere off-putting; moreover, its overly melty consistency makes the fritters slump as they fry, and who wants frumpy fritters?!?

    ★ Panko Crumbs: Panko crumbs are lighter than regular bread crumbs, and consistent in both moisture retention and browning when air-fried. 

    How to Make this Recipe

    Make the Inner Fritter Mixture

    Thoroughly drain the sauerkraut. A one-pound bag after draining will weigh 7-8 ounces after draining. Set the sauerkraut aside in a large bowl.

    Cut the bacon and sausage up into very small pieces. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is sizzling hot, add the chopped bacon and sausage and cook until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. DO NOT DRAIN!

    Add the cooled, cooked bacon and sausage (including the rendered fat) to the drained sauerkraut. Add the mustard, Panko crumbs, and grated Jarlsberg and mix.

    Stir in the three beaten eggs and mix everything thoroughly to combine. Cover mixture and set in refrigerator for at least three hours, and as long as overnight.

    Scoop of fritter mix beside large bowl containing more of same.

    Form the Fritter Balls

    When mixture is thoroughly chilled, use your hands or a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to form into one-ounce balls.

    You can measure them out with the scoop if you want, but you really need to use your hands to form them, because you want them to be nice and tight. (Loose fritter balls will make the breading step unnecessarily frustrating.) 

    Set the formed balls on a plate or dish and cover lightly to keep in moisture.

    Refrigerate at least one hour, and up to four days. 

    Bread the Fritters 

    When you are ready to bread the fritters, you will need three bowls, each big enough to hold at least a few of the prepared sauerkraut balls.

    Put the following into each bowl:

    • Bowl 1: Flour, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
    • Bowl 2: Beaten eggs.
    • Bowl 3: Panko crumbs
    Formed fritter balls on baking sheet.

    Remove fritter balls from refrigerator. They should feel cold and firm.

    For each fritter: Roll in flour mixture [Bowl 1] and shake off excess, then dip in the beaten egg [Bowl 2], and finally roll in the Panko crumbs [Bowl 3].

    Place breaded fritters on a plate until you have enough done for a batch.

    Overhead shot of uncooked, breaded fritters placed inside air fryer.

    Air-fry the Fritters

    Each style of air-fryer (i.e., bucket, oven, toaster-oven) seems to cooks a little differently. Consider cooking a single fritter at the suggested time and temperature, and then adjust as needed to cook the rest.

    Preheat the air-fryer to 360°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.

    Set the breaded fritter balls in the bottom of your air fryer basket. Be sure to leave space around each ball for air to circulate.

    Air-fry the fritters at 360°F (180°C) for 11 minutes. If you want your fritters to be perfectly round and consistently golden, carefully turn balls over halfway through the air-frying process.

    When done, remove air-fried sauerkraut fritters to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Serve with Honey Mustard, Whole Grain Mustard, and/or Honey-Mustard Sauce.

    Expert Tips & FAQs

    Get an air-fryer if you don't already have one.

    We love our air fryer! Can I just say that? My mom gave us ours for Christmas one year, and we put off using it for the longest time, but now we are hooked!

    We made these beautiful fritters in eleven minutes with absolutely no added oil, and the clean-up took less than a minute. Seriously! If you are on the fence about getting an air fryer, take the leap!

    What kind of sauces go best with sauerkraut fritters?

    Sauerkraut Fritters can be served with ready-made condiments, but you can mix up an easy honey mustard sauce in just minutes! Simply whisk together ½ cup mayo, ¼ cup whole grain mustard, and 2 tablespoons of honey for another layer of sweet-and-savory flavor!

    Can you make sauerkraut fritters ahead of time?

    You can make them up to point the fritter balls are refrigerated up to four days ahead of time. Do not bread the fritters until you are ready to cook them.

    Can you reheat sauerkraut fritters?

    Yes! Just preheat your air-fryer and put them back in for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but they won't be as crispy.

    Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage & Cheese on blue and white rectangular tray.

    More German Recipes

    • Hot German Potato Salad (Bavarian Kartoffelsalat)
    • Traditional German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)
    • Traditional German Sauerbraten
    • Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)
    Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    5 from 6 votes

    Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage & Cheese

    These Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters with Bacon, Sausage, and Cheese are the perfect appetizer for all your fall celebrations! They can be prepared days ahead of time, stay crisp for hours, and are a snap to make in the air-fryer.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time:1 hour
    Cook Time:11 minutes
    Refrigeration Time:4 hours
    Total Time:5 hours 11 minutes
    Servings: 24 fritters
    Calories: 123kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Air Fryer
    • 3 Small Bowls

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    Inner Fritter
    • 16 ounces sauerkraut
    • 1 large smoked sausage (Bratwurst, Bauernwurst, Kielbasa, etc.)
    • 6 ounces thick-cut bacon chopped into ¼" pieces
    • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
    • 3 ounces Jarlsberg cheese grated
    • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
    • 1 cup Panko crumbs
    Fritter Breading
    • 1½ cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • 2 large eggs beaten
    • 1½ cups Panko crumbs

    Instructions

    Inner Fritter Mixture

    • Thoroughly drain the sauerkraut. A one-pound bag after draining will weigh 7-8 ounces. Set aside in a large bowl.
    • Cut the bacon and sausage up into very small pieces. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.
      When the skillet is sizzling hot, add the chopped bacon and sausage and cook until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
      Remove from heat and allow to cool. DO NOT DRAIN!
    • Add the cooled, cooked bacon and sausage (including the rendered fat) to the drained sauerkraut.
      Add the mustard, Panko crumbs, and grated Jarlsberg and mix.
    • Stir in the 3 beaten eggs and mix everything thoroughly to combine.
    • Cover mixture and set in refrigerator for at least three hours, and as long as overnight.
    • When mixture is thoroughly chilled, use your hands or a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to form into one-ounce balls.
      You can measure them out with the scoop if you want, but you really need to use your hands to form them, because you want them to be nice and tight. (Loose fritter balls will make the breading step unnecessarily frustrating.)
      Set the formed balls on a plate or dish and cover lightly to keep in moisture. Refrigerate at least one hour, and up to four days.

    Fritter Breading

    • When you are ready to bread the fritters, you will need three bowls, each big enough to hold at least a few of the prepared sauerkraut balls.
      Put the following into each bowl:
      • Bowl 1: Flour, kosher salt, and pepper. (Stir to combine.)
      • Bowl 2: Beaten eggs.
      • Bowl 3: Panko crumbs
    • Remove fritter balls from refrigerator. They should feel cold and firm.
    • For each fritter: Roll in flour mixture [Bowl 1] and shake off excess, then dip in the beaten egg [Bowl 2], and finally roll in the Panko crumbs [Bowl 3].
      Place breaded fritters on a plate until you have enough done for a batch.

    Air Frying

    • Set the breaded fritter balls in the bottom of your air fryer basket. Be sure to leave space around each ball for air to circulate.
    • Set air-fryer to 360°F [180°C] for 11 minutes.
      If you want your fritters to be perfectly round and consistently golden, carefully turn balls over halfway through the air-frying process.
      When done, remove air-fried sauerkraut fritters to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
    • Serve with Honey Mustard, Whole Grain Mustard, and/or Honey-Mustard Sauce.

    Notes

    Each style of air-fryer (i.e., bucket, oven, toaster-oven) seems to cooks just a little differently. If you use something besides a bucket-style air-fryer, you might consider cooking a single fritter at the suggested time and temp, and adjust as needed to cook the rest.
    If you are in a hurry, or just don't want to deal with flipping them halfway thru the cooking time, you can just air-fry them for 11 minutes at 360°F (180°C).
    Don't worry too much about your fritters getting cold. You can make them all well ahead of time and easily warm them up in a low oven or in the microwave, or just serve them at room temperature. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

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    1. Vicky says

      January 14, 2023 at 4:52 am

      5 stars
      I’m sitting here This morning with my cup of coffee rereading your French onion soup recipe which I’m going to make later today. I was just looking at your website and I saw the recipe for these sauerkraut fritters And my mouth is watering! I lived in Germany for a couple years and I love German food! And then you made my day when I saw you air fried them! So they are definitely on my “to cook list!”

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        January 14, 2023 at 2:30 pm

        Thanks so much, Vicky - your comment made my day!

        Those fritters are so good! You've inspired me to add a tip though. We just got a new, toaster oven-style air-fryer, (which I love, btw) and I've learned that each style of air-fryer cooks just a little differently. If you use something besides a bucket-style air-fryer, you might consider cooking a single fritter at the suggested time and temp, and adjust as needed to cook the rest.

        Reply
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