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Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut is one of the easiest recipes to make! With just a few simple ingredients, this recipe will deliver a pork roast that is cooked to tender perfection in a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy sauerkraut and apple mixture.
Serve this pressure cooker pork and sauerkraut with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Instant Pot Steamed Green Beans for an easy family meal.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Instead of the traditional Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut, which takes hours to braise, the instant pot gets the same dish with the same flavors on the table in a fraction of the time.
- This is not just any recipe for pork and sauerkraut--this is the BEST recipe for Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut. This pork roast is cooked with sauerkraut, which tenderizes the meat and gives it a tangy flavor. But I also add apple juice and fresh apples to balance out the sourness of the sauerkraut. The pork is tender, flavorful, and absolutely incredible.
- The process for making Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut is EASIER than the traditional method. For my slow cooker pork and sauerkraut recipe, I season the pork and sear the pork and then cook in the slow cooker. For this instant pot version, skip the step of searing the meat. The pork loin absorbs all the flavors as it cooks and gets perfectly tender and flavorful better if NOT seared.
- Even if you THINK you don't like sauerkraut, this may be the recipe to change your mind. It adds dimension and a tangy bite to the pork, but thanks to the apple juice it is not overpowering at all. Even my picky kids enjoy this recipe!
Notes on Ingredients
- Pork Roast: I love using a pork loin for this recipe. It is lean, flavorful and because of the sauerkraut and the Instant Pot, it gets perfectly tender. Feel free to use a pork shoulder or pork roast, you will just need to add 5 minutes of cook time.
- Sauerkraut: Fresh or canned sauerkraut can be used.
- Apple Juice: Just like my recipe for Instant Pot Pulled Pork, apple juice is the secret to this recipe. It balances out the sauerkraut and apples and pork are a perfect culinary pair.
- Apples: Use apples that hold up well to baking, like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp or Braeburn.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step One: Prepare the Pork
It is best to cut the pork into 2-4 inch large chunks, whether using pork loin or pork butt. This will help the pork cook evenly and tenderize.
Step Two: Layer Ingredients
Once the meat is cut into chunks, this recipe is as easy as putting everything into the Instant pot and pressure cooking.
Step Three: Pressure Cook
Be sure to set to cook on HIGH pressure. The cook time will remain the same regardless of how much pork you cook--it may just take LONGER to come to pressure.
Step Four: Pressure Release
It is very important to remember to let the pressure release naturally after cook time has elapsed. If you do a quick pressure release, your meat may seize up and become tough.
Step Five: Serve
Once the cooking time has elapsed and pressure is released, remove the pork from the Instant Pot. I prefer to shred the pork and then serve it with the cooking juices, but you can serve the pork in larger chunks if desired.
Instant Pot Pork and sauerkraut is a great served with the cooking juices over mashed potatoes or if you are lucky enough to have two pressure cookers, make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
FAQs and Expert Tips
- Do you have to drain the sauerkraut first? I do recommend you drain the sauerkraut before adding to your Instant Pot, as it is quite salty and sour but it is a personal preference.
- No Apple Juice? A tip my mom taught me was to add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and use chicken stock if you don't have apple juice on hand. The flavor won't AS good, but the brown sugar helps to balance out the acidity of the sauerkraut.
- Storage Instructions: Leftover pork can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and frozen for up to 3 months.
More Instant Pot Pork Recipes
- Instant Pot Pork Tacos--tangy, savory, and spiced to perfection. This meat is great on tacos, in burritos, or fajitas.
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork--delicious, tangy, and fabulous for BBQ Pork Sandwiches.
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin--Pork Tenderloin is cooked with sweet potatoes for a complete, easy, and healthy meal.
- Instant Pot Pork Chops--made with a creamy mushroom sauce without canned soup.
- Instant Pot Brats--If you enjoy pork with sauerkraut, you will love pork brats (or beef or turkey brats) made with sauerkraut!
If you enjoyed this recipe Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut recipe, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut
Video
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds pork loin roast, cut into 2-3 inch large chunks
- salt and pepper
- 16 ounces sauerkraut, drained of extra liquid
- 1 cup apple juice, or chicken stock
- 1 medium firm sweet apple, sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, optional
Instructions
- Cut 2-3 pounds pork loin roast into large 2-3 inch chunks. Liberally season pork loin with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place pork pieces in the instant pot and pour 1 cup apple juice. Add 1 medium firm sweet apple (sliced), 1 large yellow onion (sliced) and 1 tablespoon minced garlic to pressure cooker. Top with 16 ounces sauerkraut
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Hit Cook Time/Pressure Cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust to 15.
- Once cook time has elapsed allow pressure to release naturally, or for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve pork with juices over noodles or mashed potatoes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So very good my family loved it. My husband said once a week ok?
Now that is the ultimate compliment! Thanks for sharing, Patricia 🙂
This was delicious! I would just make sure to really salt the pork well. She really means liberally. I shredded the pork pieces and served it all over mashed potatoes. Excellent and so easy!
Thrilled you enjoyed, Susan! And yes, salting the pork loin is key to developing flavor 🙂
I'm making this recipe again in the Instant Pot. It is fantastic and easy! Great flavor. I was hesitant about not searing the meat! In this recipe, it makes little difference.
Thanks for the recipe!
Happy New Year 2026!
You are so welcome! Happy New Year to you too, Sonia!
Would you be willing to share how you would do this the "traditional way" (the way you don't like)? We used to eat baked pork & sauerkraut with pickling spices for flavor, and I'd love to re-create that recipe - this recipe is the closest I've ever found. Would you just omit the apple and apple juice? water or sauerkraut juice as a liquid?
Hi Amber! My mom always added apple slices and brown sugar--but it took be a bit to appreciate the flavors. However, she never added the apple juice and used chicken stock instead. To replicate the version you are referring to, I would use chicken stock in place of apple juice, omit the brown sugar, and add 1-2 tablespoons of pickling spices. I still would recommend adding the apple and onion for balanced flavor 🙂
I use bagged sauerkraut, country ribs, unsweetened applesauce, water, brown sugar and caraway seeds. I drain one bag of kraut but not the other one. Yummy.
Thanks for sharing!
I have 5 1” thick pork chops with bones. Can I use them in this recipe? Thank you, Kim
Hi Kim! Yes, you absolutely can use pork chops. Season, sear, and You can use pork chops, cook for 5 minutes on high pressure with NPR for pork chops just cooked through or 10 minutes on high pressure if you want them falling apart.
I have 2 pork loins. One is 2.5 and the other is 3 pounds. Can I cook this all together? How should I modify time and should I double everything including liquid?
Hi Meghan! Because you are cutting the pork into pieces, the cooking time will stay the same. But for a total of 5.5 pounds of meat, I would double all the remaining ingredients. Enjoy