To screen for excellent strains for sauerkraut fermentation, 19 lactic acid bacteria were isolated and purified from traditional sauerkraut in Guizhou. Preliminary screening was carried out based on acid production capacity and growth status, followed by secondary screening based on the nitrite degradation capacity, acid tolerance, viscosity production, and hydrogen sulfide production properties. Strain RS11 exhibited the best overall performance, with a nitrite degradation rate of 98.8%, optimal tolerance at pH 3.50, and absence of viscosity or hydrogen sulfide production. Safety evaluation showed that RS11 had no hemolytic activity, showed resistance to streptomycin and kanamycin, showed moderate sensitivity to tetracycline, vancomycin, and erythromycin, and was sensitive to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and gentamicin. RS11 was identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum through 16S rDNA sequencing. This strain underwent homolactic fermentation and was able to utilize all tested carbohydrates, exhibiting rapid growth and acid production; it entered the logarithmic growth phase within 2 h, reached the stationary phase by 12 h, and reduced the pH to 3.98 within 12 h. The inoculation and fermentation results showed that compared with traditional natural fermentation, the application of RS11 shortened the fermentation cycle from 7 d to 2 d, and the peak nitrite content during the fermentation process was only 0.62 mg•kg-1. In conclusion, local L. plantarum RS11 screened from the traditional sauerkraut fermentation systems offers excellent fermentation characteristics and safety and hence is suitable for sauerkraut production.