Cabbage and Sausage turns simple, budget-friendly ingredients into a hearty one-skillet meal loaded with caramelized, smoky sausage and melt-in-your-mouth tender cabbage. It’s quick to prepare and packed with flavor.
Serve it with oven-roasted potatoes or buttery egg noodles, and a slice of Irish soda bread.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Cabbage and Sausage
- Flavor: It’s savory and smoky, with caramelized sausage, tender buttery cabbage, sweet onion, and a subtle tang from apple cider vinegar.
- Why Make It: One skillet turns inexpensive cabbage and sausage into a hearty, flavorful dinner with minimal prep and very little cleanup.
- Technique: Brown the sausage first, then use the same skillet so the cabbage can soak up all those flavorful browned bits.
Total Time: 48 Mins Servings: 4 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Total Time:
- 48 mins
- Serves:
- 4
- Rating:
- 4.8/5
Ingredient Notes
- Smoked Sausage: Kielbasa gives this skillet plenty of smoky, garlicky flavor, but any fully cooked smoked sausage works well, including turkey or chicken sausage.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage holds its shape as it cooks, becoming tender and slightly sweet. Savoy cabbage is a great substitute and will soften a little faster. Learn how to cut cabbage
into evenly sized pieces, or use pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix for quicker prep (just check it early since thin cabbage cooks faster). - Chicken Broth: Adds savory flavor and enough moisture to help steam and tenderize the cabbage. Use low-sodium broth if your sausage is particularly salty.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: A small splash brightens the dish and cuts through the richness of the smoked sausage. Replace with white wine vinegar.
- Carrot (Optional): Adds a touch of sweetness and color. Use pre-shredded carrots for an easy shortcut.
- Smoked Paprika (Optional): It enhances the sausage’s smoky flavor without adding heat.
How to Make Cabbage and Sausage
- In a skillet, cook the sausage, then set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the remaining ingredients (full recipe below).
- Add the sausage back to the skillet and finish cooking.
Storing Leftovers
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave or warm in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Easy Sausage Suppers
Did you enjoy this Cabbage and Sausage Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Cabbage and Sausage
Cabbage and sausage is a hearty one-skillet dinner with smoky browned sausage, tender cabbage, and savory seasonings.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 head green cabbage cored and coarsely chopped, about 6 cups
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 medium carrot shredded, optional
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and in the same skillet, add the onion. Cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the chopped cabbage, broth, carrot (if using), vinegar, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage begins to soften, about 15 minutes.
- Uncover, add the sausage to the skillet, and toss to combine. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is tender.
- Season to taste and serve.
Notes
A pinch of red pepper flakes will add a little kick.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 448 | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 1491mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2922IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course Cuisine American, Polish© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
When calories are listed, how can I determine the portion size for a dish to conform to my diet restrictions? This would enable me to try more of your wonderful recipes.
Hi Debby, we try to give a serving size but don’t always have them. To know the nutrition for the recipe it would be 1 serving out of how many the recipe is listed for. So in this case the recipe is 4 serving so the nutrition is for ¼ of this recipe. I hope this helps.
I have to be honest, this didn’t look like much in the pan…but it sure was tasty! And easy! Thank you.
Amanda, I’m so glad you gave it a try! It’s always nice when a simple dish surprises you.
This is sooooooo good!! My husband and I loved this dish! Added a couple of garden hot peppers, twice the paprika and vinegar, you gotta make it! Thanks holly🧡
I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe Suzy!
I do a recipe similar to this and add in more butter. I put in some frozen pierogies and sometimes some cubed potatoes. It adds that special comfort and yumminess, especially for those who typically shy away from cabbage! This will have them clearing their plates and asking for more! It’s a hug for the tummy! I typically do 3 pierogies per person using Mrs. T’s brand – any flavor is good. Enjoy!
Sounds delicious, thank you for sharing!
I substituted the beef sausage for turkey, and used a bit less. Great tasting,
That sounds delicious. I am glad you enjoyed it, Judy!
I’ve been making this tasty dish for a long time as my mother made it when we were young. It’s also very good with a few potatoes thrown in to steam with the cabbage. I prefer kielbasa but drain the fat and use a few tablespoons of bacon grease instead of butter.
It’s healthy, hearty, and delicious!
TW, that sounds absolutely delicious. I love that it’s a recipe that your mom made also; those are always the best. Thanks for sharing your twist. It’s the kind of dish that warms both the stomach and the soul.
how about a few sour apples 🍎? chopped up and added to the cabbage 🤔
I haven’t tried it but it sounds yummy! If you try it Billy, I would love to hear how it goes.
I make something very similar for my family. The only difference is that I add sliced potatoes to help bulk it up. It’s an economical comfort food for us, especially since the only main ingredient we buy is the meat.
Potatoes is a great addition to bulk up this recipe! Such an easy and cost effective dinner. Thank you for sharing Jerilea.
I love sausage and cabage. It makes a great dish!
Thanks Rosana. I am glad you are enjoying it!