Fried Cabbage and Sausage

Fried Cabbage and Sausage is a hearty and savory one-skillet meal. Garlicky kielbasa is sauteed with thinly-sliced cabbage, herbs, and spices for an easy dinner the whole family will love!

30-minute dishes are a real lifesaver when you’re too busy, but still want to enjoy something homecooked. You only need half an hour to whip up these Skillet Pork Chops, Pesto Chicken Kabobs, and Chicken Enchilada Pasta from scratch!

fried cabbage and kielbasa

Easy Cabbage and Sausage Recipe

Fried Cabbage and Sausage is a fuss-free dish that’s incredibly delicious and filling. This recipe highlights the best parts of the two. You’ve got that meaty, super juicy sausage with a slight snap as you bite into it.

Sauteing the cabbage brings out its natural sweetness, and it develops flavorful brown bits in the hot pan. The simple seasonings – garlic, spices, herbs, and a dash of Worcestershire – coat everything beautifully. 

It’s also the perfect weeknight dinner. Forgot to plan ahead? This recipe only requires less than 10 minutes of prep time, and around 20 minutes to cook. Best of all, you know you’re feeding your family something healthy and wholesome for dinner. 

What meat goes well with cabbage?

This vegetable, which has a naturally bland taste, goes really well with most meats such as corned beef, bacon, ground beef, chicken strips, and pork.

fried cabbage and sausage ingredients

Is cabbage good for weight loss? 

Yes, it’s a very good addition to any diet. It’s mostly water, which means it has very few calories. However, it’s also packed with fiber, Vitamins C and K, antioxidants, and aids in digestion. It’s a very healthy vegetable that I try to incorporate in many of my recipes. 

Does cabbage need to be washed?

Not necessarily, but I highly encourage it. It’s usually clean inside thanks to the outer leaves, but I like rinsing it under running water to get rid of any trapped dirt, insects, and other debris.

What I do is I take off the outer leaves, then I slice the head as the recipe calls for. Then I rinse the sliced pieces and drain them in a colander. Draining is important especially for sauteed recipes like this one so that it gets seared instead of getting steamed in the pan. 

How do you slice cabbage?

To begin slicing, split it in half, then cut each half down the middle. This makes it easier to cut out the core, aka the stem. Once the core is out, you can then cut the parts into wedges, chunks, thin ribbons, or whatever the recipe requires.

steps how to make fried cabbage and sausage

How do you cook cabbage and sausage?

  1. Sauté. Stir-fry your aromatics in hot butter and oil until tender and fragrant, followed with the cabbage. Stir to coat, then season with paprika, fresh ground pepper, and salt. Wait for the vegetables to wilt, stirring from time to time. Season with Worcestershire sauce and a little fresh thyme.
  2. Add the sliced kielbasa. Add the kielbasa into the veggies, and cook until it’s nicely browned.
  3. Serve. Plate it up with some chopped fresh parsley on top, and eat hot. 

Recipe Variations:

  • Use other sausages: This veggie is also delicious with hot or mild Italian sausage, smoky Andouille, or bratwurst.
  • Use other meats: Try this with some ground meat, strips of beef, or shredded roasted chicken.
  • Make it vegetarian: Use vegan butter and sub tofu for meat.
  • Add other vegetables: Make it healthier with carrots, florets of cauliflower, julienned bell peppers, mushrooms, snow peas, and other veggies.
  • Try other seasonings: Boost the flavor with a dash of Creole seasoning.

fried cabbage and sausage skillet

Is the cabbage core healthy or edible? 

Did you know you can actually eat the core? You can shred it really thinly and add to stir-fries, pickle it, roast, or even puree the stalk for soups. 

How to store?

Let it cool completely first, then place it in an air-tight storage container. You may keep this in the fridge, but it’s best to consume it within 2 days for the best flavor and texture.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, it’s a great recipe to make in advance! Again, let everything get completely cool. Place in a freezer-friendly storage container. Freeze for as long as a month. When ready to eat, thaw, then microwave until piping hot. 

fried cabbage and sausage

More recipes:

Recipe tips:

  • Don’t move the veggies around too much, so it develops those flavor-loaded brown bits.
  • You may brown the kielbasa slices first before sautéing the veggies.
fried cabbage and sausage skillet

Fried Cabbage and Sausage

Catalina Castravet
Fried Cabbage and Sausage is a hearty and savory one-skillet meal. Garlicky kielbasa is sauteed with thinly-sliced cabbage, herbs, and spices for an easy dinner the whole family will love!
5 from 14 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Irish
Servings 4 servings
Calories 537 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small cabbage head about 2lbs sliced into thin strips
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 lb Polska kielbasa sliced into thin rounds
  • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place a large pan over medium-high heat, and add oil and butter, stir until melted and foamy.
  • Add diced onion and cook until soft and transparent, stirring for about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add garlic, cook until fragrant and soft, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add cabbage to the pan and toss. Season it with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
  • Let cabbage reduce by half, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme. Stir.
  • Slice smoked Polska kielbasa into thin rounds and add it to the pan.
  • When cabbage has lost much of its volume and started to turn tender and slightly translucent, with browned bits, and Polska kielbasa has browned slightly, the dish is ready to serve.
  • Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 19gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1658mgPotassium: 718mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 664IUVitamin C: 88mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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easy fried cabbage and sausage pin

5 from 14 votes

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25 Comments

  1. That is such a nice and traditional recipe. I have never cooked with cabbage but it looks like a very healthy vegetable.5 stars

  2. That sounds really tasty. I’ve never had cabbage and sausage like this. I’ve had sauerkraut, but I’ve never had fried cabbage.5 stars

  3. Yum, this looks delicious. I do love cabbage. I have been trying to find new recipes with cabbage too. I’m going to have to try this one.

  4. We love cabbage, it is a versatile vegetable. Cabbage slightly burnt has an amazing aroma. Being vegetarians we use cabbage along with rice for various dishes.5 stars

  5. I usually make this recipe with beef sausage and some potato. It’s always very tasty. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

  6. Yum! I think I just heard my tummy growl! This Fried Cabbage and Sausage is making me really hungry!5 stars

  7. Hmm yum! My husband is asking me to make this Fried Cabbage and Sausage for him again. It’s really delicious!5 stars

  8. I always make simple cabbage curry, but now I will have to try your recipe! This fried cabbage and sausage looks so delicious 😍

  9. One of my favorite simple recipes. I actually just made this meal two days ago. I usually cook my sausages separately, but next time, I’ll slice them up and add them to the cabbage. Nice!!

  10. Cooked cabbage is naturally sweet. We always add apple cider vinegar up to a 1/4 cup depending on the amount you make. Just add it in near the end when cooking it to taste.

  11. I made this up today needless to say there was no leftoverswith 2 people. First time frying cabbage with sausage, always made soup with it. Now we have a new way to cook it. I added some caraway seeds, red pepper flakes and a little bit of hemp seeds to it. Tasted great!

  12. Very good. I used pasture breakfast sausages, which I brown first. Removed, then proceeded with the rest of the recipe.5 stars

  13. Love this recipe! I cook my sausage ahead of time and I use ground mustard instead of thyme. Everyone in my family eats it even though they swear they hate cabbage! Lol!

  14. I love cabbage and sausage, but all others seem to lack flavor. This recipe is by far the best and only recipe I will use moving forward. Tons of flavor!!! 👍🏻👍🏻5 stars