Buttery, tender yet crisp cabbage is sauteed with smoky kielbasa sausage for a skillet meal you will have on the table in mere minutes.
Kielbasa and Cabbage
I would venture to say cabbage is one of the most overlook and underrated vegetables. Sounds a bit crazy, I know. But when sauteed or roasted just right, it is a slightly crispy, buttery delight.
Cabbage is such a filling comfort food that serves as a great backdrop for so many other flavors and ingredients like noodles and cabbage, a tasty combination we make often.
If buying an entire head of cabbage seems like a lot of cabbage to eat, never fear. It cooks down amazingly when you saute it. I have even surprised myself with the endless ways I have found to use it and what it can be combined with.
While many fresh vegetables don’t have much of a shelf life. Cabbage can last a good two months in the refrigerator. This makes it perfect to keep on hand and worked into quick meals like this one.
Cut off what you need and put the remainder in a zip-top bag to store. If the edges turn brown over time, slice off that part, and the remainder is still good to go. Not to mention I can help you out with lots of ideas for cooking with cabbage.
Cabbage and Kielbasa
Cabbage and kielbasa is quite possibly the easiest dinner you’ll ever make. My refrigerator always has these two ingredients on hand, as they keep nicely for quite a while and are perfect for a last-minute dinner option.
Start by browning the kielbasa medallions in a skillet with just a little bit of oil, it doesn’t take much. Saute for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil and onions. Cook until they start to soften. Toss in your garlic and cabbage—season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, coating the cabbage with the onions and the little bit of oil in the skillet.
Saute, covered for 10-12 minutes stirring once or twice during that time. Add the kielbasa back to the pan along with a splash of vinegar and heat for 2-3 minutes.
If you don’t care for kielbasa, no worries, smoked sausage, ground sausage, or turkey sausage will work nicely as well.
Be sure to taste-test the dish before serving. Cabbage can handle quite a bit of seasoning, however, the sausage may already be contributing a good amount of salt. So, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed at the end of the cooking time.
Cabbage and Kielbasa Recipe
To make this recipe you will need the following:
- kielbasa smoked sausage
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- cabbage
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- red wine vinegar
I love a good skillet and have my favorites. Recently I came across this cast iron version called a casserole skillet and started using it for this recipe. (You can see it in action in the photos here.)
I had never heard of a casserole skillet before finding this one. I’m a little bit obsessed with the deep sides that prevent spills when I pile it full of cabbage and sausage. The fact it pretty much wipes clean after cooking is yet another reason to love it.
It works perfectly on the stovetop or in the oven. And as an added bonus, it is almost unbelievably reasonably priced! Can you tell I am loving this skillet? It is now an everyday use pan for me and one I will be gifting at bridal showers from now on.
One Skillet Meals
One skillet meals (many of them cooked in my new casserole skillet) are likely to become some of your favorites as well.
The best stir fries are salty, savory, sweet, and a little bit spicy. This ground beef and broccoli stir fry nails all of those things.
Sweet and just a little bit spicy, this honey sriracha chicken stir fry is filled with bite-size sticky sweet chunks of chicken and tender-crisp peppers. The whole recipe comes together in under 20 minutes.
Sauteed sausage pairs beautifully with the slightly sweet peppers and crisp zucchini in this flavorful Sausage Zucchini Skillet.
Cabbage stir fry with chicken and noodles in a simple stir fry sauce is a delicious way to get dinner on the table fast.
Saucy bites of chicken are tossed with crispy tender bok choy and a diced jalapeno in this flavorful Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry.
Looking for more cabbage dinner recipes? The crunch of tender crisp cabbage adds wonderful texture to this Cabbage Fried Rice, which is a simple one-dish meal that comes together in minutes.
Cabbage and Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa smoked sausage
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium head cabbage cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 2 lbs)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Halve the kielbasa lengthwise and then slice it into ½-inch pieces. Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add ½ tablespoon oil and the kielbasa. Toss to coat and then cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the kielbasa to a plate.
- Return the pan to the stove and reduce the heat to medium low. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
- Add the garlic, cabbage, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine. Cover and cook, stirring every 4-5 minutes until the cabbage is wilted, about 12 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar and return the kielbasa to the pot. Stir and cover for about 3 more minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the kielbasa is hot. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Nutrition
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