Tender potatoes, fresh cabbage, and salty kielbasa are about all you need to make this quick and easy flavor-filled Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet.
There is never a bite leftover when I make this and my kids ask for it often.
I never have a problem fulfilling their request for this tasty skillet dinner because it takes just 20 minutes from start to finish.
This is one of those recipes to keep in your arsenal for the nights when you need a fast meal that will please everyone at the table.
As I was making this dinner for about the tenth time this year, it occurred to me that I’ve never actually posted it. It’s a super quick adaptation of this hash recipe and my boys love it.
This recipe is my answer to “what’s for dinner?” and also solves “I forgot to take the meat out of the freezer and it’s 5:00 pm.”
Best of all, my family loves kielbasa, so I know I’ll never hear any complaints when this dish hits the dinner table.
Kielbasa and Cabbage
My kids love Kielbasa and it’s featured in one of our dinners at least a couple times a month.
Kielbasa is something that you will almost always find in my refrigerator and we enjoy it in everything from Kielbasa and Shrimp Fried Rice to Cabbage and Sausage Skillet or combined in a Summer Squash Skillet.
The combination of Kielbasa sausage and cabbage is always a hit. These two inexpensive staples become an incredible and satisfying meal when cooked together.
Cabbage doesn’t always have the best reputation. It can be bitter and tough when eaten raw and get unappealing if overcooked. When cooked right though it’s one of my favorite veggies.
This cabbage is pan-fried in the skillet along with the spicy flavorful kielbasa, olive oil (or coconut oil) and garlic. The result is a lightly sweet and aromatic cabbage that’s tender but not mushy. This is one of the best ways to prepare cabbage in my opinion and my family agrees.
Kielbasa Recipes
As I mentioned before, kielbasa is a staple meat in our house. Over the years, I’ve come up with dozens of ways to serve this favorite variety of sausage.
If you haven’t gathered by now, I love an easy skillet dinner. This Skillet Mexican Street Corn with Squash and Kielbasa combines the ultimate sweet and spicy corn dish with sausage in a way that blows my socks off every time I make it.
If you like garlic and potatoes as much as my family does, you should also give this Garlicky Potato Kielbasa and Green Chile Skillet meal a try. The addition of green chiles to the sausage and potatoes makes this easy dinner something special.
Along with skillet dinners, one pan sheet meals are high on my list for quick no-fuss meals. Rebecca hit it out of the ballpark with this Kielbasa and Pierogies Sheet Pan Meal.
Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet
I enjoy kielbasa and cabbage on their own but this dish also includes potatoes to bring the whole thing to a different plane.
Pre-cooking the potatoes in the microwave is a great way to get this meal on the table fast. If you prefer not to use a microwave, you can boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 8-10 minutes, drain, and then add to the skillet.
I’ve made this recipe both ways and never noticed a difference in taste between microwaving and boiling.
Looking for even more Skillet Dinners?
Check out this Spicy Italian Bell Pepper Skillet and Spicy Chicken and Bacon Stir-Fry on my site. This Skillet Pasta Primavera by Flavor the Moment is another skillet recipe you are sure to love.
Sausage Egg Rolls In A Bowl is a one skillet dinner that is both packed with flavor and only takes a few minutes to make.
Mongolian Beef with Noodles, Better than Take-Out Beef and Broccoli, and Kung Pao Chicken are a few more easy stir-fry style recipes that I recommend saving in your must-try recipe collections too.
{20 Minute} Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet Recipe
Kitchen Tip: I use this skillet and this spatula to make this recipe.
- Peel and chop the potatoes, rinse the potatoes and place them in a medium-size glass bowl. Sprinkle the potatoes with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, stir or toss with your hands. Microwave the potatoes for 4 minutes, stir and microwave an additional 2-4 minutes until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and as soon as it’s shimmering, add the onions. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is barely tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and the kielbasa.
- Cook while stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, add them to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding a small additional drizzle of oil only if needed. Spread the potatoes across the pan and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes, stir and continue cooking until lightly browned.
- Add the cabbage and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine, add 2 tablespoons water to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with lid. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the cabbage is bright green and barely wilted. Taste and add additional salt, only if needed.
{20 Minute} Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound potatoes any variety, peeled and chopped into 1/-inch pieces
- ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil or light olive oil plus more only if needed
- 1 small onion chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound kielbasa sliced thin
- 1/2 medium head green cabbage sliced into ribbons, about 4 cups worth
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes, rinse the potatoes and place them in a medium-size glass bowl. Sprinkle the potatoes with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, stir or toss with your hands. Microwave the potatoes for 4 minutes, stir and microwave an additional 2-4 minutes until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and as soon as it’s shimmering, add the onions. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is barely tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and the kielbasa. Cook while stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, add them to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding a small additional drizzle of oil only if needed. Spread the potatoes across the pan and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes, stir and continue cooking until lightly browned.
- Add the cabbage and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine, add 2 tablespoons water to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with lid. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the cabbage is bright green and barely wilted. Taste and add additional salt, only if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 11/20/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/3/21}
Patty says
My son just made this recipe for our dinner! It was so easy and inexpensive (a farmer friend just blessed us with some fresh cabbage and potatoes!) For being so easy it sure is delicious! It will be a wonderful meal to have on a week night when we need to get dinner made fast! Thanks for the recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Patty.
Anne says
Love it! ❤️ Going to make again! very quick to make. cut everything up in the morning and soaked potatoes/onions in water. at dinner time,. a few minutes in micro while heating cabbage and kielbasa. mixed it all together, big part of butter and salt and pepper. deliciousness
Susie says
Oh my this is my favourite food now. I add a heavy shake of vinegar before I eat it. So GOOD! Found this when looking for a big batch on a budget. You could even double everything but the meat and it’s still enough.
Mary Younkin says
Oh that is a good idea. Thank you for sharing.
Tracey says
Is it okay to use red onions and purple cabbage? That is all I have on hand. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
Tracey – I don’t see why you couldn’t. It will change the look and flavor a bit but still be quite tasty.
Laurie says
Really good! Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Laurie. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Deidre Wenokur says
Delicious. Do you think it will freeze?
Mary Younkin says
Deidre, I would not recommend freezing this dish.
Janine says
I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and sprinkle of red pepper flakes after adding the cabbage. Cooked for 5-10 minutes until wilted.
Rachel says
Super easy, simple recipe! I think next time I would just parboil the potatoes in salted water, as they didn’t cook very well in the microwave and I felt the seasoning didn’t absorb very well. I also added more water so that everything could steam for longer in account of my potatoes still being hard after 8 minutes in the microwave. Otherwise I really enjoyed this recipe, and thought it was a great way to use up a leftover cabbage that would’ve spoiled in my fridge!
Mary Younkin says
Feel free to adjust it to suit you, Rachel. It is likely you and I had different-sized potatoes or microwave settings.
Leslie says
😍I just found this recipe and made it last night. It was quick, easy and really good! I didn’t have kielbasa, so I used Smoked Turkey Sausage instead. Cooking the potatoes in the microwave saved time and allowed for browning the meat and potatoes a little more than other recipes. Took me about 30 minutes as I added a little extra time for the cabbage. We will be making it again. Definitely Recommend!!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you for sharing, Leslie. I love hearing how my recipes work for people.
Liz Vallejo says
I just made this today, we love it and very easy
Mary Younkin says
Thank you for sharing, Liz. I love that your family enjoyed it so much.
Wayne says
“Mary Younkin
September 29, 2022 at 6:13 am
Deidre, I would not recommend freezing this dish.”
What ingredant do you base this comment on? I never had any left over so I have not personnaly frozen this, but I don’t see any reason why it can’t be frozen.
Wayne
Mary Younkin says
Hi Wayne, personally, I don’t care for the resulting texture of frozen cabbage. While it will work and it doesn’t completely turn to mush when reheated, it really isn’t the same as the original. (Side note, in soups, I find that cabbage can be frozen without this being an issue.) If it doesn’t bother you, it’s certainly worth trying it with a leftover portion.
Gladys Masem says
20 minutes? Are you kidding me?
It takes THAT long just to chop and prep the veggies!
You need to re-name this for what it really entails as far as prep and THEN cooking …
Mary Younkin says
It comes together quite easily, Gladys.
Diana M. says
I was looking for something different to make and never been a fan of Kielbasa, but I thought I would give it a try. It was so delicious, and there weren’t any leftovers. They know request that I make it every week or every other week and double to recipe. It does take a little prep time, but well worth it and really only takes 10-20 minutes cook time depending on how you like the cabbage cooked. Thanks for this easy and budget friendly recipe.
Mary Younkin says
Thank you so much, Diana. I couldn’t agree more, this dish makes a frequent appearance at mu house too.
Tamara says
I was raised on this dish. Didn’t even know there was a real written recipe. We used deer sausage if we had some. This is a normal western Pennsylvania dinner. It’s quick cheap and simple. I made it tonight, took about 30 minutes total, but I do have a well equipped kitchen and years of experience in cooking dinner. I’m happy to see your recipe included the vinegar. It’s a must.
Mary Younkin says
It is such an easy and delicious meal. Thank you for commenting, Tamara.
Colleen says
What a great recipe! I used to do something similar with pierogies but never though to add cabbage DUH😊. I love kielbasa! I am very lucky to live in an area with a lot of polish folks and several – actually a lot of kielbasa shops/ even factories. And pierogies! Ok 👌 thank you for this! The time you spend in preparing it and spelling it all out for us to share with a stranger ❤️ It’s really wonderful and I appreciate you. Merry Christmas.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Colleen.
Margaret Daum says
I made this for my Mom and I tonight for dinner and I can’t stress enough how easy it was. I’d never done my potatoes like that, starting them in the microwave. It made frying them so much quicker and I think they even tasted better. Also the prep work just flows with this recipe. It really does only take about 20 minutes. This is a dish I would consider comfort food!
Mary Younkin says
I am so delighted it worked for you! And yes, it really is that easy and delicious.
Frances Hodges says
Yum! This was super easy and super tasty. I wasnt sure about microwaving the potatoes, but I rolled with it and they came out perfect crisp and fluffy. I used ghee and creole seasoning. My husband added spicy sweet mustard to his. We agree it would be a good hangover meal with a fried egg on top. Saving this one. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I hear you Frances. When I first tried it after a friend suggested it I thought there was no way, but they are just fine and this recipe is amazing!
Kathy says
Since Bok Choy is a cabbage, do you think that would substitute for regular cabbage in this recipe? (that’s all I have on hand at the moment and this looks delicious)
Thank you in advance.
Mary Younkin says
You could Kathy.
H Collins says
So yummy! We prefer our cabbage more cooked and so the potatoes fell apart. We plan on playing with that next time to see if we can prevent this. But it was really good and so simple! Who doesn’t love cabbage, potatoes and kielbasa?!
Mary Younkin says
The flavors are definitely delicious together. Next time I would suggest not microwaving the potatoes so long or waiting a bit longer to add them to the skillet. Small tweak but I am glad you loved it.
Greg F. says
Made this for the 1st time this evening. Yum! I used a bit more salt & pepper than recommended. Also used butter instead of the extra drizzle of oil. This is a keeper.
Mary Younkin says
That is great to hear you loved it Greg.