Cabbage and sausage are truly a perfect match and never more so than when fried together in this Cabbage and Sausage Skillet. I’ve made endless dishes combining these two ingredients, but when I saw this simple recipe inside my friend Gina’s new cookbook, One and Done, I knew it needed to happen soon.
This dish highlights everything delicious about these two ingredients without adding much more to the dish. It’s cabbage and sausage in their simplest most flavorful state. As a bonus, this skillet meal is easy to throw together without much notice making it perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Cabbage and Sausage Recipe
Nothing special is required to make this recipe. Start with cabbage and sausage, then chop an onion, add a little garlic, salt, pepper, and a tiny splash of vinegar.
You’ll be done cooking dinner in hardly any time at all and meal will be delicious.
Cabbage and Sausage
What is it about the combination of cabbage and sausage? These two ingredients compliment each other so wonderfully, it hardly matters what else is combined with them.
Salty, smoky sausage, with tender sauteed cabbage, is a guaranteed win with my family. While raw cabbage has very little flavor on its own and can even be a little bitter or peppery, cooked cabbage tastes sweeter and it picks up additional flavors from the foods you cook with it–for example, sausage.
When these two ingredients are cooked together the result is a meal that everyone in my family requests again and again. I like it so much that I’ve lost count of all the recipes I’ve made that contain some combination of cabbage and sausage.
Fried Cabbage and Sausage
I love a good baked cabbage recipe like Layered Cabbage Rolls and you’ll never hear me complain about a soup with cabbage simmered to tender sweet perfection like in this Mexican White Bean and Cabbage Soup recipe.
But pan fried cabbage and sausage? That’s what I find myself craving most when I want to cook sausage and cabbage together.
This fried sausage and cabbage recipe starts by browning kielbasa sausage in a skillet with just a tiny bit of oil. Once the meat is cooked, onion and cabbage are pan fried with nothing more than salt, pepper and garlic.
A splash of red wine vinegar adds a tang to the meat and vegetables bringing the whole dish together.
If you’ve been reading here for any length of time you know that I’m not usually shy about adding spices and herbs to my recipes. Sometimes, though, you just want the unadulterated taste of the cabbage and sausage without any extras. Kielbasa is plenty spicy all on its own and I can’t imagine a better combination for a simple skillet dinner.
Kielbasa Recipes
Kielbasa recipes are my go-to meals for quick and easy dinners. It’s a rare day when you won’t find a kielbasa sausage waiting to be used in my refrigerator. The convenience factor cannot be beaten.
I tend to pick up a few kielbasa sausages at a time and use them in our favorite recipes.
These Herbed Potatoes with Kielbasa and Corn have been one of my go-to easy dinner recipe for years. Try this Skillet Mexican Street Corn with Kielbasa or this Kielbasa Cabbage and Potato Skillet for something a little different.
Kielbasa and Shrimp Fried Rice is a hearty meal that my whole family enjoys. And if you have a green chile lover in your life, you’ll want to try this Garlicky Potato, Kielbasa, and Green Chile Skillet.
If you love sheet pan meals as much as I do, you’ll want to try this Kielbasa and Pierogies Sheet Pan Dinner. This Asparagus Kielbasa Bow Tie Pasta is another great way to use sausage for an easy dinner.
Cabbage and Sausage Recipe
- Halve the kielbasa lengthwise and then slice it into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1/2 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. Serve warm.
If you don’t already have it, I recommend picking up Gina’s One and Done cookbook!
Lisa says
Made this for dinner and it was so delious. I will make it again. I used regular sausage..
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy you liked the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to tell me about it, Lisa.
Reggie says
Would this be good if frozen and reheated?
Mary Younkin says
Hi Reggie, it might be a bit watery, as cabbage has a high water content, but I suspect it will reheat fine. (I’d just drain off any excess liquids.) I would freeze just a portion or two to test before freezing an entire recipe’s worth.
Jols says
This was such a hit with my family the first time I made it that I’m making it again tonight ! We couldn’t believe how simple and Amazing this quick dinner is ! The only thing I changed is : I use butter instead of oil & I double it I feel it makes it so savory and rich .
I’m Serving with some white rice and bacon wrapped chicken ! Yum 😋
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the recipe!
James Caruso says
A basic go-to recipe and hard to go wrong. What do you think about adding some small redskin potatoes? It’s fine the way it is but just for the sake of mixing it up a bit.
Mary Younkin says
Potatoes are always a great addition, James!
Ashley says
Hi Mary, I just wanted to leave a note telling you I’m so glad I stumbled on this recipe! I followed everything pretty closely but used a different type of sausage because it was what I had on hand. Excellent! Adding this to the regular dinner rotation for sure. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I am so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe, Ashley!
Jessica says
I just stumbled on this this morning and ran out to grab cabbage and made some for lunch. I used Cajun style andouille sausage because that’s what I had on hand, but this is fabulous! I’m so glad no one in my family likes cabbage so I can have this all to myself!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you liked the recipe, Jessica!
Kathleen says
Dear Mary, I just made this for dinner using keilbasa from Costco, and we really liked it. I already had in mind what to make and how to do it, but I’m glad I found your recipe, because I would not have thought of using red wine vinegar, which added a subtle flavor. Thanks for posting this.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Kathleen!
Kaylie Lyons says
What could I use in place of the red wine vinegar? Like could I possibly use regular or balsamic?
Mary Younkin says
Regular or apple cider will work nicely, Kaylie.
Brittany Jenkins says
This is so good! I make it all the time, and add potatoes and carrots.
Mary Younkin says
I am so happy that you love the soup, Brittany!
MARCIE says
Would balsamic vinegar be ok? I dont have red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and making as I type!
Mary Younkin says
I hope you went ahead and tried it, Marcie. I think balsamic would be great with this recipe.
Kim Wilson says
My family loved this recipe! It was very cost effective. Which means I will definitely be adding it to our meal plans. Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that your family enjoyed this meal so much, Kim!
Marilyn Jackson says
Hi Mary! Made this recipe tonight. Loved it Wii be making this again. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Marilyn!
Ashley says
Made this for dinner. It was delicious, even though I forgot to add the vinegar. Will definitely make it again! Served with a side of wild rice.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Ashley!
Christopher says
This is a fail proof recipe. You can even add scrambled eggs and canned corned beef hash. My family loves this for breakfast but it can go for any meal.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you love it, Christopher!
Wendy says
This was so good, I had one zucchini in my fridge & diced it up to cook with the cabbage. I also added some more seasoning than your recipe. Family raved over it! Will be making it again.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Wendy!
Rachael says
I’m on the keto diet and this fits perfectly in my macros! It looks so delish and I’m so excited to make this tonight! Dinner can’t come soon enough!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Rachael!
Linda Song says
This was so easy, and even my fussy 9 year old liked it!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad it’s a hit, Linda!
Nadine Santerre says
Is it helpful to boil the cabbage first? The last time I made cabbage this way it took forever to cook and get soft. It sounds like a great recipe
Mary Younkin says
That’s interesting, Nadine. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to cook the cabbage this way. You can cover the skillet if you’re in a hurry though and add a tablespoon or so of water to speed up the process.
lvaughn says
Love it. Soooo good
Mary Younkin says
I’m happy to hear that you like the recipe!
Steve Guttormson says
We love this recipe. It’s just the two of us and we’re trying to be disciplined and not take seconds. The second time I made it, we used chicken sausage with apple. Still good, but the apple flavor definitely changed the flavor. So I microwaved leftovers and topped them with a poached egg for a quick and delicious breakfast.
Mary Younkin says
oh! I bet it’s delicious with an egg on top too, Steve.
Caralee England says
Loved it
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear it, Caralee!
Sherm says
Recipe is and reading is to long for 2 ingredients in my humble opinion. Looks good though.
Mary Younkin says
Hi Sherm, there’s a handy jump to recipe link at the top of the post. It makes it super easy to see all eight ingredients at a glance.
Kathi says
I don’t like vinegar but notice every recipe with cabbage calls for it. Is that just a spice/taste preference or is there another reason for it?
Mary Younkin says
You can absolutely skip it, Kathi. It does add a balance to the recipe, but if you are super sensitive to it (I get it, one of my brothers can spot vinegar in ANY dish, so he never uses it.) just skip it.
Bill La Paze says
Made this with a smoked beef sausage I had on hand. Outstanding recipe, never tasted cabbage sooo good. Definitely a “do again”.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that, Bill!
Son of Fire says
A Mazing! You will want to double this if you have a crew – it is so good. Added a little olive oil on the cabbe and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Fantastic
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Paige Jackson says
Soooo good! Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you love the recipe, Paige!
Corinne Dawson says
Amazingly awesome, love the flavour!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you love it, Corinne!
Tracy says
I made it more like a soup and added chicken stock and potatoes. Absolutely delicious 😋
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like it, Tracy!
T. harrison says
Good recipe. I added kale as well to add a little more vegetables to the meal.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed the dinner!
Laurie says
I fried up some bacon until crispy, cooked the sausage & onion in the leftover fat, it kicked up the flavor. I then added the crumbled bacon to the completed dish, I also omitted the the vinegar & replaced it with a little dry white wine.
Mary Younkin says
That sounds delicious, Laurie!
Shara says
This was deliciousss and easy. I don’t do a lot of cooking, I will prepare this again.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the recipe, Shara!
DeLoris Williams says
I tired this recipe, but I add some bacon to the mixture. It was delicious
Mary Younkin says
I bet it was delicious with the bacon too, DeLoris!
Chef 👩🏻🍳 says
This looks delicious!Would potatoes be a good side for this meal?
Mary Younkin says
Potatoes will be delicious with this.
Wendy says
Is there a similar recipe like this over noodles?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, I’ve added in cooked egg noodles at the end. It’s tasty that way too, Wendy!
Lekkerkos says
I gave this recipe a 5 because it was wonderful as is, I added a few ingredients, a green pepper that I didn’t want to spoil and some chutney ( Mrs Ball’s , a South African chutney that for me brought it up a level) Thank you for this recipe which I certainly will make again and again.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the recipe!
Theresa Zellers says
Love making different recipes
Patricia Tuttle says
Perfect!
Mary Younkin says
So glad to hear that you like the recipe, Patricia!
Anna says
All I can say that it was delicious
Instead of kielbasa I used smoked sausage
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like it, Anna!
Ray says
So simple even a 72 year old Grandfather made a great meal for four, with a side of Mac & Cheese! Thanks!!
Mary Younkin says
I love this, Ray. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
WendyH says
Delicious! It was a huge hit with the family and teenage friends. I had to double the recipe to feed everyone.
Mary Younkin says
That is awesome, Wendy.
DeeD says
Absolutely delicious. I used apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar and was very happy with the results. Thanks for sharing, I will be making this regularly.😆
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the recipe, Dee.
Glenda Beal says
Very good! Quick and easy to make!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Glenda.
Keyla says
I added more vinegar and it was delicious
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad that you like the recipe, Keyla!
Lena says
It saids 484 calories for this dish but it doesn’t give you the size or cup amount per serving?
Mary Younkin says
You’ll just divide the finished recipe by the number of servings, Lena.
harlond says
Very good! I used Tofurky Italian sausage, which went very well. I might double the sausage next time. Or I had some canellini beans, those would worked also. Definitely will make again. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you like the recipe, Harlond!
Clarazina Graham says
Excellent recipe! Very tasty!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the recipe, Clarazina.
Alice says
My 15 year old daughter and I absolutely love this recipe she asks for it all the time thanks for sharing this with us!!!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that your family is enjoying the recipe, Alice!
Jai says
This meal is delicious. Simple and easy to make. Sooo good, made it two days in a row. First day with turkey kielbasa, the second with Italian sausage.
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like it, Jai!
Cathy Brown says
Really great dish. Added potatoes to it and a bit more vinegar.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Cathy.
Hublado says
Made this for supper tonight and it was good. It took me at least 30 minutes until the cabbage was semi tender, though. I also had to add water several times to keep it from burning. If I make it again, I’ll steam the cabbage for 15 or 20 minutes first.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you liked it! Not sure why it took half an hour to soften the cabbage though, that’s interesting. I’ll have to double check the time next time I make it. Thanks for the feedback.
Michelle says
So delicious and easy to make. Savory. It did take me a 1/2hr to cook the cabbage like another reviewer mentioned. But I think it depends on the size of the cabbage. Mine was waaay over the suggested 2lbs I’m sure. So keep that in mind when cooking. This will become a staple in my household. 🙂
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe, Michelle.
Bob D Harms says
I am looking forward to this…I substituted red wine for vinegar, polish sausage and wieners, and 2 tbsps. of horseradish…I grind mine and add vinegar, I used a fry pan to brown one side of sausage pieces and wieners, and added 1/3 cup of red wine cooked it down and added the rest of your ingredients…it smells awesome in the oven…it is baking at 350 until the cabbage I placed on top breaks down…I stirred every 15 minutes…thanks for the inspiration I add stuff like you suggested and experience always helps…
Mary Younkin says
So glad that you like it, Bob! I bet it’s great with the horseradish too.
Sue says
I just made this and the recipe is very good. I used venison sausage because that’s what we have, but I also added 1/2 pablano pepper that I sautéed with the onion. I will definitely make this again with some add ins that other reviewers have mentioned.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you are enjoying the recipe, Sue!
Nicola says
Really lovely. Thankyou. I also added half tsp white pepper. And used the same sausage as you. My son enjoyed it too. And he is hard to please. I’ve pinned it now.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you both enjoyed the recipe, Nicola!