The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (2024)

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By Courtney ODell

Mar 05, 2018, Updated Aug 29, 2022

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The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe Ever is the perfect easy way to celebrate Saint Patricks Day with a one pot cabbage and sausage dinner skillet that is low carb and keto diet compatible, family tested and approved, and goes from the fridge to the table in under 20 minutes in just one pot!

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (2)

One Pot Sausage and Cabbage Skillet

Cabbage is one of those things a lot of people are a bit skeptical to try – it’s rich, delicious, buttery – and cooks quickly without much fuss – but because it can be bitter and boring when not cooked down, a lot of people turn their noses to using cabbage as a major part of a dish. Cabbage is something people usually only think of when it’s around Saint Patricks Day when it is hugely popular in America as an homage to Irish cuisine – or as a garnish in tacos, salads, and more.

In this easy one pot sausage and cabbage skillet, it takes on a perfect rich and meaty flavor your whole family will love!

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe is super easy and can go from your fridge to the dinner table in just one pot and under 30 minutes – making it a delicious, hearty, and family friendly dinner that you’ll want to eat long after Saint Patricks Day when you’re thinking of easy Irish Recipes.

I love to cook cabbage and sausages when we’re in a pinch and need something quick for dinner – or as a swap for heavier, greasier comfort foods since it still tastes nice and indulgent!

Check out my web story about this delicious recipe!

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (3)

How to Pan Fry Cabbage and Sausage

To make this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Sausage
    • Beef, Chicken, Turkey, or Vegan Polska Kielbasa style smoked sausages, sliced into thin rounds
    • Cheddar Stuffed Bratwurst, sliced thin, for a cheesy twist on this dish.
    • German Breakfast sausages, cooked in the pan before frying the onions and cabbage (simply brown before adding the onions in the pan, don’t cook all the way through since they will continue to cook with onions and cabbage, but you want to give them a good nice sear before adding in the veggies. Reduce butter to 1 tbsp if cooking raw sausage or your dish will be too greasy.)
    • Andouille Sausage, sliced into thin rounds, for a slightly spicy twist!
  • Onion – I love the earthy, hot, sweet, pungent flavor onion brings to dishes when it is caramelized. It is fabulous with smoked sausage.
  • Butter – butter helps add fat to the cabbage, so it won’t stick to your pan, or burn as we pan fry, as well as adding a creamy salty richness to the dish.
  • Cabbage – while we’re making this recipe with green cabbage for the best color (in my opinion), if you can only get red cabbage, it works just fine.

Tips and Tricks to Perfect Pan Fried Sausage & FAQs

Try other sausages. If you’re worried about the nutritional profile of adding smoked Polska Kielbasa (my personal pick for this dish), you can easily swap for chicken, turkey, and even meat-free sausages!

Skip the onions. I personally LOVE the flavor onions give to this dish, but you can sub them out for garlic if you’d like.

Use red cabbage. If you can’t find any green cabbage, you can use red for this dish too. It will look different, but taste very similar.

FAQs

Is cabbage healthy?

Cabbage is extremely good for you, and something I try to incorporate more into our diets. I really love the rich and buttery flavor of cabbage when it’s cooked – and it is a great vegetable to get kids into, since when cooked it has a subtle flavor kids love

Can I use oil instead of butter?

If you’re watching fat and calories, and worried about adding butter, this recipe works great with olive oil as well – so it can work in any diet or healthy eating plan!

How do I store this recipe?

This recipe can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or frozen for up to four months.

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (4)

Other Irish Inspired Meals You’ll Love:

If you love this deliciously easy cabbage and sausage skillet, you’re going to love some of my other favorite Irish inspired meals!

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (5)

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe

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The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (6)

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage

Yield: 6 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe Ever is the perfect easy way to celebrate Saint Patricks Day with a one pot cabbage and sausage dinner skillet that is low carb and keto diet compatible, family tested and approved, and goes from the fridge to the table in under 20 minutes in just one pot!

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup garlic, whole or crushed cloves, skin off
  • 1 cabbage, (use half if very large cabbage - whole head if small) sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tsp salt, celtic sea salt preferred
  • 1 lb polska kielbasa, sliced into thin rounds

Instructions

  1. Heat butter in large pan on medium-high heat until melted and foamy.
  2. Add diced onions to pan, cook until soft and transparent, about 4 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking or burning.
  3. Add garlic to pan, cook until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add cabbage to pan and toss well to coat in butter.
  5. Generously season with salt.
  6. Let cabbage reduce by half, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally as it cooks down to prevent burning and allow it to cook evenly.
  7. Slice smoked polska kielbasa into thin rounds and add to pan with cabbage and onions.
  8. When cabbage has lost much of it's volume and started to turn shiny, slightly translucent, and has lovely browned bits - and polska kielbasa has browned slightly (smoked kielbasa has been cooked already, so you're just adding some browning and flavor to it), it is ready to serve.
  9. Remove from heat and plate with your favorite meat, casserole, fish, or other main dish!
Nutrition Information

Yield 5Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 386Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 85mgSodium 1602mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 12g

Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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Categorized as:
gluten free, keto, Main Dishes, One Pot, paleo, Pork, Recipes, Side Dishes

About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet C’s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

Read More About Me

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The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you need to boil cabbage? ›

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges.

How to cook smoked sausage? ›

  1. PAN FRY. Cut Smoked Sausage sections in half lengthwise or into 1'2" slices. Add to non-stick skillet over medium heat. ...
  2. STOVE TOP. Add sausage to 2-3 inches of boiling water. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
  3. GRILL. Grill over medium-high heat for 12-14 minutes, turning frequently.

Should I boil sausages before pan frying? ›

Fresh Sausage

Add water to cover sausage and par-boil until sausage is grey throughout (about 10 to 15 minutes.) The sausage then can be fried until nicely browned. Parboiled sausage also may be grilled slowly over coals, turning frequently until grey-brown throughout.

Do you have to boil sausage before frying? ›

As mentioned before, boiling sausages isn't ideal if you want the sausages to have a lot of flavour. However, there is a simple way to add more flavour to boiled sausages: fry them. Dry the boiled sausages and then put them in a pan of hot oil. Since they are already cooked, you won't need to fry them for very long.

How long does it take to cook cabbage on top of the stove? ›

Heat a large saute pan or similar heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the cabbage, salt, and pepper. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and begins to brown.

How do you know if cabbage is fully cooked? ›

Simmer, covered, until the cabbage begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the cabbage carefully, and continue to simmer until the cabbage is tender, an additional 5 minutes. The cabbage is ready when a small paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the cabbage near the core slides through easily.

Can you cook cabbage too long? ›

An old wives tale, no cabbage won't kill you even if you eat it raw so forget it & don't overcook your cabbage until it has no taste, texture or nutrients it should have a little crunch, try steaming it rather than boiling it's so much better.

Is it better to cook sausages in the oven or pan? ›

One of the healthiest ways to cook sausages is in the oven. It's super easy to do, and unlike frying or grilling, baking sausages doesn't require any extra oil.

What is the healthiest way to cook sausages? ›

Sausages can be cooked in numerous ways. In general, boiling and baking are the healthiest methods, as they don't require much oil. However, pan- and stir-frying are good options as long as you choose a healthy oil. Conversely, deep frying is the least healthy way because of the fat and calories it adds.

How do you cook sausage so it doesn't smoke? ›

Cook at a way lower temperature. When a drop of water sizzles off the pan (rather than beading up on it) add the oil and thoroughly coat the bottom of the pan with it, heat a few seconds more, then add the (defrosted) sausages. They should cook at a low sizzle.

Can you cook sausages in the air fryer? ›

Arrange the sausages in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through. If you have a meat thermometer, check they have reached 75C in the middle. Serve as a side for breakfast or in buns.

Is it OK to cook sausages in the oven? ›

Sausages can also be baked in the oven (a good method to use if you're cooking something else in the oven). Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Place the sausages on a baking tray and cook for 20-25 minutes, until thoroughly cooked, turning halfway through the cooking time.

How do you tell if a sausage is cooked? ›

A good rule of thumb is this: if the sausages are soft and squishy, and the juices are pink, they're not done. If they're firm and have clear running juices, they are likely finished and can come off of the stove.

Can you cook sausages in a frying pan? ›

To cook sausages by frying, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Cook the sausages gently in the oil for 10-12 minutes, until thoroughly cooked, turning frequently. Sausages can also be baked in the oven (a good method to use if you're cooking something else in the oven).

What is the best way to cook sausage? ›

Baking is a great way to make your sausages nicely crispy and brown. First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 356 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bake the sausages in a pan for at least 16 to 20 minutes if they are small and for at least 30 to 40 minutes if they are large.

What is the best and easiest way to cook sausage? ›

Overall, pan-frying was a low-maintenance and delicious method for cooking sausage. This is perfect for when you don't want to break out the grill but still want a moist, flavorful sausage. The smoky flavors were not as prominent as they were from the grill, however the sausage remained juicy, tender, and crispy.

What is the best way to cook raw sausages? ›

Start by getting a pan of salted water up to poaching temperature, so between 160 and 190 degrees, uncovered. Add your sausages and cook thoroughly. For the size of our sausages, this takes about 25 minutes. Remove the sausage from the water and finish them on a medium-hot grill, so about 350 degrees.

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