The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage Recipe (2024)

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By Courtney ODell

4.57 from 216 votes

Mar 05, 2018, Updated Mar 23, 2024

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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)

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The Best Pan Fried Cabbage and Sausage

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!

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Irish

Keyword cabbage, irish, main dish, one pot, sausage

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 386kcal

Author Courtney ODell

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 white onion diced
  • ¼ 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

  • Heat butter in large pan on medium-high heat until melted and foamy.

  • Add diced onions to pan, cook until soft and transparent, about 4 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking or burning.

  • Add garlic to pan, cook until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.

  • Add cabbage to pan and toss well to coat in butter.

  • Generously season with salt.

  • Let cabbage reduce by half, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally as it cooks down to prevent burning and allow it to cook evenly.

  • Slice smoked polska kielbasa into thin rounds and add to pan with cabbage and onions.

  • 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.

  • Remove from heat and plate with your favorite meat, casserole, fish, or other main dish!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

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.

Should I boil sausages before pan frying? ›

Sausages should reach 155–165°F (68–74°C). Alternatively, boiling them before cooking in a pan or on a grill can ensure that they're thoroughly cooked and remain moist. Boiling and baking are the healthiest ways to cook sausage, whereas deep frying is the least healthy due to the added fats and calories it involves.

Do you have to boil sausage before frying? ›

Fresh Sausage, which includes fresh bratwurst, fresh Italian sausage and fresh kielbasa, is not cooked during processing and must be cooked thoroughly and completely before consuming. Fresh sausage may be cooked in two ways. It can be parboiled and then fried or grilled, or slow cooked in a fry pan or grill.

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›

Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. Savoy can be used in any recipe that calls for green cabbage.

How do you know when cabbage is done cooking? ›

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.

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? ›

The healthiest way to cook them is by boiling or baking. Also, make sure you don't eat overly charred or burnt sausages, which can have high amounts of harmful compounds.

Can you overcook smoked sausage? ›

Overcooking or overheating the sausage past 160 °F will make the fat in the meat melt and evaporate, leaving the sausage less juicy or dry. Some people also want to know whether smoked sausages are ready to eat from the smoker or need further cooking.

How long to cook sausage in pan? ›

Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then add the sausages. A little of the fat from the sausages will start to come out as they warm up; turn the sausages in the hot fat to coat them. Keep cooking for 15-20 mins, moving them around in the pan and turning them over regularly so they all cook evenly.

Do you bake sausage covered or uncovered? ›

If you want them browned and crisp, leave them uncovered and stir or turn them a few times. I can't tell you how long to cook them for or what temperature because there are many varieties and sizes of sausage. I would aim for 375 and 15 - 25 minutes for sausages alone.

How do you know when sausage is cooked inside? ›

Use a meat thermometer to make sure your sausage is between 160 and 165 °F (71 and 74 °C). If you don't have a meat thermometer, check that the sausage is firm and has clear, runny juices. Cut it open and make sure the inside is brown, not pink.

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).

Can you cook raw sausage on the stove? ›

Here's how to do it. To start, drop your sausages into a large pot or saucepan and fill it with enough cold water to just cover the sausages. Put the vessel on the stove, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook just until the water reaches a gentle simmer—that should take about 6-8 minutes.

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 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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