I got a really strong craving for my One Pan Roasted Kielbasa and Cabbage Dinner the other day, but instead of making it the exact same way, I decided to change it up and make a fast skillet version. This super easy and incredibly tasty Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet is as simple as smoke sausage, onion, cabbage and a nice tangy stone ground mustard vinaigrette. …Because kielbasa is always better when dipped in a nice stone ground mustard, right? So I formulated this vinaigrette as a way to get that nice mustardy flavor all throughout the entire Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet.
What is Kielbasa?
Kielbasa is a Polish sausage usually made with pork, or a mixture of pork and beef. Kielbasa can be either smoked or lightly smoked, and usually has a prominently garlic flavor. I love kielbasa for this recipe because it brings a lot of flavor to the cabbage, which doesn’t have much flavor on its own.
What Kind of Kielbasa Should I Use?
Kielbasa is traditionally made from pork, but if you have a kielbasa made with beef, turkey, or any combination of the three, that will work just as well. Since package sizes for kielbasa vary from brand to brand, you can use anywhere from 12oz. to 16 oz. for this skillet. The kielbasa I got at Kroger was a 14oz. link, so that’s what is listed in the ingredients, just know that there is wiggle room.
Variations
And if you aren’t all about the low-carb thing you can stretch this dish even further by adding some cooked wide egg noodles. I’d probably use about 8oz. for the size of this recipe.
Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet
Servings 4Ingredients
Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil ($0.52)
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar ($0.20)
- 1.5 Tbsp stone ground or whole grain mustard ($0.09)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly Cracked Pepper ($0.05)
Kielbasa and Cabbage
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 14 oz. kielbasa ($2.49)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 6 cups chopped cabbage (1 small head, 2.25 lbs) ($1.59)
- pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by adding the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a bowl or jar. Whisk or shake the jar until the ingredients are combined, then set the vinaigrette aside.
- Slice the kielbasa into medallions or half-rounds and add them to a large skillet (12″ or larger) or a large, wide-bottomed pot, along with the olive oil. Sauté the sausage over medium heat until the pieces are well browned.
- While the sausage is browning, finely dice the onion. Once the sausage has fully browned, add the onions and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
- While the onions are sautéing, chop the head of cabbage into 2-inch by 1/2-inch wide strips. Add the cabbage to the skillet or pot along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until the cabbage is tender (check the thickest white pieces for tenderness). To help the cabbage soften, add a few tablespoons of water to create steam within the pot or skillet. Let the water evaporate as you sauté the cabbage.
- Once tender, drizzle the mustard vinaigrette over the skillet, starting with just half of the prepared amount. Stir to coat the kielbasa and cabbage in the vinaigrette, taste, and add more if needed. Serve warm.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet – Step by Step Photos
To make the mustard vinaigrette, add 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1.5 Tbsp stone ground mustard, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a bowl or jar.
Whisk or shake the jar until the ingredients are mixed (15-20 seconds of shaking). Set the dressing aside.
Slice 14oz. of kielbasa into rounds or half-rounds and add them to a very large skillet or wide-bottomed pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the sausage is well browned. You really want that browning action to get the most flavor.
While the kielbasa is sautéing, dice the onion. Add the onion to the skillet once the kielbasa is browned and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent. The moisture from the onions should help dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
While the onions are sautéing chop one small head into 2-inch by 1/2-inch strips (about 6 cups once chopped). Add the cabbage to the skillet along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of water to help steam and soften the cabbage, and sauté until the cabbage has become tender. The water will evaporate as you sauté the cabbage. By this time your kitchen should be smelling REALLY good. If you want to add cooked egg noodles, add them once the cabbage has softened.
Finally, drizzle the mustard vinaigrette over top, starting with just half of the vinaigrette, and stir until everything is coated. Taste the cabbage and add more dressing if desired.
Serve warm! It’s also pretty good as leftovers. ;)
SO FREAKING GOOD.
How would you tweak it for the IP? I love cooking cabbage in the IP. Thanks!
I just made it in the Instant Pot! Sautéed everything per directions, added 1/2 cup – 1 cup water to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan, added the cabbage, high pressure for 2 minutes, and did a quick release. It worked great!
I’m not well versed in the IP yet to recommend, but there was another commenter that said they made it in their IP! :)
I am going to try this, with boxed pierogies on the side. Yay fall!
Yesssss! I want pierogies with this!
This looks like a perfect weeknight meal. Thanks for the recipe!
Would this work well with Dijon or another type of Mustard? I’m not against using coarse but I have other types on hand and it would be one less thing to purchase.
Honestly I’ve never used coarse before so I can’t visualize how it would be different. Is the flavor more intense or different, or is it a texture thing?
It’s both a flavor and a texture thing. :) You can definitely use other types of mustard, though. Just about any type will make a delicious dressing.
This is really delicious. I couldn’t find Kielbasa here in New Zealand, so I just used pre-cooked spicy pork sausage, and it was very delicious! It only takes short amount of time with very simple ingredients! My husband loved it too. We will definitely make it again.
Had this for lunch today, nice and simple, with plenty of flavor! I think I poured a little heavy on my vinegar, because I ended up needing to almost double up on my mustard to combat the strong vinegar taste.
One of my coworkers actually made the recipe a few days ago too (after I introduced her to your wonderful site) , and she said that her family loved it with a little drizzle of honey mixed into the vinaigrette. That will definitely be my next experiment, I do love a good honey mustard dressing.
I made this tonight. It’s definitely a winner. Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)
My mom made this for us growing up, but we called it “Bubbles and Squeak” and included cubed yellow potatoes ^.^
I’ve been looking for some low-carb dinner options, and this looks amazing, and perfect for fall!! Adding this to my list!!!
Thank you!
Ahhh I forgot about this stuff! The sheet pan version was absolutely fantastic– I’ll be making this for dinner tonight.
Looking forward to trying this. It looks delicious!
I can’t wait to make this once my arm cast comes off!!! I think I will add some shredded carrots too.
I’ve actually made a dish similar to this before and it was a huge crowd pleaser! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
-Gabby
http://www.orcuttfamilydentistry.com
Oh, my gosh. I’m going to have to make this recipe for lunch very soon!!! :-)
Oh man, I need to try this with the vinaigrette! I make something similar to this ALLLLLL the time during fall/winter, but with bone broth and spices.