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.
Quick, easy and delicious!
Another great recipe! Simple and easy. I have made it with kielbasa or sweet Italian sausage. Really love the simple dressing. Also, big thanks for the step by step pics. I know it must take you forever but I love them!
This was a great hit in our household. I agree with other users that the addition of mustard in the sauce was a welcomed surprise. I was a little conservative with the sauce at first based on other reviews, but once served we didn’t have any left! Will definitely be making this again!
This was a massive hit in my house. We both loved it. The only change I made was that I used balsamic vinegar for the dressing (I have several vinegars already and have vowed not to buy anymore varieties until I use up 1-2 others first!) I served it with your roasted root veggies, which was a great combination. Thanks so much for all the work you do to share these recipes with others so we can enjoy them too!
Yum! Followed your directions and used low fat turkey kielbasa and added 8 oz of bowtie pasta (cooked) much like your Halusky recipe! I used a fraction of the dressing on the dish itself, but offered it on the side, as husband and kids are sensitive little eaters! But they love the Halusky recipe, and the rich butter flavor, so I feel this just added some protein to that recipe in a good way! I also cut the kielbasa rounds into quarters for little bites of sausage in each bite of the dish. Thanks Beth! This is less than $5.00 for dinner, even with the pasta!
I added can of diced tomatoes. Loved it!
I didn’t have whole grain mustard or green cabbage, so I substituted a spicy dijon and red cabbage (oh god, here I am…becoming one of those annoying recipe raters that’s like “I didn’t have x, y, z, so i substituted 4, 8, and 22, and this recipe was SO BAD….but bare with me, I really liked this okay haha), and I feel like it turned out super well!
I could see it being great over some mashed potatoes…sort of like an eastern european shepherds pie, but my boyfriend and I both work in the f&b industry, so we try to eat a little more healthily when we eat our late-night suppers after work. I had some brown basmati that I paired it with, and we both really enjoyed it. It’s very different in flavor profile from what we normally eat (which is tons of asian, italian, and hispanic), so I appreciated the mustard vinaigrette pairing.
Did this incredibly overwhelm my tastebuds with pure, orgasmic joy? No. But it was pretty damn solid with some fiber-filled brown basmati, and I think the leftovers were maybe even better than when I made the dish. It’ll probably get tossed into a once a month rotation when I have leftover cabbage leaking out the wazoo.
Thanks for all your recipes, lady. You’ve been a source of much delicious food in our household, and you’ve even converted my Chef Boyfriend into being a One Pot Wonder believer.
Thank you! And personally, I love it when people share what they did to customize recipes. :) I think it helps people think outside the box and inspires everyone to try something new.
Hey thanks! I’ve been usurping your recipes for a few years now, and I speak your praises to everyone. I’m really happy that you’ve seen so much success! 🤗
Just made this. So tasty and easy to make. I had a red pepper so I added that in after the onion. Yum!
I’m not a fan of this recipe. It did have great flavor, but even though I only used half of the vinaigrette , I thought it was really greasy. And it was just screaming for the addition of potatoes. Then I think it would have made 4 servings. As it was I ate half of it myself before I was full.
Melissa, your intuition was correct. I added a 15-oz. can of sliced (and drained) potatoes, at the same time I added the cabbage, and the g/f (who is a very particular eater) was wild about this recipe.
I’m making it again tonight – for the third time in two months – and she cannot wait to dig in. The moral of this story: Go with what you know!
This is super delish! I added shredded carrots to up my veggie game and finished the dish off with some caraway seeds. I think this would go great over some eggs noodles or some pierogies! (But if you’re craving potatoes, definitely try the One Pan Roasted Kielbasa and Cabbage Dinner recipe–that one is great, too!)
Shredded carrots would definitely be great, as well. I thought about it, but not until I was well into the cooking workflow. Next time!
I never eat kielbasa because I thought I didn’t like it. Well, this dish was outstanding! Even my 4 year old devoured his. I’m adding it into our bi-weekly rotation.
Wow, this was great! I’ve made a similar kielbasa/cabbage meal but never thought to add mustard – I’ll never make it without again! I’m reluctantly low carb, and this was so good I (almost) didn’t miss the pierogies I’d usually make with something like this! Thanks for the great recipe!
I fixed this the night before and had lots of leftovers which we ate today. So my changes were as follows: I used bokchoi instead of regular cabbage and I added a few sliced Yukon gold potatoes because were not low-carb.. The first night we had it with the vinaigrette, and I didn’t like it as much, I think there was too much mustard, or my mustard was too strong. But the second night I skipped the vinaigrette and it was absolutely delicious! Next time I will add cumin or caraway seeds to the dish, I think it would make it even better.
I loved this recipe. I ended substituting the type of vinegar a and mustard for another but still came out great. It’s my new favorite comfort meal, that is for sure. We served it over a bed of instant mashed potatoes (don’t judge me!) and it was perfect! Definitely good for cooler weather, and I’ll have to make it again in a few weeks. You got to love the Southwest, we still have triple digit temperatures.
I was actually disappointed in this recipe- overall I think it has too much oil, the end result of was kind of soggy. I also probably cooked the cabbage too long. I’d recommend decreasing the oil and cooking it until just barely soft (probably would be better if even slightly crunchy still). I much preferred the pan roasted version posted earlier!