Cabbage and Sausage – This fuss-free family weeknight meal is super quick, easy, and budget-friendly to boot. It’s one of my favorite simple skillet meals. I can guarantee it will satisfy your soul and pocket!
To me, the combination of cabbage and sausage was meant to be. They go so well together that my entire family loves this meal and happily goes back for seconds every time. It’s proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. 😅
Even if you’re a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe is for you. I’m telling you, it is insanely easy to make. With a little chopping and a little sauteing, your dish is ready to devour! And even if you’re an experienced cook, who doesn’t want to throw together something simple occasionally?
The Best Sausage for Cabbage and Sausage
Let me start by saying you can use any sausage you like for this recipe. Spicy Italian sausage, ground sausage, kielbasa, chorizo, or anything else works just fine. My go-to is kielbasa or another smoked sausage because the smoky flavor is so good with the Creole seasoning, bacon, and veggies.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sausage – You’ll need about 12 ounces of your favorite sausage.
- Cabbage – You’ll also need one whole medium to large head of cabbage. Remember, the cabbage will cook down quite a bit.
- Other Veggies –Bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and minced garlic add complementary flavors without overpowering the cabbage and sausage.
- Seasonings – Paprika, Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, and some pepper flakes give this dish depth of flavor and a little kick of heat. 💥
- Bacon – Is any recipe not improved by adding a couple of strips of bacon? I didn’t think so. 😜
How to Make Cabbage and Sausage
- Prep – Slice or chop cabbage and set aside. (Photos 1-2)
- Sauté – In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the bacon until it’s nice and browned and then set aside. Add the sausage, letting it brown for about 2 minutes, along with the onions, garlic, paprika, and Creole seasoning. Stir frequently to prevent any burning. (Photos 3-6)
- Cook – Next, add the tomatoes and green bell pepper to the pan and cook everything for another 5 minutes. (Photos 7-8)
- Simmer – Finally, add the cabbage, Worcestershire sauce, and white pepper. Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pan, and let it cook for about 10-14 minutes or until the cabbage reaches your desired tenderness. (Photos 9-10)
- Adjust – Taste test your cabbage and sausage and add more Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper flakes as needed.
- Serve – Plate cabbage and sausage piping hot and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- This dish is hearty, but add potatoes if you want to make it even heartier! You may need to add just a touch of water to the pan while the cabbage cooks after sauteing them so they become tender.
- You can leave out the spicy seasonings if you want a mild version of this recipe. (But I wouldn’t recommend it. 😜)
- You can leave the bacon out for a leaner version, and this dish will still taste amazing.
Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to stir everything frequently when sauteing. If you notice anything sticking or trying to burn, you can add another tablespoon of oil to the pan.
- When you’re shopping for cabbage, pick a head that is firm and heavy. Choose a different head if it has blemishes, brown spots, or looks moldy.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can definitely make this dish a day or two ahead of when you plan to eat it. Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat it on the stovetop or microwave. I don’t recommend freezing it because the texture of the cabbage gets a little funny when you thaw it out.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve cabbage and sausage fresh out of the skillet, piping hot. Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge.
When reheating leftovers, you’ll get the best texture if you warm them up on the stovetop over medium heat. You can microwave if you’d like, but I feel like it makes the cabbage a little soggy.
FAQs
Some cooks like to soak the cabbage in cold water for a few minutes before draining and cooking it to keep it nice and crispy. You can soak it if you’d like for this recipe, but it isn’t necessary.
Just to be safe, it’s always good to remove the outer leaves, quarter the cabbage, and rinse it under running water. If any little worms or bugs have gotten inside, you’ll rinse them out. 💦
Yes. If you do, it will become limp and pasty and also pretty pungent. So keep an eye on your cabbage and stop cooking when it’s barely tender for the best results.
What Goes With Cabbage and Sausage
You can serve cabbage and sausage over a bed of steamed rice if you’d like. Personally, I like serving it with other Southern specialties, such as hot water cornbread or Southern hoe cakes.
If you’re aiming for a full-on Southern feast, also consider making a couple of other sides. Southern baked mac and cheese and Southern black-eyed peas are two of my favorite sides for this! 😋
More Crazy Good Cabbage Recipes to Try
- Southern Fried Cabbage
- Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Vegan Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Cabbage Egusi Soup
- Ethiopian Cabbage
Conclusion
Could it get any easier? No, I don’t think so! This is comfort food at its quickest in a simple, down-home one-skillet recipe. Have you tried this cabbage and sausage recipe? If so, let me know what you think in the comments below! ❤️
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Cabbage and Sausage
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340g) sausage (kielbasa or smoked sausage works great)
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter (or cooking oil) add more as needed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons (7g) garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon (2g) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2g) Creole seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 strips bacon
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium to large head cabbage, chopped (about 9-10 cups)
- 1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) Worcestershire sauce (or chicken bouillon) adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2g) pepper flakes, or more (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Slice or chop cabbage and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté bacon until brown (it may take about 5 minutes). Set aside. Add sausage and brown for about 2 minutes.
- Add butter to the pan, followed by onions, garlic, paprika, Creole seasoning, and sausage. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Then add tomatoes and green bell peppers, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
- Then add the cabbage, Worcestershire sauce, and white pepper. Bring it to a simmer, cover it, and let it cook for 10-14 minutes or more, depending on preference.
- Adjust for seasoning with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper flakes.
Tips & Notes:
- Be sure to stir everything frequently when sauteing. If you notice anything sticking or trying to burn, you can add another tablespoon of oil to the pan.
- When you’re shopping for cabbage, pick a head that is firm and heavy. Choose a different head if it has blemishes, brown spots, or looks moldy.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Aubrey says
Fabulous dish! Quite quick and easy, also.
I used Conecuh sausage, because I’m in Alabama, and this recipe will be made in our home on repeat. Thank you so much!
Imma says
You are more than welcome. And if there’s a recipe you’d love to see, please let me know. Thanks:)
Erica says
In my regular rotation. I usually ma kk e it with my favorite kielbasa and use canned tomatoes for ease. I also use extra Creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce just because. I LOVE this recipe!! Thank you for sharing.
Immaculate Bites says
Yum! Thank you for sharing, Erica! Up next… Shepherd’s Pie? 😉
Carolyn says
I made this for NY day dinner. I used anduoille sausage and a can of rotel (because I’m lazy). I have always avoided cabbage but this was delish! The flavor was deep with a great kick. Hubby loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure . So happy to hear it was a hit .
Linda Quinlan says
Love cabbage with tomatoes. I used Cajun style andouille sausage for a little smoky flavor with some heat. Great combo.
Megahn says
I make this probably 2 times a month. It has become a staple in my house!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks for taking time out to share this with us.
Annette Zimmerman says
Can this be made with canned cabbage???
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Annette. I have never tried this recipe with canned cabbage before. Using it will depend on the other ingredients present in the canned cabbage. You may have to adjust the seasoning in order to get this recipe right. Do let me know how it works out for you 🙂 .
Elfi says
Warning! Could be highly addictive!
ImmaculateBites says
Hahahah! I concur!! 🙂
Vicki says
Al I have right now is turkey bacon. Would that work?!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes that would work.
Ali says
I don’t usually care overmuch for cabbage, but this was gorgeous – so glad I tried it!
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Awesome! Happy to hear that you like this. 🙂
Ali says
on the third making tonight, lol – guess that tells you everything!! 🙂
Courtney Coleman says
When to add potatoes or how to prepare them with the dish?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Courtney,
Kindly check this other recipe here. https://www.africanbites.com/ethiopian-cabbage/. Thanks
Jackie says
Made this tonight and it’s yummy!! Thank you for sharing!!
imma africanbites says
Awesome! Glad you like it.