This cabbage and sausage skillet is a one-pan dinner that takes about 25 minutes. I brown sliced chicken sausage in avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet, then cook chopped green cabbage and onion in butter in the same pan with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar goes in at the end, the sausage goes back in, and fresh parsley goes on top. It tastes savory and a little smoky, and one package of sausage and about half a head of cabbage make 4 servings.
The chicken sausage is already fully cooked when you buy it, so browning it is about color and crisp edges, not cooking it through. That keeps the time at the stove to about 15 minutes.
Spread the cabbage out in a large (12-inch) skillet and stir it only now and then, so it picks up some color at the edges instead of steaming.
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Reader Love
Excellent and Super Easy!
When the onions were almost completely sauteed, I also added 1/2 chopped apple for a little additional sweetness.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- One pan, about 25 minutes. Cleanup is one skillet, a cutting board, and a spoon.
- Budget-friendly. About half a head of cabbage, half an onion, and one package of sausage make 4 servings.
- Browned, not steamed. The cabbage cooks in butter in the skillet the sausage browned in, so it picks up the browned bits from the pan.
- Easy to keep on hand. A head of cabbage keeps for weeks in the fridge, and the seasonings are pantry spices.
- Flexible. Chicken sausage, smoked sausage, or kielbasa all work.
- Good leftovers. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheats in a few minutes.
➡️ Ingredients
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Sausage: Any fully cooked sausage works: chicken sausage, smoked sausage, kielbasa, or a cooked Italian sausage. Use what your family likes.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is classic, but savoy or even a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix works in a pinch and cooks down faster.
- Onion: Yellow, white, or red all work; shallot gives a milder, slightly sweeter bite.
- Cooking fat: I brown the sausage in avocado oil and cook the cabbage in butter. Olive oil works in place of the avocado oil.
- Garlic: The recipe uses garlic powder with the cabbage. Two cloves of fresh minced garlic work too; add them with the onion.
- A little heat: Swap in a spicy sausage, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the onion.
✨ Variations
- Add a starch: Stir in cooked rice or a can of drained white beans at the end to make it heartier.
- Bacon version: Cook a few strips of bacon first and use the fat to cook the cabbage, then crumble it back in.
- Apple and onion: Add a thinly sliced apple with the onion for a sweet and savory version.
- Cheesy finish: Sprinkle shredded cheddar or Swiss over the top and cover the pan for a minute to melt.
- Brighten it: An extra splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of mustard stirred in at the end wakes the whole thing up.
〰️ How to serve
- Over rice: Spoon it over lemon chicken rice or plain steamed rice to stretch it further.
- With mashed potatoes: Serve Boursin mashed potatoes on the side for a heartier plate.
- With crusty bread: A slice of crusty bread is all you need to round it out on a busy night.
- For a crowd: Pair it with mac and cheese for an easy potluck or game-day table.
💬 FAQs
What kind of sausage works best?
Any fully cooked sausage works here: chicken sausage, smoked sausage, kielbasa, or Italian sausage. Use what your family likes. If you start with raw sausage, brown it and cook it all the way through before you pull it out to cook the cabbage.
Can I use a whole head of cabbage?
Yes, if you double the rest of the recipe. A small head of green cabbage gives about 8 cups chopped, twice the 4 cups this recipe uses. Cook the doubled cabbage in two batches so it browns instead of steaming.
How do I keep the cabbage from getting watery?
Give it room and don’t rush it. Cook the cabbage in butter in the same skillet over medium heat without crowding the pan, and stir it only occasionally so it gets a chance to brown. Crowded cabbage steams; cabbage with room browns.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts until hot. It makes an easy lunch the next day.
Can I make this a full meal?
It already is, with sausage and vegetables in one pan. It’s also good served over rice, with mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread if you want to stretch it for a hungrier crowd.
Is cabbage and sausage low-carb?
Yes. Cabbage is low in carbohydrates, and one serving has about 10 grams of carbohydrates. The full nutrition is in the recipe card below.
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Cabbage and Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 10-ounce package fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 cups green cabbage, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Optional Garnishes:
- Freshly cracked pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook Sausage: In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat, heat avocado oil. Once hot, add sliced sausages and cook until browned and crispy on both sides, about 5 minutes. Then, using a spoon, transfer sausages to a plate. Set aside.
- Cook Cabbage: In same skillet, melt butter then add cabbage, onion, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is lightly tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar then return sausage to skillet and stir until warmed through, about 1 minute.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove skillet from stovetop heat, garnish with freshly cracked pepper and parsley, then serve.
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