Sausage
$1.51per plate
Prep
10 min
Vegetables · Cabbage
Fried Cabbage with Sausage
A whole cabbage costs a dollar or two and cooks down into a surprising amount of sweet, tender, golden-edged dinner. Fried in the fat from a little smoked sausage, it turns into a full skillet meal for six at about a dollar a plate. This is the cheapest kind of cooking done right: one humble vegetable, a bit of sausage for flavor, and a hot pan doing most of the work.
$1.01per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.04 · serves 6
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Brown the sausage
Heat a large skillet or pot over medium-high with a small drizzle of oil. Brown the sliced sausage on both sides, about 4 minutes, then scoop it out and leave the fat behind.
2
Start the onion
Add the onion to the sausage fat and cook until it softens and picks up color, about 4 minutes. That rendered fat is what carries the flavor into the cabbage.
3
Wilt the cabbage
Add the chopped cabbage in batches with the garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. It will look like far too much, then shrink by half. Cook, stirring now and then, until wilted and the edges caramelize, about 8 minutes.
4
Bring it back together
Return the sausage to the pan and toss for a minute to heat through. Taste for salt and serve straight from the skillet.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Kielbasa or any smoked sausage. Whatever is cheapest works. Turkey smoked sausage is a leaner, often cheaper option.
- Bacon for the sausage. A few chopped slices of bacon give the same smoky fat to fry the cabbage in for less.
- Add potatoes to stretch it. Brown a couple diced potatoes with the onion to make it even heartier and feed more.
- A splash of vinegar at the end. A spoonful of apple cider vinegar brightens the whole pan for almost nothing.
3 Budget tips
- Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables you can buy and a whole head feeds six. Buy it by the head, not bagged.
- The sausage renders enough fat to cook everything, so you barely need oil.
- Use half the head here and save the rest for slaw or soup so nothing goes to waste.
- A little sausage flavors the whole pan, so you do not need much meat to make it satisfying.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Leftovers hold for 4 days in a covered container and reheat into a fast lunch or a bed for a fried egg.
Freezer
Best fresh, since cabbage softens further after freezing. If needed, freeze up to a month and expect a softer texture.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium-high to crisp the edges again, or microwave until hot. A pan keeps it from going watery.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
250
Protein
10g
Fat
18g
Carbs
12g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I keep fried cabbage from getting soggy?
Cook it over medium-high in a wide pan and do not add water. You want it to wilt and caramelize, not steam, so give it room and let it brown between stirs.
Is fried cabbage filling enough for dinner?
With the sausage, yes, and it feeds six. To make it even heartier, brown a couple diced potatoes in the pan or serve it over rice.
Can I make it without meat?
Yes. Fry the cabbage in a tablespoon of oil or butter and lean on the paprika, garlic, and a splash of vinegar for flavor. It drops the cost even lower.
What makes this about a dollar a plate?
The whole skillet runs around $6.04 and feeds six. The sausage is most of that, so a cheaper smoked sausage, or a little less of it, brings the plate cost down.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Cook next
All recipes Related recipes
From other tables
All recipes 
