Pork
$1.27per plate
Prep
10 min
Sausage · Kielbasa
Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet
This is budget cooking at its most honest: a ring of smoked kielbasa, half a head of cabbage, and a couple of potatoes, all browned in one skillet. The sausage renders enough fat to cook everything else, so it flavors the whole pan for free. Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables in the store and it cooks down sweet and tender. Fifteen minutes of prep, one pan, and dinner for four lands right around a dollar fifty a plate.
$1.51per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.04 · serves 4
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/kielbasa-and-cabbage-skillet
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Cutting board and knife
Variations
- Stir in a spoonful of caraway seeds with the cabbage for a more traditional kielbasa-and-cabbage flavor.
- Add a small can of drained sauerkraut with the cabbage for extra tang.
- Roast everything on a sheet pan at 425 F instead of the skillet if you would rather it be hands-off.
1 How to make it
1
Brown the kielbasa
Heat a large skillet over medium-high with a small drizzle of oil. Add the sliced kielbasa in a single layer and let it brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Those browned edges are where the flavor is, so do not rush them. Scoop the sausage out and set it aside. Leave the rendered fat in the pan to cook the vegetables; if the sausage was especially fatty and there is more than a thin coating, pour off the excess so the skillet does not turn greasy.
2
Start the potatoes
Add the diced potatoes to the same skillet with the sausage fat. Cook, stirring now and then, for about 4 minutes to start the browning, then add a splash of water, cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes until a piece pierces easily with a fork. Uncover for the last minute so the water cooks off and the edges crisp back up. The brief covered steam cooks the potatoes through to the center without frying them so long they fall apart, so keep the dice small and even.
3
Add the cabbage and onion
Stir in the onion and cabbage with the garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until the cabbage wilts down and the edges caramelize, about 6 to 8 minutes. It will look like a lot of cabbage at first, then shrink by half.
4
Bring it back together
Return the kielbasa to the skillet and toss everything for a minute or two to heat through. Finish with a splash of vinegar or a spoonful of mustard: it cuts the richness of the sausage and brightens the whole pan, so do not skip it. Taste, add salt if it needs it, and serve straight from the pan.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Any smoked sausage for the kielbasa. Turkey kielbasa, andouille, or a store brand smoked sausage all work. Buy whichever is on sale; the recipe does not care.
- Skip the potatoes. Leave them out for a lighter, even cheaper skillet, or serve the sausage and cabbage over rice instead to stretch it further.
- Red cabbage or a bag of coleslaw mix. Either works if it is cheaper that week. Bagged slaw mix skips the chopping.
- Which vinegar or mustard to use. The bright finish is built into the recipe now. Apple cider vinegar, a spoon of whole-grain or Dijon mustard, or even a splash of pickle juice all play well with the smoky sausage; use whatever you have.
3 Budget tips
- A whole cabbage usually costs a dollar or two and gives you more than one dinner. Use half here and save the rest for slaw or soup.
- Kielbasa often goes on sale near holidays. Buy an extra ring and freeze it; it keeps for months and thaws fast.
- The sausage renders plenty of fat, so you barely need any oil. That is one less thing to buy.
- Diced potatoes stretch the sausage so a single ring feeds four. Add a second potato if you need to feed more.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It reheats well and makes a quick lunch.
Freezer
This one is best fresh; cabbage softens further after freezing. If you must freeze it, use within a month and expect a softer texture.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat to crisp the edges again, or microwave until hot. A skillet keeps the potatoes and sausage from going soft.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
380
Protein
15g
Fat
26g
Carbs
22g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between kielbasa and smoked sausage?
Kielbasa is a Polish smoked sausage, but for this skillet any fully cooked smoked sausage works the same way. Buy whatever is cheapest; they all brown and flavor the pan alike.
Do I have to peel the potatoes?
No. A good scrub is enough, and leaving the skin on saves time and adds a little texture. Dice them small so they cook through in the pan.
How do I keep the cabbage from getting soggy?
Cook it over medium-high and do not crowd the pan or add water. You want it to wilt and caramelize, not steam, so give it room and let it sit long enough to brown.
How is the price per plate calculated?
Around $6.04 for the skillet, four servings. The kielbasa is most of it, and cabbage is about the cheapest vegetable you can pad it out with.
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.
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