Fried Cabbage And Sausage

This fried cabbage and sausage is a Southern-style side dish made with tender cabbage, browned smoked sausage, crispy bacon, garlic, onion, and a buttery finish. The cabbage cooks down in the skillet until tender with a little bite, picking up flavor from the browned bits in the pan without needing any broth or water.

I first had fried cabbage and sausage while I was still in school, and I remember how different it tasted from the cabbage I was used to eating. Once I learned how it was made, I understood why the cabbage picks up all that flavor from the sausage, bacon, and skillet as it cooks.

I prefer Polish smoked sausage for this recipe, sliced into rounds and browned before the cabbage goes into the skillet. The cabbage releases plenty of its own moisture as it cooks, so the goal is to let that moisture evaporate while continuing to fry the cabbage until it picks up plenty of flavor from the sausage, bacon, and browned bits in the pan.

How to Make Fried Cabbage and Sausage

1. Prep the ingredients. Slice the smoked sausage into rounds, chop the bacon, slice the cabbage into strips, dice the yellow onion, and mince the garlic.
2. Brown the sausage and bacon. Heat a large skillet or pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add a little cooking oil if needed, then cook the sausage and bacon until the sausage is well browned and the bacon is crisp. Remove both from the pan.
3. Cook the onion and garlic. Lower the heat slightly and add the onion and garlic to the drippings in the pan. Add more oil if the bottom looks dry. Stir in the smoked paprika and cook until the onion begins to brown.
4. Add the cabbage. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced cabbage, and add a little more oil if needed. The pan may look very full at first, but the cabbage will cook down.
5. Cover and cook. Cover the pan and cook the cabbage for about 15 minutes, opening the lid every few minutes to stir. Add more oil whenever the bottom of the pan starts to look dry.
6. Watch the heat. You want golden to brown bits developing in the pan, not black ones. If the cabbage starts browning too quickly, lower the heat.
7. Return the sausage and bacon. Once the cabbage is tender with a little bite, add the sausage and bacon back to the pan. Cook for another 3–5 minutes to heat everything through.
8. Finish with butter. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, keeping in mind that the bacon and smoked sausage already add salt.

Tips for the Best Fried Cabbage and Sausage

• Brown the sausage well. Getting a good sear on the smoked sausage adds flavor to both the sausage and the browned bits left behind in the skillet.
• Let the bacon get crisp. Cook the bacon until browned and crisp before removing it with the sausage. The rendered fat also helps flavor the cabbage as it cooks.
• Don’t add broth or water. The cabbage releases plenty of its own moisture once it is covered. Adding extra liquid would work against the fried texture we’re trying to create.
• Keep an eye on the skillet. Golden and brown bits are what you want. If the bottom starts turning black, lower the heat because burnt cabbage can quickly give the whole dish an unpleasant flavor.
• Add oil when the pan gets dry. This is fried cabbage, so add a little more cooking oil as needed while stirring instead of allowing the cabbage to stick or scorch.
• Cook the cabbage to your preferred tenderness. Start checking it around 15 minutes. You want the cabbage tender with a little bite, but you can continue cooking if you prefer it softer.
• Polish smoked sausage is my favorite. I’ve made this with both beef and Polish smoked sausage, and either works, but I prefer the flavor of Polish sausage here.
• Finish with the butter off the heat. Stirring in the butter after the skillet comes off the burner gives the finished cabbage a more noticeable buttery flavor.
• Taste before adding more salt. Bacon and smoked sausage already bring plenty of sodium, so make the final salt and pepper adjustment at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What to Serve with Fried Cabbage and Sausage

• Smothered Turkey Wings – Tender turkey wings covered in savory gravy pair well with the smoky sausage, bacon, and buttery cabbage.
• Crockpot Riblets – Slow-cooked pork riblets make a hearty main dish alongside Southern-style fried cabbage.
• Fried Cornbread – Crispy skillet cornbread is a natural Southern side to serve with the tender cabbage and smoked sausage.

More Cabbage Recipes

• Southern Smothered Cabbage with Smoked Turkey – Tender cabbage cooked down with smoked turkey, onions, and savory seasonings.
• Cabbage Potatoes and Sausage – A hearty combination of cabbage, potatoes, and smoked sausage for an easy comfort-food meal.
• Creamed Cabbage – Tender cabbage cooked in a rich, creamy sauce for a comforting Southern-style side.
• Ground Beef and Cabbage – Ground beef and tender cabbage cooked together for a simple, hearty dinner.
• Cabbage and Sausage Soup – A cozy soup packed with cabbage and smoky sausage.