Fried Cabbage and Sausage

This simple, yet incredibly flavorful Fried Cabbage with Sausage is a hearty and savory one-pot meal. It’s the ultimate comfort food, perfect for a quick lunch or busy weeknight dinner.

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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Fried Cabbage and Smoked Sausage Recipe

  • Easy one-pot meal that’s ready in 30 minutes
  • Hearty, filling and loaded with flavor from the smoky sausage
  • Budget-friendly requiring just a few simple ingredients
  • Healthy and nutritious
closeup of Fried Cabbage and Sausage with parsley on top

Cabbage seems to be an unsung hero of the low carb world. With its versatility, you can create so many wonderful and nutritious meals with it. This recipe for Egg Roll in a Bowl and this Fried Cabbage with Bacon are hugely popular, Keto and low-carb friendly AND only take minutes to prepare.

Though this fried Cabbage with Sausage dish is great to serve any time of year, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, which inspired me to come up with a new and delicious recipe to help celebrate the holiday! This recipe nailed it! Not only is it easy, but it also tastes AH-mazing!

Sliced smoked sausage is pan seared in a little bacon grease until browned and slightly caramelized. Sweet sauteed onions and tender cabbage are then added creating the most perfect companions to the smoky flavors in the sausage.

silicone spoon holding up Fried Cabbage and Sausage

Whether you are serving this for a St. Patrick’s Day feast or for a simple weeknight dinner, you will simply love all this dish has to offer; simple, easy, affordable and DELISH! If you happen to have some ham, try this Fried Cabbage with Ham recipes, it’s so tasty!

What’s in Fried Cabbage and Smoked Sausage

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Sausage

Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add in half of the bacon grease.

slices of smoked sausage frying in skillet

Sauté the sausage for a few minutes, until it starts to get some color, then remove and set aside.  In the same skillet (do not wipe it out), add in the rest of the bacon grease and onion, salt and pepper, then sauté for a few minutes or until they just start to caramelize. 

This will bring out a little sweetness that goes perfectly in this dish.

diced onion and garlic sautéeing in skillet

Add the garlic in the center and sauté for about 20 seconds, do not let it start to brown or it will become bitter.

onions and garlic sautéed in skillet with butter and spices

Stir in the butter and smoked paprika and allow it to toast for about a minute, then add in the apple cider vinegar.

sliced cabbage frying in skillet

Pour in the cabbage, toss and sauté for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

overhead view of Fried Cabbage and Sausage in skillet

Add the sausage back in and the (optional) red pepper flakes, cook for a few minutes until the sausage is heated through and serve.

closeup of Fried Cabbage and Sausage with parsley on top

If you love bacon, be sure to also try this Fried Cabbage with Bacon Recipe! The bacon gives it wonderful flavor and take less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

How to Store Fried Cabbage and Sausage

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to about 4 days in an airtight container.

This dish can also be frozen, which makes it a great meal prep option! Just place leftovers in a sealed, airtight and freezer-safe container. Label the outside of the container with the date you cooked and place it in the freezer for up to three months.

To thaw, just place in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet until warmed through.

Is Cabbage OK for Keto Diet? How Many Carbs are in Fried Cabbage?

Absolutely! Cabbage is a great veggie for Keto. Because it has a mild flavor, cabbage is even used as a pasta substitute in some Keto lasagna recipes.

There are approximately 6.5 total grams of carbs in a one cup size portion of fried cabbage. The fiber in cabbages comes in around 2.5 grams making the net carb count only 4 grams.

overhead view of Fried Cabbage and Sausage in white bowl
What Do You Eat with Fried Cabbage? What Kind of Meat Goes with Fried Cabbage?

The sausage in the recipe is perfect with fried cabbage. But it is so versatile you can add it to just about any type of protein you’d like.

Serve fried cabbage alongside a pan seared Filet, grilled Chicken, hamburger steak, Salmon, or other types of sausage like andouille or Italian sausage. It truly will go with just about anything you want to serve it with.

sliced cabbage in glass bowl
How Long Do You Cook Cabbage For?

One of the great things about this fried cabbage recipe is, you cook the sausage separately, which means you can cook the cabbage just the way you like it.

Pan searing cabbage for 10-12 minutes on medium-high heat will leave the cabbage slightly al-dente. If you like it super tender and soft, cook it a little longer, or until it reaches the texture you prefer.

Tips for Buying and Storing Cabbage

  • Look for compact heads that are heavy for their size.
  • The outer leaves should be crisp and deeply colored with few, if any, blemishes.
  • You’ll want to avoid heads of cabbage that have wilted or yellowing outer leaves. Check the stem of the cabbage for cracks or other signs of aging.
  • When you get the cabbage home, place it vegetable crisper in the fridge. Even if it was not refrigerated with you bought it. Cabbage will stay fresh for up to two weeks when kept cool.
overhead view of Fried Cabbage and Sausage in skillet

More Keto Recipes with Cabbage

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overhead view of Fried Cabbage and Sausage in white bowl

Fried Cabbage and Sausage

This simple, yet incredibly flavorful Fried Cabbage with Sausage recipe is a hearty and savory one-pot meal.
4.99 from 54 votes
Author: Julianne
Servings 6
PREP 10 minutes
COOK 20 minutes
TOTAL 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 14 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 medium head of green cabbage, shredded
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons bacon grease, divided
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Optional red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add in half of the bacon grease.
  • Sauté the sausage for a few minutes, until it starts to get some color, then remove and set aside. In the same skillet (do not wipe it out), add in the rest of the bacon grease and onion, salt and pepper, then sauté for a few minutes or until they just start to caramelize. This will bring out a little sweetness that goes perfectly in this dish.
  • Add the garlic in the center and sauté for about 20 seconds, do not let it start to brown or it will become bitter.
  • Stir in the butter and smoked paprika and allow it to toast for about a minute, then add in the apple cider vinegar.
  • Pour in the cabbage, toss and sauté for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
  • Add the sausage back in and the (optional) red pepper flakes, cook for a few minutes until the sausage is heated through and serve.

*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 217kcal
Nutrition Facts
Fried Cabbage and Sausage
Amount per Serving
Calories
217
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
11
g
4
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
11
g
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

© Copyright for Keto Cooking Christian LLC. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

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4.99 from 54 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




92 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My picky eaters loved it. I enjoyed making this dish and having it turn out so delicious was wonderful treat! Thank for post it.

    1. That means so much, especially coming from someone with picky eaters to please! I’m so glad it turned out delicious and that everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for giving the recipe a try and for taking the time to leave such a kind comment!

  2. This is now replacing my old family recipe using the same main ingredients. I used to make a dish from childhood containing cabbage, smoked sausage, onions, potatoes and green beans (cut style) but it was almost more of a soup, it was filling but bland. This pops with flavor and that is without the potatoes that I don’t east anymore!

    1. That is definitely a win! I love this dish so much, also. It has so much flavor. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

  3. 5 stars
    My family loves fried cabbage, but until tonight we had it only with bacon. We loved the addition of sausage. Thank you so much for sharing this yummy recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    recipe is really easy and it was great!
    We love fried cabbage but this was really wonderful. used Johnsonville Kielbasa.
    Super good! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    God Bless!

  5. 5 stars
    Made this with chicken sausage I had on hand and it was such an easy and delicious dinner. Great idea, love a quick skillet meal like this!

  6. 5 stars
    This fried cabbage dish reminds me of one my mom used to make but with the addition of sausage, yours is a complete meal. It came out totally delicious!

  7. 5 stars
    I made this fried cabbage and sausage recipe yesterday, and it was a delightful combination of flavors and textures! It was a hearty and satisfying one-pot meal! I highly recommend trying this recipe.

    1. Thank you so much. One-pot meals are so great for busy weekdays. I am happy you enjoyed it.

  8. 5 stars
    I really like this dish. It’s simple, flavorful, hearty, and savory—it has everything you could want in a one-pot meal.

    1. Thank you so much. I think everyone needs this easy and delicious recipe in their menu lineup.

  9. 5 stars
    Very quick and tasty dish! I didn’t use bacon grease bc my sausage had enough grease to cook it. I used an 8 oz. package of shredded cabbage, loved using the apple cider vinegar, but don’t think I’ll use the red pepper next time! Thanks for sharing your recipe!

  10. 5 stars
    Literally my new obsession for dinner!
    I did add cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, some salt and pepper in addition to the paprika the recipe calls for.

    1. Those sound like great additions and truth be told, it’s one of mine too. It’s so easy and satisfying!

  11. I don’t eat bacon so I just used oil and I put my own seasoning in it and it was really good thanks for this recipe first time cooking cabbage 🥬 as well

  12. 4 stars
    Quick meal to throw together. It needs more seasoning that what is listed. Other than that it tasted great.

  13. 5 stars
    My family loved this dish. I doubled the recipe and added a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar when I was cooking the cabbage. This is what my hubby calls ‘A Keeper’.

  14. Made this tonight. Needed quick meal w what I had in fridge. Delish as is but will definitely try additions from the comments.
    This is keto ??? Yum

    1. That’s awesome. It’s a great soup just as it is, but it’s always fun to add your own spin on it.

  15. 5 stars
    This was a great recipe to throw together quickly on a busy week night.So flavorful and easy to get on the table quickly. It received rave reviews from everyone and I’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thanks for another great recipe!

    1. That’s awesome to hear, thank you for sharing. It’s always a great thing when some of the best recipes turn out to be easy to make. Leftovers will be even better today!

  16. 5 stars
    I made this with turkey keilbasa and unrefined coconut oil and it was delish. Husband asked for it to become part of the regular rotation.

  17. 5 stars
    Loved this! It’s a keeper. Didn’t have white cabbage so used red. Used plenty of pepper flakes. My mouth is watering thinking about the leftovers in the fridge. Yum!!

    1. 5 stars
      I added 1/2 lb cooked bacon. I also added Julienne cut red bell pepper and a touch of Cajun seasoning. Delicious!