This Pickled Red Cabbage and Kielbasa is a simple and flavorful Polish comfort food. Red Cabbage, Butter, Kielbasa, Onions & Garlic cooked together to make something simple yet so special!
Polish Comfort Food
This is truly a simple dish. It reminds me of any given holiday at my Polish Grandmom’s house. The best local kielbasa, sauerkraut, pickled red cabbage, horseradish, beets, an assortment of perogies, golumpki, shrimp, ham, potato filling… I miss my Grandmother and I miss those days ♥
This Red Cabbage and Kielbasa is really is a simple, throw together kind of meal. Not at all complicated. You can season it additionally if you’d like, but I find it’s simplicity perfect as is.
I LOVE cabbage, pork, sauerkraut & Polish foods! Check out some of my other recipes (Polish grandmom inspired) Pork and Sauerkraut, Hungarian Pork and Sauerkraut Goulash, Sauerkraut and Sausage Soup, Pork Paprikash & Red Beet Eggs! Enjoy ♥
Ingredients & Instructions
You can certainly make your own pickled red cabbage if you’d like. I always keep good quality jarred stuff on hand. Just make sure you’re NOT buying something with high fructose corn syrup and a ton of other weird ingredients. The label ingredients should look like the same ingredients you would use to make it yourself.
You can use kielbasa or any smoked sausage you like. I have a local butcher that makes & smokes all their own sausages and I prefer to buy from them. Other times I grab a link of kielbasa from the local grocery store. Both work wonderfully.
I prefer to take my time while cooking the onions. You want the onions to be a beautiful golden brown. I cook the onions in butter over medium-low heat. It’s a bit time consuming but the flavor is worth it.
After your onions are golden brown, add the kielbasa and cook for a few minutes, get it a little brown. Then add garlic and stir & cook for a minute or two. Garlic shouldn’t be browned or it gets bitter. It should be cooked until just fragrant and all should have touched the heat of the pan.
Top with red cabbage, I drain about half of the liquid. Bring to a simmer, stir occasionally and cover & cook over low heat. For the very least half an hour – I prefer an hour to two.
How to Serve
You can eat this Red Cabbage and Kielbasa plain, as is. I usually do. Sometimes I top with horseradish or a 50/50 blend of horseradish and sour cream. You can also serve it with perogies, spaetzle, buttered noodles or with mashed potatoes. Whatever says comfort food to you!
Hope you enjoy!
Amanda ♥
Red Cabbage and Kielbasa
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 medium onions chopped
- sprinkle salt give onions a light dusting of salt
- 1 pound kielbasa (or smoked sausage of preference) 14 oz – 16 oz is fine. I usually slice in in half lengthwise and cut 1" pieces.
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 31 ounce pickled red cabbage (drain half of liquid) I use Old World brand
Instructions
- Heat up a large saute pan or skillet over medium-low heat. When pan reaches temperature, add butter until melted.
- Add onions. Salt onions. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring & flipping often, until lightly golden brown. This may take awhile (20-30 minutes) depending on heat. If pan gets to dry, add an additional tablespoon of butter.
- Add kielbasa. Cook for a few minutes, lightly browning it.
- Add garlic. Stir & cook for a minute or two. Garlic should NOT be browned or it gets bitter. It should be cooked until just fragrant and all should have touched the heat of the pan.
- Add partially drained red cabbage. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.
- Reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally. Cook for at least half an hour. 1-2 hours for better flavor.
- Serve as is. I usually do. Sometimes I top with horseradish or a 50/50 blend of horseradish and sour cream. You can also serve it with perogies, spaetzle, buttered noodles or with mashed potatoes. Whatever says comfort food to you! Enjoy ♥
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