Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage & Cabbage
Made with hearty smoked sausage, fresh green cabbage, onion, and leeks, this rustic, one-pot dinner couldn’t be easier to make! Whether you’re looking for a wholesome family meal or a low-carb, delicious solution for busy weeknights, this recipe for Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage & Cabbage checks ALL the boxes!
Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage & Cabbage
While you can buy green cabbage all-year long in the U.S., there is something in the air that makes me crave it as soon as fall approaches!
Maybe that’s because cooked cabbage conjures up images of warm, hearty comfort foods.
Combine that leafy green vegetable with smoked sausage or kielbasa and aromatics like onion, garlic, and leeks, and you’ve got a fabulous low-carb, one-pot meal!
Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete instructions):
- Green cabbage
- Smoked sausage – kielbasa, turkey/beef/pork smoked sausage
- Onion – I used a yellow onion
- Leeks – not required, but add extra flavor
- Broth – vegetable, chicken, or beef
- Butter
- Bay leaf
- Seasonings – garlic powder, salt & pepper
This easy dinner is perfect when you’re busy in the evenings because it takes only 10 minutes to put together!
The only hands-on part is browning the sausage and chopping the veggies.
After that, let the wonderful flavors simmer and meld in your slow cooker until the cabbage has softened!
Did you know that cabbage has multiple health benefits?
According to Cleveland Clinic, cabbage can lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, protect your heart, improve digestion, and more!
How to make Slow Cooker Sausage & Cabbage
- Chop up a head of green cabbage and add it to the slow cooker.
- Brown your sliced sausage in a skillet. They are already fully-cooked, we’re just giving them some color.
- Add the sausage to the slow cooker with the cabbage and deglaze the pan you cooked the sausage in with some broth. Scrape up the brown bits.
- Add the onion, leeks, bay leaf, garlic powder, salt & pepper to the slow cooker and pour the liquid from the pan over everything in the slow cooker.
- That’s it! Cook until cabbage is done, then add some butter. (full instructions on recipe card below)
What kind of sausage is best with cabbage?
Either kielbasa or other types of u-shaped smoked sausage are perfect with the cabbage in this recipe.
In the United States, the terms “kielbasa” and “smoked sausage” are often used interchangeably, but according to Coleman Natural Foods, “kielbasa is the Polish word for sausage”.
Kielbasa is supposed to have more spices and garlic than traditional smoked sausage, but it depends on the brand.
You can find smoked sausage made with either beef, pork, turkey, or chicken. It is also available is spicy versions.
I used turkey smoked sausage in this recipe because it’s healthier, but use what you like best.
Do I have to brown the sausage first?
Browning the sausage first is not essential, however, after the sausage is browned, we deglaze the pan, scrape up all the yummy brown bits and pour it all in the slow cooker with the cabbage.
If you skip this step, you will be missing some flavor.
Also, the sausage appears more aesthetically pleasing when it’s been browned first, but that’s personal preference.
What kind of cabbage is best?
This recipe was developed using fresh green cabbage. No other types of cabbage have been tested.
How to serve smoked sausage & cabbage?
We eat this as a complete meal, but you could serve with mashed potatoes, crusty French bread, or egg noodles if desired.
How long is sausage & cabbage good for? Can I freeze it?
Sausage and cabbage can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
It can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months in freezer-safe containers.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Here are some favorites:
- Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken (makes great sandwiches!)
- Slow Cooker Beef Braciole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Provencal
- Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers (shown below)
NOTES:
- Depending on how soft you like your cabbage, it may be done sooner than 6 hours. If you want tender-crisp cabbage, check it as the 5-hour mark for doneness.
- This meal was created to be low-carb. Feel free to add pieces of potato, but you may need to increase the cooking time.
- The eight servings are based on this being a main course served with a side dish.
- I have not tested this recipe with plant-based sausage.
Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage & Cabbage
Equipment
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker
- skillet
Ingredients
- 1 head of green cabbage chopped
- 2 13 oz. packages of smoked sausage/kielbasa sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 2 leeks (white parts) sliced
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 cup broth chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 3 tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Add chopped cabbage to slow cooker.
- Brown sausage pieces in a skillet for a couple minutes, stirring often, making sure all sides get browned. Add the sausage to the cabbage in slow cooker and pour the broth in the skillet used to cook the sausage, scraping up the yummy brown bits in the pan.
- Add the onion, leeks, garlic powder, bay leaf, salt and pepper to slow cooker and then pour the broth from the skillet over everything in the slow cooker. Do not add butter yet, we're going to add it at the end when it's done cooking.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, checking on it at the 5-hour mark if you want your cabbage more firm.
- When done, cut butter into a couple pieces and scatter in slow cooker. Mix everything well and taste for needed salt. The butter will melt in just a couple minutes.
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Rate it and let me know in the comments below! ♥
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We love this recipe!