Cabbage and sausage is one of the most delicious and satisfying combinations, IMHO. I’ve cooked cabbage and sausage together several ways in the past, but I wanted to test them out in the slow cooker to see if this easy, hands-off cooking method would work too. The verdict? It works! Cabbage and sausage cooked in a slow cooker turns out tender, brothy (almost like a cabbage and sausage soup), and totally delicious.
What Kind of Sausage to Use
You’ll want to use a smoked sausage for this recipe. I suggest using something like kielbasa or andouille. This smoky flavor and spices in the sausage help flavor the entire pot during the long, slow simmer, which makes everything extra flavorful!
Potato Options
I used baby creamer potatoes because they’re easy and didn’t require me to do any chopping, but you could also use red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Russet potatoes would probably fall apart a little too much to be practical in this recipe.
How to Season Cabbage and Sausage
My goal for this recipe was to keep it as simple as possible, so I only added a couple of teaspoons of steak seasoning (a chunky mix of salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper). You could also use something like Cajun seasoning, or you could do something simple like a little salt, pepper, paprika, and caraway seeds.
How to Serve Cabbage and Sausage
I spooned the cabbage, sausage, potatoes, and broth into a bowl and at it as sort of a brothy bowl (not quite a soup, but not quite dry), but you could use a slotted spoon to leave the broth behind if you prefer. Either way, some crusty bread and butter on the side really solidifies this as the ultimate comfort food. :)
Slow Cooker Cabbage and Sausage
Servings 6 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1.5 lb. baby potatoes ($2.99)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 1/2 head chopped cabbage (5-6 cups) ($1.14)
- 2 tsp steak seasoning ($0.20)
- 14 oz. smoked sausage ($2.79)
- 2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
- 1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional garnish) ($0.10)
Instructions
- Chop the onion into 1-inch pieces. Place the baby potatoes and onions in the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Add the cabbage and steak seasoning to the slow cooker.
- Slice the sausage into ½-inch thick rounds. Add the sausage to the slow cooker along with the chicken broth. Stir slightly to nestle the sausage down into the cabbage. It's okay if the broth does not cover all the ingredients.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- After 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low, stir to combine the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Top with chopped parsley, if desired, then serve hot.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Got leftover cabbage? Make our Cabbage Soup Recipe!
How to Make Slow Cooker Cabbage and Sausage – Step by Step Photos
Chop one yellow onion into one-inch pieces. Place 1.5 lbs. baby potatoes and the chopped onion in the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
Chop ½ head of cabbage into one-inch pieces (about 5-6 cups once chopped). Add the chopped cabbage to the slow cooker along with 2 tsp steak seasoning.
Slice 14oz. smoked sausage into ½-inch thick rounds. Add the sliced sausage to the slow cooker along with 2 cups chicken broth.
Slightly stir the ingredients in the slow cooker just so the sausage gets nestled down into the cabbage a bit.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. After cooking, it will look a little like this.
Stir everything together, top with chopped parsley (optional), and serve hot!
Dice the onion, add two minced garlic cloves and sauté them in rendered bacon fat before adding them to the crockpot. I also sautéed the cabbage in the rendered bacon fat before the crockpot. Add 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the chicken broth once thrown all together in the pot and stir. These small changes made a huge flavor difference!
I have made this recipe 4 times. It’s good, not great. An easy, throw-together meal for a weeknight when you don’t need to impress. I double the spices and add a dollop of sour cream once it’s done cooking.
Amazing and easy!!! Our family loved it!!!
My husband LOVES this, and it’s so easy! It has become part of our regular rotation.
This tasted so good! I am making it again this weekend!
This is the recipe my mom made to feed 8 kids—3 girls and 5 huge and always hungry boys! I have been searching for this recipe and finally found it. It is my favorite comfort food and very healthy to boot. Thanks so much!
Should the sausage be pre-cooked?
Hi, Susannah! Smoked sausage is already pre-cooked — while you wouldn’t want to slice & eat it directly out of the package like a summer sausage, you just need to make sure it is heated to a safe temperature for eating (around 160*, like reheating leftovers). Four hours in the slow cooker is PLENTY of time to make that happen! — Best, Marion
Tastes like someone threw a bunch of random ingredients in a slow cooker and called it a meal. I would not recommend this to anyone. Please for the love of God do not try this recipe.
This recipe is one of the VERY few stinkers on this blog. Wouldn’t make again. I had to mess with it so much just to make it edible.
I added some chopped up bacon and a bit of red wine vinegar to up the acidity and flavor and it was perfect! Very flavorful and delicious!
This was okay out of the slowcooker but once i added some grainy mustard and smoky bacon mayo it elevated it to really delicious. I think adding some bacon grease and regular mayo would work as well but the creaminess of the mayo is really necessary. Sour cream and baon bits might work.