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This one-pan southern fried cabbage and sausage is the perfect comforting meal, ready in just 30 minutes! It’s made with bacon, sausage, onion, garlic, and cabbage.

Even though I grew up in New York, I’ve lived in Texas for half of my life and love the Southern comfort vibes of the cooking in the south. Smoky flavors, and veggies like cabbage are right up my alley. I have a southern fried cabbage recipe in my cookbook, and decided it was time to revisit this concept and turn it into more of a full meal rather than just a side.

With smoked beef sausage, bacon, and a big ol’ cabbage, this recipe is packed with flavor and the cozy Southern comfort made at home in under 30 minutes. Plus, this version is gluten and nightshade-free.

Why you’ll love this one-pan southern fried cabbage and sausage

  • It’s one pan! Who doesn’t love a one pan meal for easy clean up?!
  • Perfect comfort meal! This is a great fall meal with protein and veggies on a cold evening!

The ingredients

  • Smoked Beef Sausage. I love using this sausage for a nightshade-free option, but you can use a similar one! I often find this sausage at Costco or Whole Foods.
  • Bacon. A lot of recipes for fried cabbage will use butter, but I love using bacon! The smokey flavor of the bacon fat adds a lot to the dish, and makes it even more rich and comforting.
  • Onion, Garlic and Parsley. I highly recommend using fresh rather than powdered in this recipe.
  • Coconut Sugar. This adds a bit of depth of flavor to the onions like you would get from caramelized onions, but it’s technically optional.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar. This adds some acid that’s very needed in a rich and smokey dish. It helps the flavor from the fresh veggies pop a bit more.
  • Green Cabbage. You’ll want to use a medium to large cabbage for this dish.

How to make one-pan southern fried cabbage and sausage

  • Step One. Cook the bacon and set aside.
  • Step Two. Crisp the sausage and set aside.
  • Step Three. Saute the garlic and onions and add the coconut sugar.
  • Step Four. Add the cabbage and allow to wilt before adding the sausage and bacon back in.
  • Step Five. Top with chopped parsley and enjoy!

HOW TO SLICE A WHOLE CABBAGE

Cabbage is simple to work with, as long as you remove the tough core! Slice the cabbage and carefully use a knife to cut around the core. You can then remove it with the knife or your hands.

Rather than shredding the cabbage, I prefer to roughly chop it into squares for this dish. It lends itself better to a hearty bite.

Tips & tricks

  • Use a cast iron or enamel cast iron pan. These are the best for retaining heat for large skillet meals like this!
  • Add some heat. I made this recipe nightshade free, but feel free to add some chili flakes or cajun seasoning to add some heat.

Storage and reheating instructions

Store this recipe in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat it on the stove top to serve.

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One Pan Southern Fried Cabbage and Sausage

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  • Author: Michelle
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Southern
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 slices of bacon, chopped
  • 4 smoked beef sausages (like this)
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 medium green cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Using a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Set aside, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
  2. Add the sausage in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until crisp. Set the cooked sausage and bacon aside, covering with foil to keep them warm. Reserve about 2 tbsp of fat in the pan and set any remaining fat aside.
  3. Pour the onion and garlic into the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Add the coconut sugar and toss to coat the onion and garlic.
  4. Pour the cabbage into the pan, add the vinegar, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Toss to allow the cabbage to wilt, then cover with a lid for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and toss again, adding more reserved fat if needed. Cover again for another 3 minutes.
  5. Once the cabbage is wilted, add the sausage and bacon back to the pan. Toss for about 1-2 minutes to combine.
  6. Serve topped with chopped parsley and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

This recipe works well in a cast iron pan and an enamel cast iron pan like this. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 350
  • Fat: 20.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Fiber: 6.1g
  • Protein: 17.4g