Quick Pan-Seared Sausages with Balsamic-Apple Cider Red Cabbage
If I could, I probably would eat sausage every day. However, I know that sausage is not really an everyday food. However, it’s great to have a package of pre-cooked sausages on hand for nights when you just need to toss a quick and easy protein into pasta, tacos, or soup, or of course, just to eat as is. This recipe for pan-seared sausages with balsamic-apple cider red cabbage is one of my go-to “shit I just got home from a long day of work and want to cook something but have nothing planned” meals (we’ve all been there, right?).
The genius of this meal is that it relies on items that will last a long time in your fridge, so you can buy them without worrying about spoiling. Cabbage lasts up to 3 weeks in your fridge, and it’s likely you’ll have one of those “oh shit” nights within the shelf life of a head of cabbage, so just keep one handy. I also happen to love cabbage. The two vinegars and brown sugar coax its natural sweetness out of it, which is a perfect complement to the savoriness of sausage. Plus, who doesn’t love a crunchy vegetable?
This meal can all be made in one skillet and in about 15 minutes, you’ll have a full dinner ready without anyone suspecting that it came out of an “oh shit” moment.
Notes: This meal was originally part of this Weekly Eats Meal Plan.
Ingredients
- Ingredients - Sausages
- Pre-cooked sausages of your choice, sliced in half lengthwise - 4 links
- Vegetable / canola oil - ½ tbs.
- Mustard of your choice (optional) - 4 tbs.
- Ingredients - Cabbage
- Small red cabbage, sliced- 1 head
- Vegetable / canola oil - 1 tbs.
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbs.
- Apple cider vinegar - 1 tbs.
- Brown sugar - ½ tbs.
- Dill, chopped (optional) - A few sprigs
Instructions
Prep
- Cabbage – Slice ¼” thick strips
- Dill – Rough chop
Make
- Slice sausages in half
- Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan over med-high heat. Cover bottom of the pan with vegetable / canola oil. Add the sausages to the pan, open-side down. Sear sausages on both sides until golden brown, ~2 minutes on each side. Lower heat, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until sausages are warmed through. Remove from pan and set aside
- Return pan to med-high heat. Add more vegetable / canola oil to the pan. Once the oil has warmed up, add cabbage with a generous pinch of salt. Toss so that cabbage gets coated in oil. Sauté for ~2 minutes. Add vinegars and sugar. Toss and cook until cabbage is tender to your liking (I like it with a bit crunch), ~5 minutes. Take it off the heat, add dill, and season to taste with salt & pepper
- Enjoy this German inspired meal with your favorite mustard and of course, beer. You so deserve it!
- Have a bit more time? Caramelize some onions before sauteing the cabbage. They’ll be delicious with the cabbage and the sausage
- Craving carbs? Sandwich all of this in a roll, pita, or bun
