Description
This One-Pan Sweet & Sour Cabbage with Sausage is a flavorful, comforting dish combining smoky apple chicken sausages with tender cabbage, sweet apples, and tangy apple cider vinegar. Cooked all in a single pan, it offers a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, making it a wholesome and easy meal ideal for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Sausage & Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound fully cooked apple chicken sausages, organic if possible
Vegetables & Fruit
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 medium apples, any kind, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 small purple cabbage, about 1.5 pounds, cored and very thinly sliced
Seasonings & Liquids
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅓ cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Brown the Sausages: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, lidded pan over medium heat. Add the apple chicken sausages and cook until browned on both sides, flipping once, about 5-7 minutes. Remove sausages and set aside.
- Sauté the Onions: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and heat over medium. Add the thinly sliced onion, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook while stirring frequently until the onions are softened and slightly browned, approximately 8 minutes.
- Add Apples, Cabbage, and Liquids: Stir in the sliced apples, thinly sliced cabbage, ½ teaspoon salt, apple cider, and apple cider vinegar. Combine everything thoroughly to blend the flavors.
- Simmer Covered: Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Add a splash more apple cider if the pan begins to dry out during cooking.
- Reduce Liquid and Check Tenderness: Remove the lid and check that the cabbage is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Cook uncovered on medium heat to reduce any excess liquid further if needed. If the cabbage is still tough, cover again and cook another 10 minutes or until tender.
- Reheat Sausage and Season to Taste: Return the browned sausages to the pan and stir to warm through. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, apple cider vinegar, or freshly ground pepper as desired before serving.
Notes
- Look for chicken sausages made without added sugar or synthetic preservatives for a cleaner ingredient profile.
- Green cabbage can be used instead of purple cabbage if preferred or more readily available.
- If you don’t have apple cider, substitute with ⅓ cup chicken stock whisked together with 2 tablespoons honey for a similar sweet and tangy effect.
- Omit the sausage to make this dish a vegan or vegetarian side option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
