Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Skillet Dinner
Inside: The 30-second rinse that fixes sour sauerkraut, what to do if you brought home fresh kielbasa instead of smoked, an oven method for when you’re feeding a crowd — and a one-skillet dinner that’s on the table in half an hour.
When you’re craving a quick, easy skillet dinner, this recipe for kielbasa and sauerkraut is the best. You need fewer than ten ingredients and only 30 minutes for a hearty kielbasa skillet dinner that feeds 4 people.
Kielbasa and sauerkraut is a one-skillet Polish-American dinner: smoked sausage seared in its own fat, then simmered with rinsed sauerkraut, Yukon Gold potatoes, onion and caraway. Thirty minutes, one pan, feeds four.
The rinse is the part most people skip. It pulls out the harsh packing brine and leaves the kraut tangy instead of sharp—my secret trick for converting people who thought they didn’t like sauerkraut.
What nationality is kielbasa?
Kielbasa is a Polish sausage, and it comes in many forms, with more than 100 types available in Poland today. We don’t have nearly that much variety in my grocery store.
Where did kielbasa and sauerkraut originate?
This Polish sausage and sauerkraut recipe is actually based on the traditional Ukrainian dish, Kobasa Kapusta. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs meal made with Polish kielbasa and sauerkraut, assembled in a single skillet on the stovetop. You’ll love it because it’s ready to enjoy in about half an hour.
This recipe is similar to choucroute garnie (an Alsatian dish with sauerkraut, multiple types of sausages, pork hocks or ribs, potatoes, apples and wine). It’s a crowd-pleaser but doesn’t work for a quick Tuesday night dinner.
This version is scaled-down and much quicker to assemble, so much so that this classic kielbasa and kraut is one I make at least once or twice a month during the fall and winter.
Even my husband (who’s not a huge sauerkraut fan) enjoys this dish — to the point of claiming any leftover kielbasa and kraut for his lunch the next day.
Why you’ll love kielbasa and sauerkraut
- The combination of flavors is delicious. They are smoky and porky with a mild acidity to cut the fattiness. Small chunks of tender potato add a little heft.
- It uses everyday ingredients, and there are plenty of ways to customize it.
- Prep is minimal and is made in a single skillet.
- Sauerkraut and kielbasa is a quick and easy dinner option for busy weeknights.
- Even folks who don’t like sauerkraut enjoy this recipe with smoked sausage and potato.
Ingredients:
- Smoked Kielbasa (or other smoked sausage; do not use Italian sausage).
- Olive Oil – no need to use an expensive one.
- Onion – I use yellow onion, but you can also use white.
- Garlic – for depth of flavor and aromatics.
- Sauerkraut – rinse the sauerkraut well before using.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – we prefer this variety but you can also use white or red potatoes.
- Caraway Seed – gives this recipe its distinctive taste.
- Chicken Stock from rotisserie chicken or low-sodium chicken broth.
- Salt and Pepper (to taste).
Prepping Polish sausage and sauerkraut
Cut Kielbasa into chunks
Many sauerkraut and kielbasa recipes cut the sausages into bite-sized pieces, and while that may be traditional, I prefer to leave them in larger chunks, about 2-3″ long.
It’s easier to brown them in the pan, flipping with a pair of tongs, and the juices stay locked into the smoked sausage. Trust me, juicy and plump is what you want in a polish sausage.
Rinse Sauerkraut
Many people don’t enjoy sauerkraut because of the sour brine the cabbage is soaked in. It’s got a face-squinching bite to it. If your sauerkraut tastes too sour straight from the jar, here is the fix—and it takes thirty seconds.
To tame the sourness of the kraut, I rinse it first in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water. This removes excess brine and leaves a softer, mellower sauerkraut flavor that pairs perfectly with the porky smoked sausages.
After rinsing the kraut, set it aside to drain fully so it isn’t watered down.
Potatoes, Onions & Garlic
I use Yukon Gold potatoes, which have a thin skin and therefore don’t need to be peeled. Cut the potatoes into small ½-¾” pieces (no larger; otherwise, they may not cook through completely).
Diced onion and minced garlic lose their pungency when sautéed and actually become sweet. A perfect pairing for the sauerkraut.
I prefer a non-stick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. Using the top helps to steam the potatoes, so they’re tender. However, you can also use a stainless steel or cast iron pan with a cover that’s a close fit.
How to make kielbasa and sauerkraut skillet dinner (step-by-step)
Start by browning the sausage chunks in olive oil until browned, letting some of the fat render into the pan. Transfer the sausages to another plate.
2. Add the chopped onions, potatoes and garlic to the pan, stir and cook until the vegetables are tender and start to take on color, becoming a golden brown. This takes about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the rinsed and drained sauerkraut and caraway seed and mix well to combine.
4. Stir in about ¼ cup of chicken broth and nestle the browned chunks of Polish sausage into the sauerkraut mixture.
5. Simmer for 5-6 minutes with the lid on the pan. If the mixture seems dry, you can add more broth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary with salt and pepper.
How long does kielbasa and sauerkraut take?
Thirty minutes start to finish, and it’s a genuinely quick weeknight dinner — most of the time is hands-off. Here’s where it actually goes:
- 10 minutes prep — slice the sausage, dice the onion and potatoes, rinse the kraut.
- 5 minutes searing the sausage.
- 8–10 minutes for the onions and potatoes, lid on.
- 5–6 minutes covered, once the sausage goes back in.
How long do you cook kielbasa on the stove?
About five minutes — and it’s for color, not for doneness. Smoked kielbasa comes fully cooked out of the package, so searing it is about building a crust and rendering fat into the pan for the potatoes and kraut to cook in. Once it’s golden on two sides, pull it out. It goes back in at the end to warm through, another five or six minutes.
Fresh kielbasa is a different animal — it’s raw and has to be poached first. More on that in the FAQs below.
The rinse is the one step you can get ahead of. Do it first and leave the kraut in the strainer while you cut everything else — it’ll be properly drained by the time you need it, and you’re not standing there waiting on it.
As the primary cook in my family, I love how quickly and easily this meal comes together. The prep time is minimal, and it doesn’t require constant monitoring. Plus, my family enjoys it, and they think I’m a wizard for getting dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Pro-Tips:
- Buy refrigerated kraut, not shelf-stable. The kind in the cold case is still live and still has crunch. Canned and jarred kraut has been heat-processed into submission — it goes limp the moment it hits the pan and carries a faint tinny edge you can’t rinse away. A bag or tub from the refrigerated section is what you want.
- Cook the vegetables in the sausage fat. When the browned kielbasa comes out of the pan, everything it rendered stays behind. That fat is doing half the seasoning in this dish. The onions and potatoes go straight into it — don’t wipe the skillet, don’t drain it, don’t add more oil.
- Give the sausage room to brown. A pound of kielbasa crowded into one pan steams instead of searing. If your skillet runs small, do it in two batches. Three extra minutes is the difference between bologna-texture and fond or crust.
- Hold back a spoonful of brine before you rinse. Rinsing is what makes this dish work for people who swear they hate sauerkraut, but it’s possible to overshoot — especially with a mild kraut. Keep a spoonful of the brine in a cup. If the finished skillet tastes flat, stir it in at the end, and the tang comes right back.
- Salt at the end, if at all. Between the kielbasa and the kraut, this one arrives salty on its own. Taste before you reach for the shaker. Nine times out of ten, the answer is pepper.
- Stretch it with fresh cabbage. Feeding more people, or working with a kraut that’s sharper than you’d like? Shred two cups of green cabbage and add it along with the sauerkraut. It bulks up the pan and mellows the sour, and nobody at the table will know you did it.
Variations and Substitutions:
- If you don’t have caraway seed, skip it or swap it for crushed fennel seed.
- Chicken broth is a neutral liquid for simmering, but if you prefer something bold, you can swap it for a hearty, dark beer like a German-style Doppelbock.
- Add peeled and chopped sweet apples to the mix for a sweet hit.
- Add a quarter cup of golden raisins. (Though it may sound odd, I’ve found that golden raisins go well with the earthiness of cabbage and sauerkraut.
- Stir in a tablespoon of brown sugar with the onions and potatoes. It will soften the acidity of the sauerkraut if you have sensitive diners.
- Swap turkey kielbasa for pork kielbasa for a healthier version of smoked sausage and kraut.
FAQ’s
Not in this recipe as written. Fresh kielbasa — the white, uncured kind — is raw, and it has to cook through completely before it goes anywhere near the kraut. Smoked kielbasa is already cooked, so searing it is about color and rendered fat, not doneness. If you brought home fresh, poach the links in barely simmering water for 18-20 minutes, or until they read 160°F in the center. Then slice, sear, and pick the recipe up where the onions and potatoes go in.
Smoked pork or beef kielbasa. You want something cured and smoked, with enough fat to render into the kraut, because that fat does half the seasoning. Turkey kielbasa works and cuts the fat, but you will taste the difference. Skip Italian sausage entirely — the fennel and Italian seasoning fight the caraway.
Yes. Brown the sausage on the stovetop first — don’t skip that — then move everything to a covered baking dish at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until the potatoes give easily to a knife. For four people, the skillet is faster, and you keep the browned bits in the bottom of the pan, which is where a lot of the flavor lives. Using the oven is a better move if you’re doubling the recipe for a crowd.
Maybe. Rinsing the kraut with water takes away most of the sour aspect; however, a tablespoon, stirred in with the onions and potatoes, rounds off the acidity without making the dish sweet. I don’t add it when I’m cooking for the two of us — I like the tang. But if you’re feeding someone who flinches at sauerkraut, it can be effective.
It’s not unhealthy, but it’s also not diet food. Sauerkraut is cabbage, after all, and fermented foods like these are good for your gut.
It could be if you omitted the potatoes.
You could, but there’s no reason to. This simple skillet dinner is ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. You won’t gain anything by cooking the ingredients slower in a crock pot. Further, a pressure cooker would only burst the sausages.
Storage:
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- It’s better on day two, once the kraut and the sausage fat have had time to get acquainted.
Reheating:
- To reheat: transfer the smoked sausage and sauerkraut back into a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen it — five minutes, stirring, and it’s as good as it was.
- The microwave works when you’re in a hurry, but go in 45-second bursts with a damp paper towel covering it to catch splatters and keep the dish moist.
Freezing:
- This dish can be frozen; however, cooked potatoes don’t love the freezer and can come back a little grainy. If you know you’re making a batch for the freezer, leave the potatoes out and serve it over mashed potatoes or spaetzle instead.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the skillet.
What goes with kielbasa and sauerkraut?
It’s a one-pan meal, so you don’t have to serve it with anything. That said, here’s what I actually put on the table with it.
- Warm, crusty bread and brown or whole-grain Dijon mustard. (Honestly, this is my go-to).
- Popovers are airy, light pockets that are delicious with a smear of good butter. They are a great neutral canvas for the rich flavors of this kielbasa skillet dinner.
- You can skip adding diced potatoes to the sauerkraut and serve it over a bed of mashed potatoes or spaetzle instead.
- Beer (a darker, heartier variety like the Doppelbock mentioned above would work well).
- If you’re more of a wine person, try a chilled Riesling or Gewürztraminer.
What else to do with a package of kielbasa:
- A ring of kielbasa comes in packages of 12 ounces to one pound, and this recipe uses all of it. If you bought two, or you’re working through what’s already in the fridge:
- Dice it and fry it with eggs and last night’s potatoes for breakfast hash.
- Slice it into coins and crisp them on a sheet pan with potatoes and peppers.
- Drop chunks into yellow peas with smoked sausage — same smoked-pork logic, completely different texture.
- Use it in place of the bangers in this sausage, cabbage and potato skillet.
- Go the other direction and build a full choucroute garnie when you’ve got a table to feed.
More smoked sausage and kielbasa recipes:
- Cajun Red Beans Rice and Sausage
- Hoppin’ John
- Red Bean and Sausage Soup
- Spicy Chorizo Hash
- Seafood, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Black Bean and Sausage Soup
- Instant Pot Hoppin’ John
Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound kielbasa sausage do not use Italian sausage
- ½ large onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound sauerkraut we like the kind from the refrigerated section (not canned)
- ½ pound Yukon Gold Potatoes (or red skinned potatoes, ½–¾" dice)
- 1 teaspoon caraway seed optional
- ¼-½ cup chicken stock from rotisserie chicken or low sodium chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut 1 pound kielbasa sausage into 2-3" chunks.
- Open 1 pound sauerkraut (we prefer the kind in the refrigerated section of the store) and pour it into a large mesh strainer. Rinse the kraut with cool water and set aside to drain well.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet (preferred) over medium high heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage chunks and sear them for about 5 minutes, until they begin to take on a golden color and give up some of their fat.
- Transfer the sausage to another dish.
- Add ½ large onion, 1 clove garlic and ½ pound Yukon Gold Potatoes to the same skillet and cook with the lid on the pan, stirring occasionally until the onions and potatoes start to brown and become tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the drained sauerkraut, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (if using) and ¼ cup of chicken stock. Mix well.
- Add the sausage back to the skillet, cover and cook for another 5-6 minutes
- If the mixture is too dry, add additional chicken broth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
NOTES:
- Rinsing and draining the sauerkraut softens the sourness so it isn’t too ascerbic.
- Though you can use lower-fat turkey sausage, for the best flavor, use a good-quality smoked sausage (we like beef or pork). Searing the sausage well renders the natural fat, which mingles with the flavors of the sauerkraut and potatoes.
NUTRITION:
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy. Values are calculated automatically based on the ingredients and quantities in each recipe and may vary depending on specific brands, exact measurements, and substitutions made. For precise nutritional guidance, especially if you have a medical condition or dietary restriction, please consult a registered dietitian or run the ingredients through your own nutrition calculator.Pin it for later!
Made this for dinner for me and my husband and it was delicious! Definitely making again.
This is a keeper! I had already cooked fresh Ukrainian sausage (not smoked) the other day. So, I adapted and jumped ahead to saute the onion, spices (added Sweet Hungarian Paprika), then added vegetable broth(I was out of chicken broth). Then, I added my drained sauerkraut, added back a little of the drained sauerkraut juice to taste. Added the cooked kolbasi and some leftover fried potato cubes from the other day. Covered and simmered for 15 minutes. So delicious! ThNks for a wonderful recipe!
Great skillet meal! Pretty much followed recipe except I added a chopped carrot and instead of chicken broth I used a dark beer. Excellent, husband loved it.
I made this with the ingredients and proportions exactly as written (except I can’t eat whole caraway seeds so I used my Gewurzreibe [spice grinder] to turn the seeds into powder). The proportions of sausage, kraut, potatoes, garlic, onion, caraway etc. were perfect. (Note: it took an extra 5 minutes of cooking with the lid on during the final step for my potatoes [red potatoes] to be done even though I cut them into small cubes.) Very nice recipe—thank you for sharing!
I have used this recipe multiple times (no caraway seeds) & always happy. Once I did not have potatoes but did have leftover potato salad/dijon mustard etc, & stirred it in towards the end of cooking. It was really good also!
This my first time making kielbasa and sauerkraut, I love this recipe. I never had it with garlic and potatoes. It’s definitely a keeper!
Quick, easy and tasty!
It turned out great. I just added a little brown sugar.
Came out great!
This is a Polish recipe. That’s why it’s called polish sausage. Polish sausage dates back to the 14th century & was made with wild meats. Later, it was made with just pork.
Excellent!!
Yummy! My husband’s favorite dish. The kraut is mild and SO flavorful!
This dish is one of our favorites! I always add apple, onion, a bit of brown sugar and white wine. With the potatoes, so satisfying!