Kielbasa And Sauerkraut Skillet Recipe

One-pot meals are the hallmark of cozy dishes, and this Kielbasa and sauerkraut dish is no exception. Protein, starch, and vegetables are married together in this simple, but extremely tasty recipe. Leah Maroney knows the importance of a quick and easy, yet comforting meal. This dinner comes together in thirty minutes and can also be made ahead of time. It's a traditional Polish dish that gets better after the second day — meaning leftovers you will actually enjoy eating! There's minimal prep involved and many of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry.

Sour sauerkraut is mellowed by the creamy, gold potatoes, and salty kielbasa. We like to do a quick rinse to the sauerkraut to cut down on the salty, sourness without losing all of the good flavor it provides. Maroney recommends waiting to salt the dish until the end as different sauerkraut and kielbasas can have different salt contents.

Serve this dish with some crusty sourdough bread to soak up all the juices. A side salad is also a great addition to round out the meal. You can use this dish as a way to use up what you have in the refrigerator as well. Add in chopped red bell peppers for a nice pop of color.

Kielbasa is sliced and browned in a large pan. Then it's removed and butter, onion, garlic, and potatoes are added. Chicken broth and sauerkraut are then incorporated and the kielbasa is added back in, along with optional chopped parsley. Pop on the lid and let all the ingredients get cozy. After 20 minutes, you've got a delicious one-pot meal ready to serve, no sides needed!

Peel and dice the potatoes into large cubes. Place in a bowl of water.

Slice the onion into half moon slices.

Mince the garlic.

Cut the kielbasa on a bias into equal-sized medallions.

Brown the kielbasa slices in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.

Flip the kielbasa to brown the other side.

Remove the kielbasa from the skillet and add the butter.

Brown the sliced onions, potatoes, and garlic in the butter until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add in the chicken broth, kielbasa, and the sauerkraut. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

Kielbasa, sauerkraut, and potatoes are even better served the next day! The simple flavors blend together and the potatoes soak up all the juices. Store this one-pot dish in its own dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Kielbasa and sauerkraut can also be frozen if you will not be eating the leftovers promptly. Once the dish is cooled, add the contents to a plastic storage bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

Reheat by adding it to a pan with a little water or chicken broth. You can also stretch this dish by serving the leftovers over egg noodles the next day. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions (al dente preferred), drain, and then toss with butter. Serve the reheated sauerkraut and kielbasa over the top of the buttery noodles.

You can make this one-pot dish even easier by cooking it in the crockpot! Brown the kielbasa ahead of time and then add all of the remaining ingredients into the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. This is a great method when you want to come home to a warm and cozy meal after a long day at work. The slow cooker also helps the ingredients absorb each other's flavors. This method may produce a little more liquid than when cooking on the stovetop. Drain some of it before serving, if needed. 

The Instant Pot can be used for this recipe as well. It's a great option since you can brown the sausage right in the pot. After browning the sausage, add the remaining ingredients and cook on the "meat" setting for 10 minutes. Release the steam and then serve!