Kielbasa and Sauerkraut is an easy dinner to make in 20 minutes. This simple recipe is a skillet dinner made on the stove top using common ingredients found in your grocery store. The whole family will enjoy this smoked sausage and sauerkraut recipe.
When your whole family comes home hungry, there is nothing better than a one dish meal at dinner time. I like the ease of this hearty sausage skillet and the great thing is that the one pan makes clean up a breeze.
This is a great last minute dinner and I have 25 more recipes for you if you are looking for easy and quick meal ideas. But now let's make this one- pan kielbasa dinner.
Ingredients
- kielbasa - Sometimes also called kielbasi, it is a Polish sausage that has been smoked and precooked. You can use another pre-cooked smoked sausage in this recipe but do not use fresh kielbasa which is not pre-cooked so the cooking time is much longer.
- olive oil - Subsitute with vegetable oil, butter or another neutral type oil.
- sauerkraut - You can use a bag, jar or can.
- brown sugar - Adds a touch of sweet flavor but you can leave it out to make this a lower carb recipe.
- apple juice - Gives the dish a natural sweetness but tart flavor.
- dried or fresh parsley - optional but it makes the dish look pretty.
See recipe card for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
How to Make Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
I made this easy kielbasa skillet dinner in a cast iron pan. I love a heavy pot that gives the smoked sausage a nice sear but you could also use a heavy stainless steel pan or non-stick pan. See recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown the sliced kielbasa sausage then remove from pan.
2. Saute the sauerkraut on medium heat and add apple juice and brown sugar to the pan. Mix together well.
3. Add the smoked sausage back to the skillet.
4. Mix together the browned kielbasa and sauerkraut mixture and cook until juices are evaporated. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve.
Hint: Some brands of sauerkraut contain lots of liquid so drain it before adding to the pan.
Variations/ Substitutions
There are lots of ingredients you can add or substract in this one pan recipe made on your stove top. Here are some of the changes I have made.
- Vary the sausage - Use any type of smoked sausage you like. Pork kielbasa is traditional Polish kielbasa but there are chicken and turkey kielbasa varieties available too. There are so many types of smoked sausage from spicy to mild if you check your grocery store or deli.
- Add additional spices - Caraway seeds are a popular spice that some like in this dish. My family doesn't care for it but if you like it, stir in one teaspoon with the sauerkraut mixture.
- Change the liquid flavor profile - You could substitute hard cider for the apple juice or even use a little bit of malty dark beer.
- More veggies or fruit - I kept things simple but you could saute sliced onion, granny smith apples and/or bell peppers and add them to the sauerkraut when cooking this dish.
If you like this kielbasa and sauerkraut dinner, you might also like my Skillet Pork Chops and Sauerkraut recipe.
Leftovers/ Storage
I love making a sandwich with the leftover kielbasa and piles of tangy sauerkraut the next day. Spicy or dijon mustard goes perfectly with a kielbasi and sauerkraut sandwich on rye bread or a hoagie roll.
Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Top tip
Slice kielbasa in even sizes. This will insure that the sausage recipe gets evenly cooked.
FAQ
This kielbasa and sauerkraut recipe is best eaten when it's made but you can freeze the leftovers if necessary. Make sure to store in a freezer bag or airtight container. It will last in your freezer for up to a month.
Total time to make this recipe is 20 minutes including prep but the actual cooking time is only 15 minutes.
Side Dish Suggestions
This skillet meal only needs a fresh salad, some crusty bread or other side dish to be a complete meal. Here are some serving suggestions:
If you'd like more serving suggestions, check out my post on what to serve with kielbasa and sauerkraut.
More Kielbasa & Smoked Sausage Recipes
- Pierogi with Cabbage and Kielbasa
- Mexican Black Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage
- Smoky Sausage Vegetable Soup
If you like this kielbasa recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below.
RECIPE
Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 ounces kielbasa sausage
- 16 ounces sauerkraut, drained
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown the sliced kielbasa sausage then remove from pan.
- Saute the sauerkraut on medium heat and add brown sugar and apple juice to the pan. Mix together well.
- Add the smoked sausage back to the skillet.
- Mix together the browned kielbasa and sauerkraut mixture and cook until juices are evaporated. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Sherry Green says
Delicious
Lyle Lewis says
Similar to my recipe I’ve used the past 50 years. I got this from my great grandmother.
Jim Anderson says
First time making it, so I'll have to let you know. It looks good so I have to try it tonight. Went to the store and got what we needed.the only thing we did not get was the garnish. Thanks for the good looking recipe
lisa says
Jim,
No garnish necessary...lol. Thanks for the review. Enjoy!
Lisa
Rick L says
This is very good with brats or pork chops also. Try adding 2 tsp. Caraway seeds for a German version.
lisa says
Rick,
Great idea! I like it that way too but my family is not big on caraway seeds. Wish they were!
Best,
Lisa