This easy one-pan meal combines flavorful kielbasa sausage with tangy sauerkraut and sweet apple for a delicious and satisfying meal. Learn how to make this hearty dish with easily accessible ingredients and minimal effort and cleanup.
One Pan Easy Kielbasa and Sausage
This one-pan kielbasa and sauerkraut recipe is a quick and easy dish that is perfect for busy weeknights. With only 30 minutes of cooking time, it’s a delicious and satisfying meal that the whole family will love.
It is one of our favorite meals as the flavors complement each other well. If you like this recipe, try cabbage and sausage, skillet sausage and peppers, or haluski.
Ingredients Needed
- Vegetable oil: just a little bit
- Onion: sweet yellow or Vidalia
- Kielbasa sausage: or other smoked sausage
- Sauerkraut: I like the refrigerated bagged sauerkraut as I find it crispier and tastier.
- Brown sugar: just a little bit to add a little sweetness
- Dijon mustard: to give the dish a little zip and tang
- Apple: Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper: to taste
- Red pepper flakes: are optional, but they give the dish a little zest
How To Make Kielbasa and Sausage
This is the nutshell version. Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sausage, cooking until the onion is soft and the sausage is browned. Add the drained sauerkraut, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple.
Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until the apples soften. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- This dish is traditionally made with Polska Kielbasa, a spiced, smoked pork sausage, but you can use any smoked sausage.
- I like to use bagged sauerkraut or homemade sauerkraut as I find it superior in taste and texture to jarred or canned. Drain it well in a colander in the sink.
- Season with fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, or dill.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
What To Serve With It
- Honey roasted carrots
- German potato salad
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Roasted vegetables
- Potato dumplings
More Recipes To Try
Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 lb kielbasa sausage cut into 3/4-1 inch chuncks
- 2 lb package sauerkraut in liquid well drained
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium apple peeled and diced see notes below
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sausage, cooking until the onion is soft and the sausage is browned. Stir several times.
- Add the sauerkraut, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the apples soften.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add crushed red pepper, if desired.
Notes
- This dish is traditionally made with Polska Kielbasa, a spiced, smoked pork sausage, but you can use any smoked sausage.
- I like to use bagged sauerkraut or homemade sauerkraut as I find it superior in taste and texture to jarred or canned.
- Season with fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, or dill.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can be reheated in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Doug
Made it tonight over mashed potatoes and loved it. Took your advice and used bagged, refrigerated sauerkraut, it was great. I like the brown sugar and Dijon mustard, gave it a wonderful flavor.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Doug! I am so glad that you enjoyedit.
Melissa Watkins
My mom made this dish when I was a kid and your recipe reminded me of hers! It was easy, delicious, and everyone loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melissa! We love it too!
Hari
I always come across new recipes that I haven’t heard before whenever I happen to get to your blog. Love the fact that this recipe is a one pan meal. Noted it down!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Hari! Enjoy!