Huddled up at home waiting out the virus? Want dinner that’s both comforting and easy? Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and Apples is just the thing. It’s filling, it’s quick, and it’s dinner all by itself. All in one pot. Some say this dish is German, others call it Polish. Whichever, it’s delicious!
I adapted this recipe from one I found online. That recipe called for first cooking the kielbasa on a grill, then putting them in the oven, while starting the onions on the stove, and making the rest of the recipe. That would leave you with a grill, a baking sheet, and a frying pan to clean. No! No! No! Not doing that way.
Plus, it’s early to stand outside and grill anything here. Even if I had a grill. This way is much easier.
My version only uses a single pan. And, it’s ready in about 20 minutes. Much better!
The kielbasa makes this dish filling, while the sauerkraut adds a little bite. Cooking it mellows out the sharpness (a bit like cooking onions or garlic), and the apple gives it a bit of sweetness and balance the richness of the sausage and the sourness of the kraut. The honey mustard horseradish sauce is also sweet/spicy so it complements the rest of the dish perfectly.
Use an apple that is slightly tart (I had Crimson Topaz, but a tart apple such as Granny Smith would work fine).
No kielbasa? Bratwurst would work too.
Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and Apples
Ingredients
- Kielbasa
- 1 T cooking oil (less if you use pork kielbasa, a bit more for turkey)
- 1/2 onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 6 oz kielbasa (about 6 inches long, cut into 1/2 inch slices)
- 1/4 C sauerkraut, drained
- 1 small tart apple, sliced
- Honey Mustard Horseradish Sauce
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add kielbasa, and cook 5 minutes
- Add the sauerkraut and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Turn over sausage.
- Add the sliced apple
- Cook that for another 5 minutes and remove from pan onto plate.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Pour sauce over sausage mixture.
Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and Apples Substitutions and Variations
- Add a little apple cider to the pan
- Use some dark beer
- Experiment with different kinds of sausage, even plain frankfurters
- Add sliced potatoes for an entire meal in one pan
- Serve with rye bread, or add some caraway seeds
- Leave the sausage whole and put it on a hot dog bun (cook it a bit longer)
More Sausage Recipes
One Pot Polish Sausage and Cabbage with Potatoes
Another great one-pot fridge stable/shelf stable meal, with only a few simple ingredients. The cabbage mellows as it cooks, and the potatoes make it a filling, hearty meal.
Quick Creole Cabbage and Sausage
Travel (in your imagination) to New Orleans with these quick skillet dinner. Spiked with creole seasoning and creole mustard for a burst of flavor (don’t worry if you don’t have those things, you can easily make them with common ingredients).
Lamb Merguez Sausage with Rice and Vegetables
Spicy sausage, sweet carrots, and largely pantry ingredients. It does call for eggplant, but you can skip it if you don’t have it. Add more carrots instead. Or some mushrooms.
