Spicy Cabbage with Kielbasa and Mashed Potatoes

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe that’s my own. There are just so many delicious things on the Internet these days, it’s hard not to be a copy cat! A month or so ago, I found myself roaming the grocery store with no list, no recipe in mind, and no clue what to make for dinner. As I passed a head of cabbage, the wheels started turning.

This recipe is a combination of two phenomenal dishes I’ve had in the past.

Nick and I have found a restaurant here that we really like. It’s sort of like steakhouse meets gourmet Southern cookin’. We’ve been back over and over again. There are two things in particular that we keep going back for. The first is the fried green tomatoes smothered in the most delicious spicy shrimp and mushroom cream sauce. The second is their stewed cabbage side dish. I know, I know. Stewed cabbage. Sounds gross, right? Why would we even have ordered that?

Well, I’ve always had a particular fondness for cabbage and for some reason when I was asked to choose between mashed potatoes, veggies or stewed cabbage… it just sounded good. Nick followed suit and we were both SO glad. The cabbage is cooked with lots of bacon and hot sauce and is just amazing. We haven’t ordered anything else since.

The second dish that inspired this recipe is an old Polish dish called kapusta that my grandma has been making for decades. You really can’t go wrong with Nana’s food, right? Her kapusta is a mix of cabbage and sauerkraut that she cooks with salt pork and serves with kielbasa. Along with her homemade pierogies, the kapusta has always been a favorite of mine.

So there you have it. Two delicious recipes morphed into one amazing meal!

I mentioned that I made this a month or so ago. Well, since I didn’t really know what I was doing (I was kind of just throwing things together), I didn’t bother taking pictures. But the meal was so good I knew I had to make it again to blog it… and soon!

Spicy Cabbage with Kielbasa

serves 4

for the cabbage:

4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large head cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup sauerkraut, lightly drained
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp hot sauce
salt & pepper, to taste
1 package kielbasa, cut on the diagonal in 1 inch pieces

for the potatoes:

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
3 tbsp butter
3 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until potatoes are tender, drain, and return to pot. Add butter, cream cheese, milk, s&p, and mash everything together.

Meanwhile, add bacon to a large pot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Add the onion and continue cooking until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the cabbage, tomatoes and sauerkraut.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Season with cayenne, hot sauce, s&p, and continue cooking, uncovered until cabbage is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the kielbasa, cover, and cook about 5-7 additional minutes until kielbasa is heated through.