My uncle Earl has been making this simple sausage and cabbage supper every winter for as long as I can remember. He’s a practical Midwestern farm boy at heart, and he likes meals that are cheap, filling, and don’t keep him tied to the stove. This slow cooker version is just four ingredients, but it tastes like you fussed over it all afternoon. The smoked sausage seasons the cabbage and potatoes as everything simmers together into a cozy, brothy one-pot meal that’ll warm you clear through on a cold weeknight.
This dish is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it’s lovely with a slice of buttered rye or crusty white bread to soak up the savory broth. A simple side of applesauce or a crisp green salad adds a little freshness alongside the rich sausage and tender cabbage. If you like, put out some mustard or a splash of cider vinegar at the table so folks can brighten up their bowls to taste.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Sausage and Cabbage
Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 small head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and cut into thick shreds or wedges
2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into large chunks
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Layer the potatoes in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. This gives them plenty of time closest to the heat so they turn soft and creamy without falling apart.
Add the cabbage on top of the potatoes, spreading it out evenly. It will look like a lot, but it cooks down into tender, translucent ribbons as it simmers.
Arrange the sliced smoked sausage over the cabbage in an even layer. The sausage will brown slightly at the edges and its juices will drip down, seasoning the vegetables.
Pour the chicken broth evenly over everything in the slow cooker. The liquid will not completely cover the ingredients; that’s fine. As the cabbage releases its juices, it will create plenty of savory broth.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the cabbage is soft and translucent. The sausage should be heated through and lightly browned around some of the edges.
Once cooked, gently stir from the bottom to mix the sausage, cabbage, and potatoes together without mashing the potatoes too much. Taste and, if you like, add a pinch of salt and black pepper at the table.
Ladle the sausage, cabbage, and potatoes into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the flavorful broth from the bottom of the slow cooker. Serve hot.
Variations & Tips
This four-ingredient version is meant to be as simple and budget-friendly as my uncle always made it, but you can nudge it a little this way or that. If you have time in the morning, you can brown the sliced sausage in a skillet first to deepen the flavor and give it a bit more color before adding it to the slow cooker. For a slightly sweeter, more old-fashioned farmhouse taste, stir in a thinly sliced onion with the cabbage, or add a chopped apple on top of the potatoes—just know that will take you beyond the strict four-ingredient idea. You can also swap the chicken broth for beef broth for a heartier flavor, or use water and a bouillon cube if that’s what you have on hand. If you prefer, use red potatoes instead of yellow; they hold their shape nicely. Leftovers reheat well in a saucepan over low heat, and if the broth has thickened, just splash in a little extra water or broth to loosen it. A dash of cider vinegar or a spoonful of grainy mustard at the table is a very Midwestern way to brighten the bowl without changing the basic recipe
