Autumn is the season for local/regional veggies like potatoes, cabbage, and their kin. For us, it’s the time for hearty dishes like this hearty Cabbage & Bratwurst Skillet. It’s a simple meal that’s quick to prepare and that tastes absolutely delicious. When the weather outside turns cold and wet, we really appreciate simple dishes like this. Maybe not something with cabbage every single day, but as often as possible.
We love cooking and baking with all kinds of cabbage. Fortunately, the produce section has plenty to offer in autumn and winter – and everything from local sources well into spring. After all, Germany is the land of »potato and cabbage heads«. That’s what other countries say about Germans, isn’t it?
Jokes aside, you can do so much with cabbage. Of course, the distinctive flavor of (almost) all cabbage varieties isn’t for everyone. Luckily, that’s not an issue in our house. The only thing I can’t quite get everyone on board with is sauerkraut. But that’s fine. I happily whip up a batch of German Schupfnudeln with Sauerkraut just for myself and and eat it for several days if I have to. Absolutely no problem!
When paired with the right ingredients, pretty much every type of cabbage is delicious. I have to admit, though, that some are better than others. Brussels sprouts are a classic example here. On their own, they don’t taste all that great. But combine them with some onions and a bit of fried bacon, and they become an absolute treat! Well, at least for me. Though…. even prepared like that not everyone enjoys Brussels sprouts that much I guess. They are a bit controversial.
With a dish like this Cabbage & Bratwurst Skillet, you don’t have to worry about that so much. I’ve never heard any complaints so far when serving the cabbage like that. The dish usually gets eaten faster than you can say: »Very healthy, but watch out – cabbage can cause some bloating if you have a sensitive stomach«. Unfortunately, that’s a common side effect of cabbage and legumes in general. Luckily, there are a few simple tricks to help you with that…
What can you do about potential bloating from cabbage & legumes?
People with sensitive or unaccustomed digestive systems often react to cabbage, beans, and the like with bloating. Unfortunately, those who don’t regularly consume fiber from stuff like that are at a bit of a disadvantage here. Legumes and cabbage are packed with fiber, which can sometimes cause »stress« for unaccustomed digestive systems, manifesting as increased activity in your gut aka. bloating!
Spices are your best friends here! If you’re sensitive, you can use caraway seeds, fennel seeds, anise, or ginger to counteract the effects, making it easier for your body to digest the extra fiber and inhibiting bloating.
Cook cabbage and similar veggies a bit longer. A longer cooking time softens tough plant fibers and partially breaks them down, making them easier for the gut to process. The problem, however, is that you also end up destroying the good vitamins in the veggies. Not exactly ideal.
An extra tip from Grandma: Freezing cabbage for a while before you want to use it in a recipe breaks down cell structures, which can also help reduce bloating.
Well. If you enjoy cabbage and similar dishes, you’ll likely appreciate our Savoy cabbage Rolls aka. German Kohlrouladen. They are an absolute classic of German cuisine that we make regularly throughout the autumn and winter months. Admittedly, they take a bit more effort than this simple cabbage skillet dish here – but that extra work is definitely worth it!
Another recipe I highly recommend, though it has nothing to do with cabbage: Grandma’s Braised Cucumbers with Meatballs. It’s a delicious dish with a long tradition in Germany. There is one challenge though – the right kind of cucumbers can sometimes be difficult to find in supermarkets. You’re usually more likely to find them at a veggie stall at a farmers’ market… When in season – which always seems too short.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
some olive oil for frying
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2–3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
14 oz. (400g) coarse Bratwurst (for grilling), crumbled
3 tbsp. tomato paste*
2 tsp. paprika powder (hot)*
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds*
1 small pointed cabbage (about 25 oz./700g)
2 1/2 cups (600ml) veggie broth
salt, pepper
cooked rice, potatoes or bread for serving
(4 Personen)
etwas Olivenöl zum Anbraten
1 große Zwiebel, in Spalten
2-3 Knoblauchzehen, grob gehackt
400g grobe Bratwürste, zerdrückt
3 EL Tomatenmark*
2 TL Paprikapulver (scharf)*
1/2 TL Kümmelsamen (ganz)*
1 kleiner Spitzkohl (etwa 700g)
600ml Gemüsebrühe
Salz, Pfeffer
gekochter Reis, Salzkartoffeln oder Brot zum Servieren
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Peel the onion and garlic. Quarter the onion and cut it into wedges, then coarsely chop the garlic. Clean the pointed cabbage, quarter it, cut out the core from the base of each piece, and slice the cabbage into strips (not too thin). Remove the bratwurst meat from the casings and break it up coarsely. Set everything aside.
2. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion wedges and sauté them for a few minutes until softer and glossy. Next, add the garlic and the broken-up bratwurst meat, and sear everything over high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
3. Once the meat has taken on some color, add the tomato paste, paprika powder, and caraway seeds. Stir to combine and cook for about 1–2 minutes. Add the cabbage strips and cook with the other ingredients for another 2–3 minutes. Deglaze the veggies and meat with the veggie broth. Let everything simmer for about 15–18 minutes over slightly reduced heat.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If there is a lot of liquid remaining, you can thicken it with a little cornstarch. Serve the pointed cabbage dish with some cooked rice, boiled potatoes, or simply some bread.
1. Die Zwiebel und den Knoblauch schälen – die Zwiebel vierteln und dann und dann in Spalten schneiden, den Knoblauch grob hacken. Den Spitzkohl säubern, vierteln, am unteren Ende jeweils den Strunk herausschneiden und den Kohl dann in (nicht zu) dünne Streifen schneiden. Das Bratwurstbrät aus den Därmen herauslösen und grob zerdrücken. Alles zur Seite stellen.
2. Etwas Öl in einer großen Pfanne oder einem Topf erhitzen. Die Zwiebelspalten dazugeben und einige Minuten glasig andünsten. Als Nächstes den Knoblauch und die zerdrückten Bratwürste dazugeben und alles einige Minuten scharf anbraten – immer wieder umrühren, damit nichts anbrennt.
3. Wenn das Fleisch etwas Farbe bekommen hat, Tomatenmark, Paprikapulver und Kümmelsamen dazugeben und untermengen – für 1-2 Minuten mit anschwitzen lassen. Die Kohlstreifen dazugeben und mit dem Rest noch einmal 2-3 Minuten anschwitzen/anbraten, dann mit der Gemüsebrühe ablöschen. Das Gemüse mit dem Fleisch jetzt für etwa 15-18 Minuten bei leicht reduzierter Hitzezufuhr köcheln lassen.
4. Nach Belieben mit Salz und Pfeffer abschmecken. Sollte noch sehr viel Flüssigkeit übrig sein, kann man die mit etwas Speisestärke andicken. Die Spitzkohlpfanne kann man mit gekochtem Reis, Salzkartoffeln oder einfach etwas Brot servieren.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Hearty Cabbage Bratwurst Skillet
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:30
- Total Time: 00:40
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: -
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
This is a great weeknight dinner option: this hearty Cabbage Bratwurst Skillet is easy to make and extremely delicious. We love this rustic dish a lot!
Ingredients
some olive oil for frying
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2–3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
14 oz. (400g) coarse Bratwurst (for grilling), crumbled
3 tbsp. tomato paste*
2 tsp. paprika powder (hot)*
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds*
1 small pointed cabbage (about 25 oz./700g)
2 1/2 cups (600ml) veggie broth
salt, pepper
cooked rice, potatoes or bread for serving
Instructions
1. Peel the onion and garlic. Quarter the onion and cut it into wedges, then coarsely chop the garlic. Clean the pointed cabbage, quarter it, cut out the core from the base of each piece, and slice the cabbage into strips (not too thin). Remove the bratwurst meat from the casings and break it up coarsely. Set everything aside.
2. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion wedges and sauté them for a few minutes until softer and glossy. Next, add the garlic and the broken-up bratwurst meat, and sear everything over high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
3. Once the meat has taken on some color, add the tomato paste, paprika powder, and caraway seeds. Stir to combine and cook for about 1–2 minutes. Add the cabbage strips and cook with the other ingredients for another 2–3 minutes. Deglaze the veggies and meat with the veggie broth. Let everything simmer for about 15–18 minutes over slightly reduced heat.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If there is a lot of liquid remaining, you can thicken it with a little cornstarch. Serve the pointed cabbage dish with some cooked rice, boiled potatoes, or simply some bread.
Notes
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