On a chilly evening, the pot of cabbage sausage stew comes to life at the center of the kitchen, a time-honored comfort passed down through generations; once a winter staple for families across Europe, it blends sweet cabbage, smoky sausage, and tender vegetables into a meal that nourishes both body and spirit, recalling memories of humble feasts, new-year wishes for luck and warmth, and community gatherings where every spoonful tells a story of resilience and togetherness
Preparation time one hour
eight servings
4ounces of Italian sausage
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion
one cup diced carrot
3/8 cup diced celery
one large garlic minced cloves (or about a tablespoon of minced jar garlic)
4 cups of quartered and thinly sliced cabbage (which is about a half a pound)
4 cups of chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled russet potatoes
1/8 cup chopped fresh dill
2 cups fresh baby spinach
3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar.
Step one:
Cut the Sausage half lengthwise and crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. cook in a large pot over medium high heat stirring until browned and the fat has rendered (about five minutes). transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon
Step two:
Add oil, onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook stirring often until starting to brown (about five minutes) reduce heat to medium and continue cooking stirring often until the vegetables are soft (about four minutes more) add garlic and cook stirring for one minute. Add cabbage and cook stirring occasionally until slightly wilted (about four minutes).
Step three:
Add broth, potatoes, dill, caraway seeds, paprika, pepper and salt. cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook uncovered until the potatoes are tender about 30 min, add spinach cook 15 minutes.
Helpful tips:
* dicing the potatoes no larger than 1” is helpful, same for carrots.
* You can use low sodium chicken broth, it just might be a little bland but you can add salt to taste afterwards.
* I like to serve this with warm potato rolls or the infamous red lobster cheddar biscuits which you can buy in the freezer department or in a box mix at the store.
* in my opinion this is better made the night before or the day before and then heated up the next day.
Debbie Amyotte is a North Carolina Realtor and experienced travel agent, originally from Florida, who now lives in the Lake Norman area. She is a proud grandmother of two and enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Debbie is known for her warm personality, community spirit, and dedication to helping others with both real estate and travel needs.
