Dirty Cabbage

This easy Dirty Cabbage recipe combines tender cabbage, savory ground beef, smoky sausage, peppers, and Cajun seasoning in one hearty skillet. It’s a flavor-packed Southern comfort food dinner that’s easy enough for busy weeknights.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cabbage recipes

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1

Servings Servings

Calories 455kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon beef flavored Better Than Bouillon
1 medium head green cabbage about 2 pounds, cored and cut into roughly 1½-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon table salt only as needed after tasting
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 green onions thinly sliced, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Really brown the sausage. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the andouille (12 ounces) and cook until deeply browned on both sides, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the rendered fat behind.
Brown the beef. Add the ground beef (1 pound) and cook until well browned, breaking it into fairly small crumbles. Don't just cook it until gray—we want some browned edges.
If there's an excessive amount of grease, spoon some off, but I'd deliberately leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
Build the vegetable base. Add the onion (1), green pepper (1), red pepper (1), and celery (2 ribs). Cook over medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
Add the garlic (1 tablespoon) and cook for about 30 seconds.
Cook the tomato paste. Make a little clearing in the center and add the tomato paste (2 tablespoons). Cook it against the hot pan for about 1 minute before stirring it through everything.
Season. Add Worcestershire (1 tablespoon), Cajun seasoning (2 teaspoons), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), thyme (1/2 teaspoon), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and cayenne (1/4 teaspoon). Stir for about 30 seconds.
Deglaze. Add the beef broth (1 cup) and Better Than Bouillion (1 tablespoon), and scrape up all those browned bits making sure the BTB completely dissolves in the liquid.
Return Meats. Return the sausage and ground beef with accumulated juices.
Add the cabbage. Add the cabbage (1) in 2–3 batches, stirring as it begins to collapse. Once you can fit it all in, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cook about 12–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Uncover. Then remove the lid and cook another 5–8 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender but hasn't turned to mush and the liquid has reduced into a rich coating rather than soup.
Finish. Stir in the apple cider vinegar (2 teaspoons). Taste before adding any salt. Add up to 1/2 teaspoon table salt if necessary.
Garnish. Sprinkle with green onions (3) if we like them visually and flavor-wise.

Notes

Get a good sear on the sausage. Let the andouille sit against the hot pan long enough to develop browned edges. That caramelization adds loads of flavor to the entire dish.
Don’t drain all the beef drippings. After browning the ground beef, remove the excess grease but leave a little behind. It’s perfect for sautéing the vegetables and adds another layer of savory flavor.
Cook the tomato paste. Give it a minute or two in the hot pan before adding the liquid. Cooking the paste deepens its flavor and takes away the raw tomato taste.
Don’t panic when you add the cabbage. It may look like far too much at first! Add it in batches if necessary and give it a little time—it wilts down considerably as it cooks.
Keep an eye on the Cajun seasoning. Different brands vary significantly in both salt and heat. Between the sausage, Worcestershire, broth, Cajun seasoning, and Better Than Bouillon, there’s already plenty of seasoning in the pan, so taste before adding any extra salt.
Cook the cabbage until tender, not mushy. You want it softened and thoroughly seasoned while still having some texture.
Finish with the vinegar. Add the apple cider vinegar at the end so its brightness stays fresh. It shouldn’t make the dish taste vinegary—it simply balances all those rich, savory flavors.

Nutrition