Discover your new favorite family meal with this incredible Keto Butter Fried Cabbage with Ground Sausage recipe. This dish combines the tender, buttery goodness of fried cabbage with the savory richness of ground sausage, creating a satisfying and low-carb meal that’s bursting with flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights or as a comforting weekend dinner, this versatile recipe is sure to become a staple in your keto kitchen. Forget bland diet food – this meal proves that healthy eating can be incredibly delicious and incredibly easy.
Keto Fried Cabbage: A Low-Carb Essential
One of the best things about fried cabbage is that it is inherently keto-friendly, making it a natural choice for anyone following a low-carb lifestyle. Traditional fried cabbage recipes typically rely on simple, wholesome ingredients like butter, fresh cabbage, and a medley of spices – all of which are perfectly aligned with ketogenic principles. In crafting this recipe, we’ve stayed true to these classic roots, leveraging the rich flavors of butter and aromatic garlic to enhance the natural sweetness of the cabbage. This not only keeps the dish authentic but also maximizes its taste profile while minimizing net carbs.
Cabbage itself is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s incredibly low in calories and carbohydrates, yet packed with essential vitamins (like Vitamin C and K), minerals, and dietary fiber. The fiber content is particularly beneficial on a keto diet, aiding digestion and promoting satiety, which can help prevent overeating. When fried in butter, the cabbage transforms from a crisp vegetable into a tender, melt-in-your-mouth delight, absorbing all the wonderful flavors of the seasonings and sausage.
To streamline your cooking process without compromising on taste, we recommend using a good quality Italian seasoning blend. This convenient option provides a harmonious mix of herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme, eliminating the need to measure out individual spices. However, the beauty of this dish lies in its adaptability. If you’re craving a little heat, a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes will add a delightful kick. For those who appreciate a deeper, smoky flavor profile, consider adding some finely chopped onion and a dash of paprika as the cabbage cooks. These simple additions can dramatically alter the dish, allowing you to tailor it perfectly to your family’s preferences. Experimentation is encouraged to discover your ideal flavor combination!
Hearty Fried Cabbage with Savory Sausage
While butter-fried cabbage is undeniably delicious on its own, the addition of savory sausage elevates this dish to a complete and incredibly satisfying meal. Many traditional cabbage and sausage recipes often feature sliced smoked sausages, such as kielbasa. However, for this particular recipe, we’ve opted for ground sausage. The reason is simple: ground sausage effortlessly blends with the shredded cabbage, ensuring that every forkful delivers a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The crumbled sausage bits caramelize beautifully, releasing their robust spices and rich fats, which then infuse into the softened cabbage, creating an unbelievably cohesive and flavorful experience.
If you prefer the texture of sliced sausage, you absolutely can substitute it. Just make sure to brown it thoroughly before adding the cabbage. Regardless of your preference for ground or sliced, there’s one critical rule for keeping this recipe truly keto-friendly: always choose sugar-free sausage. Many commercially available sausages contain added sugars, which can quickly add up and derail your low-carb efforts. Always check the ingredient label carefully to ensure there are no hidden sugars. Opt for a high-quality, sugar-free ground pork sausage or a smoked sausage that meets these dietary requirements. This small but crucial detail makes all the difference in maintaining the integrity of your keto meal.
The Versatility of Butter Fried Cabbage: A Standalone Delight or Perfect Side
Even without the sausage, this butter fried cabbage recipe shines brightly as a standalone dish, offering incredible versatility in your meal planning. This delightful cabbage skillet can effortlessly transition from a fiber-rich, flavorful side dish to a light, yet satisfying main course, depending on whether you include the ground sausage. When served without meat, it’s a fantastic option for a vegetarian-friendly meal or as a vibrant accompaniment to your favorite protein.
Beyond its delicious taste and low-carb benefits, this recipe is also an excellent candidate for meal prep. Cook a larger batch at the beginning of the week, and you’ll have wholesome, ready-to-eat portions available for quick lunches or easy dinners. Simply store any leftover butter fried cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It maintains its freshness and delightful flavor for up to three days, making your weeknights much smoother and ensuring you always have a healthy, keto-compliant option close at hand. Its simplicity and robust flavor make it a fantastic foundation for various meals throughout the week.
What to Serve with Your Keto Fried Cabbage and Sausage
Given the comforting and hearty nature of this dish, especially with sausage, it often evokes a sense of traditional, robust European or Irish-inspired cuisine. If you choose to prepare the butter-fried cabbage as a side dish, perhaps omitting the sausage, it pairs exceptionally well with other classic Irish-American fare that has been adapted for a keto lifestyle. Imagine serving it alongside a plate of keto corned beef hash with radishes – the rich flavors of the corned beef would beautifully complement the tender cabbage.
For a truly satisfying and complete meal, consider building a low-carb feast around this fried cabbage. A low-carb Reuben sandwich makes an excellent companion, offering a tangy, savory counterpoint. And to start your meal with warmth and flavor, a bowl of Reuben soup would create a truly cohesive and filling dining experience.
Beyond these specific pairings, the versatility of keto fried cabbage and sausage allows it to accompany a wide array of other low-carb proteins. Consider serving it alongside pan-seared pork chops, grilled chicken, a juicy steak, or even a flavorful roast. For an extra boost of vegetables, a side of roasted asparagus or green beans would round out the meal beautifully. The key is to embrace the rich, savory profile of the dish and pair it with flavors that either complement or contrast in a delightful way.
Achieving Perfection: The Best Way to Fry Cabbage
Frying cabbage to perfection is an art, but it’s an easily mastered one with a few simple techniques. The secret to truly flavorful fried cabbage, especially when incorporating sausage, begins with the fat. After browning your ground sausage to a beautiful crisp and removing it from the skillet, don’t drain all the rendered grease. Leaving a small amount of that savory sausage fat in the pan creates an incredibly rich and aromatic base for your cabbage, infusing every strand with an irresistible depth of flavor. This small step makes a significant difference, transforming the dish from good to absolutely outstanding.
Another crucial technique is to cover your skillet while the cabbage cooks. This seemingly minor action plays a vital role in the cooking process. Covering the skillet traps the steam, which helps to soften the cabbage more effectively and evenly. It also allows the flavors from the butter, garlic, and seasonings to meld and penetrate the cabbage more thoroughly, resulting in a more tender and intensely flavored dish. Without a lid, the cabbage might dry out or cook unevenly, leaving some pieces crisp and others still tough.
While not strictly necessary, cooking this dish in a cast-iron skillet can elevate the experience even further. Cast iron is renowned for its superior heat retention and distribution, which helps in achieving that perfect caramelization on the cabbage. Moreover, cooking in cast iron can impart a subtle, unique depth of flavor that many chefs swear by. If you have one, this is the perfect opportunity to put it to good use. If not, any large, heavy-bottomed skillet with a lid will work wonderfully. Just ensure it’s spacious enough to accommodate all the cabbage without overcrowding, as overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of frying.
Keto Butter Fried Cabbage With Ground Sausage
This will become one of your favorite family meals! Keto fried cabbage smothered in butter and with savory ground sausage.
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: European
Keyword: Keto fried cabbage, Low-carb sausage, Butter fried cabbage
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 315 kcal
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Ground Sausage (sugar-free)
- 4 cups Chopped Cabbage
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
- Chopped Green Onions (for garnish)
Instructions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground sausage over medium-high heat. Break it apart with a spoon as it cooks, ensuring it’s cooked through and nicely crumbled. This typically takes about 8-10 minutes. Once fully cooked, remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside in a bowl. Do not clean the skillet, as we’ll use the remaining flavors.
Carefully drain most of the rendered grease from the skillet, leaving just about 1-2 tablespoons. This leftover fat will add incredible flavor to your cabbage. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat.
Add the olive oil and unsalted butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt and combine with the sausage drippings.
Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the chopped cabbage to the skillet. Stir well to combine the cabbage with the melted butter, oil, garlic, and residual sausage flavors. Ensure the cabbage is evenly coated.
Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the cabbage, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste preferences.
Cover the skillet with a lid and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage reaches your desired tenderness. This typically takes 10-15 minutes, depending on how tender you like it. The cabbage will release moisture and soften beautifully.
Once the cabbage is tender, stir the browned ground sausage back into the skillet. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring gently, just to heat the sausage through and allow its flavors to meld completely with the cabbage.
Remove from heat. Garnish generously with freshly chopped green onions before serving for a pop of color and fresh flavor.
Notes:
Calories: 315 kcal per serving
Net Carbs: 5 Net Carbs per serving
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and should be used as a guide only. Actual values may vary based on ingredients and preparation methods.
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Keto Sausage Recipes: More Low-Carb Inspiration
If you loved the savory goodness of this Keto Butter Fried Cabbage with Ground Sausage, then you’re in for a treat! Sausage is a fantastic ingredient for the keto diet, offering rich flavor and satisfying fats without excess carbs. We’ve gathered some of our most popular keto sausage recipes to inspire your next low-carb culinary adventure. These dishes are proven crowd-pleasers and make meal planning on a ketogenic diet both exciting and delicious. Dive into these fantastic options and discover new ways to enjoy sausage in your keto meals:
- Keto Stuffed Peppers with Sausage
- Keto Sausage Egg and Cheese Bites
- Keto Sausage Breakfast Sandwich
- Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Rice with Sausage
- Low-Carb Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
We hope this comprehensive guide inspires you to create a truly delicious and satisfying Keto Butter Fried Cabbage with Ground Sausage. It’s more than just a recipe; it’s a versatile, flavorful, and incredibly easy meal that caters perfectly to a low-carb lifestyle. Enjoy the process of cooking and the joy of a homemade, healthy dinner!