Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut

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Close up picture of kielbasa kapusta on a serving place with mashed potatoes.

This Polish Kapusta is a delicious family recipe perfect for any occasion. It's an easy slow cooker kielbasa and sauerkraut dish, combining hearty flavors with minimal effort.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Polish

Keyword kielbasa, sauerkraut, slow cooker

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 20

Servings people

Calories 727kcal

Author Jillian Wade

Cost $17.06

Equipment

slow cooker
measuring cups and spoons
mixing spoon
cutting board
knife
large skillet
strainer

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons bacon drippings
2 ½ cups sweet yellow onions finely chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans sauerkraut
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup light brown sugar
1 ¾ cups water
3 pounds kielbasa cut into 2-inch slices

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large skillet, melt butter and bacon drippings over medium heat until foaming subsides, about 2-3 minutes.
Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and edges begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
While onions cook, rinse and drain sauerkraut at least twice. Make sure the sauerkraut is well drained.
Add the sauerkraut to a slow cooker along with onions, salt, pepper, brown sugar, water, and kielbasa. Give everything a good stir and cover.
Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce to low and cook for an additional 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve.

Video

Notes

My dad distinctly remembers his mom using bacon drippings that she would keep in the refrigerator for this recipe. If you don't have any on hand, substitute two additional tablespoons of butter (4 tablespoons) for the bacon drippings.

I like to serve this dish with mashed potatoes (this recipe is SO good!). After all, potatoes, kielbasa, and cabbage are the holy trinity of Polish cuisine!

This recipe is even MORE flavorful the next day! I know, hard to believe, right?!

My family likes to eat leftovers between toasted Kaiser rolls with grainy mustard.

Storage Tips

Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the kapusta to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Place the kapusta and kielbasa in a pot or saucepan (depending on the amount you're reheating) and heat over medium heat until warm, about 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition