Dirty Cabbage Recipe with Ground Beef and Sausage

• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef. Ground turkey can replace it, but cook ground turkey to 165°F.
• 8 ounces fully cooked, pork-free beef smoked sausage, cut into ¼-inch rounds. Check the package ingredients for pork in both the sausage and its casing. A fully cooked, pork-free turkey kielbasa also works, with different nutrition.
• 1 medium green cabbage, about 2 pounds before coring, chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces.
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup).
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup).
• 3 garlic cloves, minced.
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste. If using ¼ cup tomato sauce instead, reduce the initial broth slightly.
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. For an anchovy-free version, choose a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Check whether the blend already contains salt.
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Sweet paprika gives a less smoky result.
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Use 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves near the end of cooking if preferred.
• ¼ cup low-sodium beef broth, plus up to another ¼ cup only if the pan becomes dry before the cabbage softens.
• Up to 1 tablespoon olive oil, as needed if the pan lacks enough rendered fat.
• Up to ¼ teaspoon fine salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, added to taste at the end.

1. Core and chop the cabbage. Dice the onion and pepper, mince the garlic, and slice the fully cooked beef sausage.
2. In a 12-inch deep skillet or 5–6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the sausage for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer it to a plate, leaving a little rendered fat in the pan.
3. Add the ground beef. Break it into crumbles and cook for about 6–8 minutes, until a food thermometer reads 160°F (71°C). Drain excess fat and transfer the beef to the sausage plate.
4. Cook the onion and bell pepper over medium heat for 4–5 minutes. Add olive oil only if the pan is dry. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
5. Add the tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and thyme. Stir for about 1 minute without burning the spices.
6. Add the cabbage in two or three batches, stirring until each batch starts to wilt. Pour in ¼ cup broth and the Worcestershire sauce; scrape up the browned bits.
7. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 12–18 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes, until the cabbage reaches the tenderness you like. If the pan dries out, add broth 1 tablespoon at a time, up to the additional ¼ cup.
8. Return the beef and sausage to the skillet. Cook uncovered for another 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is hot and excess liquid has evaporated.
9. Taste before adding salt or black pepper; the sausage and Cajun seasoning may already be salty.
10. Divide into six portions, distributing the ground beef, sausage, and cabbage evenly.

Start with only ¼ cup of broth. Cover the pan while the cabbage softens, then uncover it for the final 5–7 minutes so excess moisture can evaporate. Add more broth only if the pan becomes dry before the cabbage is tender.

Brown the beef and sausage separately so each develops color before the vegetables go in. For gentler heat, choose a mild Cajun seasoning; for more heat, add cayenne a little at a time. For another hearty skillet dinner, try Calabrian Beef Lentil Skillet. Ground Turkey, Sweet Potato & White Bean Skillet is another one-pan option.

Transfer leftovers to shallow, airtight containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions at 0°F (−18°C) for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The cabbage may soften further after freezing.

Reheat in a covered skillet, stirring until the mixture reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. Add 1–2 tablespoons of broth if needed to prevent sticking, then uncover briefly to evaporate extra moisture. Divide the cooked dish into individual containers for work lunches and keep them chilled until reheating.

The calculation uses six equal portions, 1 pound of raw 90% lean ground beef, 8 ounces of representative cooked beef smoked sausage, one 2-pound whole cabbage with about 20% discarded during trimming, and the full tablespoon of olive oil. The sausage and Cajun seasoning are modeled from USDA reference foods; product labels can differ.

Nutrient	Per serving (⅙ batch)
Calories	About 330 kcal
Protein	About 23 g
Total fat	About 20 g
Total carbohydrate	About 15 g
Fiber	About 5 g
Net carbohydrate	About 10 g

Nutritional values are calculated estimates based on representative USDA-style ingredient profiles; actual totals vary by brand and measured finished yield. Net carbohydrate is calculated as total carbohydrate minus fiber. Using less olive oil or a different sausage changes the numbers.