Cabbage and Sausage Casserole
Cabbage Sausage Casserole
A slow-baked cabbage and Italian sausage casserole with butter, black pepper, and a tender, sweet finish, served with crusty bread and mustard.
This cabbage and sausage casserole is spare, cozy, and built around the way cabbage turns sweet when it cooks slowly. The ingredient list is short, so the dish depends on good sausage, enough seasoning, and patient baking rather than sauce or cheese.
The cabbage is briefly blanched before it goes into the baking dish, which softens the volume and helps the layers settle evenly. Fresh Italian sausage cooks inside the casserole, lending its juices and seasoning to the cabbage as everything braises under a tight cover.
After a long low bake, the cabbage becomes tender and mellow while the top picks up just a little color. Serve the casserole in warm scoops with thick slices of crusty bread and a spoonful of coarse mustard to cut through the richness.
Savoy cabbage gives a slightly delicate texture, while regular green cabbage makes a sturdier, equally comforting version. Taste boldly for salt and pepper as you layer; a simple dish like this needs confident seasoning to stay lively.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 300°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, reserving the remaining butter for layering.
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2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shredded cabbage, cover briefly until the water returns to a boil, then uncover and boil for 3 minutes.
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3
Drain the cabbage in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Let it drain well, pressing lightly so the casserole will not become watery.
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4
Spread one-third of the cabbage in the prepared baking dish. Scatter half of the sausage over it in small pieces, then season with salt and pepper and dot with a little butter.
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5
Repeat with another third of the cabbage, the remaining sausage, more salt and pepper, and a few more dots of butter. Finish with the remaining cabbage and the last bits of butter on top.
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6
Cover the cabbage directly with parchment paper, then seal the dish tightly with foil or a lid.
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7
Bake for 2 hours, until the cabbage has slumped and the sausage is cooked through.
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8
Uncover the dish and check the liquid in the bottom. If there is a lot, leave it uncovered; if it looks dry, cover it again loosely.
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9
Continue baking for 25 to 35 minutes, until the cabbage is very tender and the top is lightly browned.
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10
Rest for 10 minutes, then serve warm with crusty bread and coarse Dijon mustard.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened for the dish and divided:2 tbsp
- Fresh sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed:1 lb
- Large green or Savoy cabbage, cored and thickly shredded:2 lb
- Kosher salt:1 1/2 tsp
- Freshly ground black pepper:1 tsp
- Crusty bread, for serving:6 slices
- Coarse Dijon mustard, for serving:1/4 cup
Tips & Notes
- Use bulk sweet Italian sausage if available so there are no casings to remove.
- For a sharper flavor, serve with grainy mustard or a spoonful of mustard stirred with a little vinegar.
- If the cabbage releases a lot of liquid, the uncovered final bake concentrates the juices without drying the casserole.
- Leftovers reheat well in a covered skillet over low heat or in a 325°F oven.
