Savory 15 Minute Italian Cabbage and Sausage Stew Recipe

I have always loved cooking with cabbage, and of course, raw cabbage is just as delicious in my opinion. One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is in a hearty savory Italian Cabbage & Sausage Stew Recipe, a dish that brings warmth and comfort to any meal. There’s something about its crisp, earthy flavor that reminds me of simpler times, like wandering through a sun-dappled garden, basket in hand, gathering fresh ingredients for a wholesome meal. This year, I’m dreaming of expanding my little garden with even more fragrant herbs, adding to the magic of homegrown cooking.

As you can probably tell from the title, today I’m sharing one of my beloved cabbage recipes. I have a whole collection of cozy, old-world cabbage dishes, tucked away like treasured handwritten notes in a well-loved recipe book. But today, I’m bringing you a hearty, soul-warming cottagecore Italian cabbage & sausage stew, the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with rich, savory aromas and makes you feel like you’re nestled in a countryside cottage, listening to the gentle crackle of a hearth fire. With this winter chill settling in, I can already tell my bones will thank me for this one.

If you ever have the chance to grow your own cabbage, I highly recommend it. There’s something so satisfying about stepping outside, breathing in the crisp winter air, and harvesting a head of cabbage fresh from the garden. It’s one of the easiest winter vegetables to grow, thriving even when the frost lingers. This year, as I’m still settling into my new home and shaping it into my own little haven, I decided to skip a winter garden. In the past, I grew cabbage in containers while living in an apartment, it worked, but they never reached the grand, leafy fullness they do when rooted in the earth. Someday soon, I’ll have my garden brimming again.

A Love Story Between Me and Cabbage

My love for cabbage deepened during the pandemic, when the world slowed down and I found solace in cooking nourishing, old-fashioned meals. I stocked up on heads of cabbage because they seemed to last forever—like little green bundles of security sitting prettily on my farmhouse-style shelves. I even tried my hand at growing cabbage, but container gardening in my little apartment nook didn’t quite yield the flourishing harvest I had envisioned. Still, my herbs and flowers thrived, bringing a bit of whimsical cottage charm to my space.

If you’ve ever spotted an army of plastic forks sprouting from my gardening containers and wondered if I’ve started an avant-garde art project, fear not. It’s just my foolproof method for keeping mischievous cats from turning my pots into their personal playgrounds. Now that I have my own home, I’m gearing up for next year’s big garden adventure: growing cabbage! I’m still finding my rhythm after a full-blown home renovation, but I can already picture the fresh, leafy harvest ahead.

During that time, I made so many comforting recipes that felt like they belonged in a countryside cookbook, fried cabbage pie, hearty cabbage soup, fresh garden coleslaw, and of course, this Italian Cabbage & Sausage Stew.

I never actually named this recipe, so if you have a charming name for it, leave me a comment below! Perhaps something whimsical, like “Cabbage Patch Hearth Stew” or “Grandmother’s Kitchen Stew.” Whatever you fancy!

A Dish as Cozy as a Handmade Quilt

One thing I’ve learned about cooking is that no matter how unique we think our recipes are, somewhere out there, someone has made something similar, perhaps in a little cottage tucked away in the rolling hills of Tuscany, or in a kitchen filled with the scent of herbs drying by the windowsill. But that’s the beauty of food, it connects us through time, tradition, and shared memories.

So even if this recipe has been tried and tested a hundred times before, I promise, this version will wrap you up like a warm, well-loved quilt. Let’s get to it!

Ingredients for a Cozy Pot of Comfort

Prep Time: ~15 minutes

Cook Time: ~30-45 minutes

8 servings: ~$1.59 per serving

Calories: ~204 calories per serving

1. Cabbage (1 head roughly cut)
2. Smoked sausage (or your favorite kind)
3. Diced Italian tomatoes (1 can)
4. Rotel tomatoes (1 can, for a little kick)
5. Chicken broth (1 can, plus 2 cans of water)
6. Carrots (baby or whole)
7. Garlic cloves (to your heart’s content, I’m using 4)
8. Sweet Onion (1, roughly chopped)
9. Butter (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup)
10. Salt and pepper ( you know how much you like)
11. 1 pack of zesty Italian dressing (for an extra depth of flavor!)

How to Bring This Cozy Dish to Life

1. Start by washing your cabbage, onion, and carrots (if using). There’s something so meditative about rinsing fresh produce, don’t you think? Like preparing a little bundle of goodness straight from the earth.
2. Roughly chop the cabbage into rustic, bite-sized pieces. This dish is all about hearty, old-fashioned comfort, so no need for perfection here.
3. Layer in your chunky-cut onions for that delightful homey flavor.
4. Toss in a couple of handfuls of baby carrots, or if you have whole ones, peel, chop, and let their natural sweetness shine. I add carrots to everything. I must have been a rabbit in another life!
5. Pour in your diced tomatoes and Rotel, the bright, tangy flavors will make the stew sing!
6. Slice up your smoky sausage and nestle it among the veggies.
7. Dot the whole mixture with buttery goodness (because butter makes everything taste like a warm hug).
8. Mince, mash, and toss in generous amounts of garlic. Trust me, your kitchen will smell like a dream!
9. Finally, pour in the chicken broth, + two cans of water, stir gently, and let everything simmer until the cabbage and carrots are melt-in-your-mouth tender.

I love to sprinkle mine with fresh parsley and a dash of red pepper flakes, because, well, that’s just my thing. But you do you!

Save & Savor: A Printable Recipe for Cozy Days

I’ve provided a printable recipe below if you’d like to save the recipe to try on a rainy day.

Savory 15 Minute Italian Cabbage and Sausage Stew Recipe

This cozy, cottagecore-inspired Italian Cabbage & Sausage Stew brings the warmth of a countryside kitchen to your table, with smoky sausage, tender cabbage, and rustic flavors that feel like a hug in a bowl.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 8 people

Calories 204 kcal

Equipment

• stock pot
• can opener
• cooking utensils

Ingredients

  

• Cabbage (1 head roughly cut)
• Smoked sausage (or your favorite kind)
• Diced Italian tomatoes (1 can)
• Rotel tomatoes (1 can, for a little kick)
• Chicken broth (1 can, plus 2 cans of water)
• Carrots (baby or whole)
• Garlic cloves (to your heart's content, I'm using 4)
• Sweet Onion (1, roughly chopped)
• Butter (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup)
• Salt and pepper ( you know how much you like)
• 1 pack of zesty Italian dressing (for an extra depth of flavor!)

Instructions

 

• Start by washing your cabbage, onion, and carrots (if using). There’s something so meditative about rinsing fresh produce, don’t you think? Like preparing a little bundle of goodness straight from the earth.
• Roughly chop the cabbage into rustic, bite-sized pieces. This dish is all about hearty, old-fashioned comfort, so no need for perfection here.
• Layer in your chunky-cut onions for that delightful homey flavor.
• Toss in a couple of handfuls of baby carrots, or if you have whole ones, peel, chop, and let their natural sweetness shine. I add carrots to everything. I must have been a rabbit in another life!
• Pour in your diced tomatoes and Rotel, the bright, tangy flavors will make the stew sing!
• Slice up your smoky sausage and nestle it among the veggies.
• Dot the whole mixture with buttery goodness (because butter makes everything taste like a warm hug).
• Mince, mash, and toss in generous amounts of garlic. Trust me, your kitchen will smell like a dream!
• Finally, pour in the chicken broth, + two cans of water, stir gently, and let everything simmer until the cabbage and carrots are melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Notes

I love to sprinkle mine with fresh parsley and a dash of red pepper flakes, because, well, that’s just my thing. But you do you!

And there you have it, a steaming bowl of cottagecore comfort, ready to be ladled into your coziest dishware and enjoyed with a hunk of crusty bread or a thick slice of homemade buttered cornbread.

This stew tastes like a slow, peaceful afternoon in a sunlit kitchen, where the only sounds are the bubbling pot and the occasional chirp of birds outside. It’s a meal made for sharing, for nourishing, for creating the kind of memories that make a house feel like a home.

So grab a bowl, curl up by the fire (or a flickering candle as in my case), and savor every spoonful. And if you love this recipe, stick around, I have plenty more cozy, old-world dishes to share with you soon.

Until next time, happy cooking & cottage dreaming!

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