Air Fryer Cabbage and Kielbasa
Last Updated on October 22, 2026 by Betty Davies
Simple to make in the air fryer, this cabbage and kielbasa is a perfect weeknight side dish. Smoked kielbasa sausage is cooked with seasoned green cabbage quickly in the air fryer for a delicious low carb recipe.
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You can not have enough Kielbasa in your life! This Polish smoked sausage has a wonderful flavor and when cooked with cabbage, it makes one tasty side dish.
This easy air fryer cabbage and kielbasa receipe is simple to prep and quick to air fry, this makes for a great addition to an everyday weeknight dinner. The cabbage is perfectly tender, with a little bite, and the smokey flavor from the sausage and paprika makes it a great side for chicken.
Be sure to check out my Air Fryer Red Cabbage and German Fried Cabbage with Bacon, or browse my other air fryer recipes.
Ingredients
- Green Cabbage: You will need half a medium sized cabbage in this recipe.
- Onion: Sliced onion adds a lovely flavor.
- Oil and Butter: For cooking. You can make this without the butter, but it adds a lovely richness.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic rather than powdered for the best flavor.
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, black pepper and salt.
- Kielbasa Sausage: This sausage is already smoked, so it only requires a short time in the air fryer to get crispy edges.
How to cook Air Fryer Kielbasa with Cabbage
- Slice the cabbage into long, thick-ish strips and place in a large bowl along with the sliced onion.
- Toss the cabbage in the oil, butter, minced garlic and seasonings.
- Place on the air fryer basket and cook for 8 minutes at 375F / 190c.
- Cut the sausage in half and slice.
- Add the sliced sausage to the air fryer and cook for a further 7-10 minutes.
- Toss in a little apple cider vinegar and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the kielbasa for fully cooked andouille sausage for a spicier, smoky flavor.
- Use a different type of fully cooked smoked sausage, Turkey or chicken sausage works great.
- Make it spicy by adding in some red pepper flakes or a little cayenne.
- Try tossing with a little wholegrain mustard before serving.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in an airtight container to keep fresh. Reheat quickly in the air fryer at 350F /180c for 3-5 minutes, or reheat in a skillet on a medium heat.
Serving Suggestions
As a side dish, this air fryer cabbage and kielbasa recipe is great served with pork chops or roasted chicken. It’s a hearty side dish, so it can also be served as a main alongside mashed potatoes for an easy dinner.
Air Fryer Cabbage and Kielbasa
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ green cabbage sliced roughly into ½inch strips
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1½ tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 13 ounces kielbasa sausage (375g) sliced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Slice the cabbage into ½ inch strips and thinly slice the onion. Place into a large bowl.½ green cabbage, 1 onion
- Add the oil, butter, minced garlic and seasonings and toss well to combine.1½ tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cook in the air fryer at 375F / 190c for 8 minutes.
- While the cabbage is cooking, slice the kielbasa into half moons.13 ounces kielbasa sausage
- After 8 minutes, add the kielbasa to the cabbage in the air fryer basket and stir well.
- Cook for 7 – 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the edges of the sausage brown.
- Toss with the apple cider vinegar and serve.1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Notes
- Cut the cabbage evenly so that it cooks at the same rate.
- Stir, during cooking so that the cabbage browns evenly.
- It’s important to add the cabbage in before the sausage. If you cook them at the same time, the cabbage won’t be tender.
- Make sure that the kielbasa is fully cooked. Raw sausage will require a longer cooking time.
