Southern Dirty Cabbage with Beef & Smoked Sausage
This easy 1-Pot, Southern-inspired Dirty Cabbage Recipe is an absolute banger, y’all. It’s a low-carb meal that is loaded with hearty, filling goodness. Caramelized green cabbage, juicy ground beef, andouille sausage, aromatics, and more, all smothered in Cajun seasoning. This flavorful dish makes for the perfect lunch or dinner that feeds a crowd (and makes for excellent leftover goals, too!).
Many food publications have dubbed 2026 the “Year of the Cabbage.” I’m so glad that cabbage is finally getting its flowers because the disrespect has gone on for far too long, ha. Real talk, cabbage is so slept on. When spinach, kale, and other leafy greens have been propped up, I’ve always been a fan of the cabbage variety. It’s so versatile and can be prepared in a plethora of ways.
Dirty cabbage has become a viral sensation recently in the food space via TikTok and other social media platforms, and I love to see it.
Much like my Dirty Rice recipe, this old-school cabbage dish delivers the same vibe but with the use of cabbage. Virality can be fun, at times, because it gives you an opportunity to revisit things. And this meal…gah!
Dirty Cabbage, Y’all! 🥬
The term “dirty” in reference here simply translates to well-seasoned, deeply flavored, and layered food. Some of my top favorite eats are things that are dirty, smothered, and covered in goodness galore! That’s exactly what you’ll find here, peeps. Caramelized cabbage with ground beef, andouille, and sautéed veggies all enrobed in spices with big, bold flavor!
It’s a super easy, one-pot stunner that feeds plenty and is such a nice meal for any occasion. Plus, it uses minimal ingredients and delivers low-effort/high-reward vibes. Let’s get into it!
How To Make Dirty Cabbage:
(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)
- Brown the meats. We gotta get some flavor on that andouille and then cook up the beef.
- Sauté the trinity & bring in flavor agents. Chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery are a Cajun staple for good reason. There’s so much aromatic depth here along with garlic, tomato paste, mustard, and spices- mmm.
- Add cabbage & meld. Get all that cabbage in there, along with the remaining ingredients, and let all the different components and flavors marry- yessir 😌.
Quick, incredibly flavorful, extra hearty, and simply tasty is this dirty cabbage recipe. I love how you get the tender yet crisp pieces of cabbage combined with the succulent andouille and beef.
There’s lots of Cajun flair going on all over the place within this dish, whew. It’s all too good, and I know y’all are going to go crazy over this one! 🫶🏾
This Dirty Cabbage recipe is sooo comforting and full of deliciousness that you’ll appreciate. Listen, I don’t often enjoy leftovers, but absolutely do with this one! Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾
Other BBR meals that hit:
- Burger Bowls with Chipotle Ranch
- Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken
- Miso Ginger Salmon Rice Bowls
- Steak Lo Mein
- Lemon Herb Butter Ravioli
- Jerk Meatballs in Curry Sauce
Southern Dirty Cabbage with Beef & Smoked Sausage
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Sautéing
Description
This easy 1-Pot, Southern-inspired Dirty Cabbage Recipe is an absolute banger, y’all. It’s a low-carb meal that is loaded with hearty, filling goodness. Caramelized green cabbage, juicy ground beef, andouille sausage, aromatics, and more, all smothered in Cajun seasoning. This flavorful dish makes for the perfect lunch or dinner that feeds a crowd (and makes for excellent leftover goals, too!).
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil (or butter), divided
- 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 lb ground beef (I use 93%)
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought, divided
- 1 whole green cabbage, chopped
- ½ cup chicken stock or broth
- ⅓ cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet or braiser (about 11-12 inches or so) over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil (or butter). When hot, gently swirl the skillet to evenly coat the bottom. Then add the andouille sausage and let it cook until the sausage is golden and slightly crisp on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Then use a slotted utensil to remove the browned sausage and set it aside on a clean plate.
- In the same skillet, add another 1 tablespoon of oil (or butter). When hot, add the ground beef and use a wooden utensil to break apart the beef and let it cook until completely browned, about 5-6 minutes. Season the ground beef with salt/pepper to taste. Then remove and place the ground beef onto the same plate with the smoked sausage and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil (or butter) to the skillet. When hot, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté the trinity until golden and tender, about 6-7 minutes. Then season the mixture with salt/pepper to taste. Add the chopped garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the brown sugar and stir well until nicely incorporated.
- Add the tomato paste and dijon mustard, and stir the mixture in with the sautéed aromatics until mostly dissolved. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning over the aromatics and stir well until fully combined.
- Then add the chopped green cabbage to the skillet; it will look like a lot at first, but the cabbage will wilt down as it cooks. Carefully toss the cabbage with the aromatics to fully combine. Then add the chicken stock/broth and toss everything together again until well incorporated.
- Let the cabbage cook, stirring every so often, for about 7-8 minutes. The cabbage should wilt down significantly and take on a deep brown, caramelized texture. Then season the cabbage with salt/pepper to taste. Add the reserved browned sausage and beef back to the skillet and toss well to combine.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning over the cabbage and stir well to combine. Then add the chopped scallions and stir well to fully combine all of the ingredients. Continue cooking the cabbage for another 4-5 minutes for everything to meld beautifully, gently tossing every so often.
- Then remove the dish from the heat and serve immediately. Garnish servings with an extra bit of chopped scallions, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
