Dirty Cabbage and Noodles
A no-fuss dinner where the flavor will take you by surprise.
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Some recipes have a way of taking the internet by storm and this Dirty Cabbage and Noodles is certainly one of them. It didn’t go viral because it’s gimmicky or all the novel, but because it’s unbelievably delicious while being easy to throw together on any given weeknight. It feels kind of like a “everything I have in the fridge, in one pot, please” type of dinner, and yet the hearty, comforting flavor is one you will find yourself craving!
This dish takes its name and its spirit from dirty rice, a Louisiana Cajun classic that gets its name (and its deep, savory color) from ground meat and bold seasoning cooked right into the dish. Here, cabbage and noodles stand in for the rice, but that same “throw it all in one pot and make it count” energy is very much intact.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Dirty Cabbage and Noodles?
- Ground beef and smoked sausage or kielbasa.
- Onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
- A full head of green cabbage.
- Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if you want the heat!)
- Chicken broth.
- Wide egg noodles.
- Some butter.
How Do You Make Dirty Cabbage and Noodles?
Brown your ground beef and sausage first and set them aside, then use that same pot to soften your onion, pepper, and celery (all that flavor left behind from the meat only makes the vegetables better). Add your cabbage and seasonings, pour in a little chicken broth, cover, and let everything cook down until the cabbage is tender.
Return the beef and sausage to the pot, fold in your cooked noodles and a little butter, and give it all a good toss until it’s heated through. Taste as you go, since Cajun seasoning blends vary quite a bit, and add more salt, pepper, or cayenne if you want more of a kick.
Prefer a hands-off version? Brown your beef and sausage on the stovetop, then dump everything else into the slow cooker and let it do the work for a few hours. Either way, dinner’s ready with almost no cleanup. Which is always great news.
Dirty Cabbage and Noodles
Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8 oz smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into rounds
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium head green cabbage, cored and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 8 oz wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Stovetop Method:
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef about 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Brown sliced sausage 4 to 5 minutes, then remove and set aside with the beef.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add cabbage, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to coat. Pour in chicken broth, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Return beef and sausage to the pot. Stir in cooked egg noodles and butter, and toss until combined and heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Method:
- Brown beef and sausage in a skillet as above.
- Transfer to a slow cooker with onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, cabbage, seasonings, and chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours, until cabbage is tender.
- Stir in cooked egg noodles and butter just before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes.