Description
This Crave-Worthy Comfort: Epic Cabbage Boil Delight is a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal combining tender cabbage, red potatoes, carrots, and smoked sausage simmered in a savory broth seasoned with Old Bay and smoked paprika. Perfect for an easy family dinner, it delivers warmth and satisfaction with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 1 medium head green cabbage, quartered
- 1 pound small red potatoes
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Protein:
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces
Seasonings and Broth:
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
Finishing Touches:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- Optional hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the broth and vegetables: In a large stockpot, combine chicken broth and water. Add the quartered green cabbage, red potatoes, carrots, yellow onion, bay leaves, minced garlic, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook the mixture: Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften, simmering gently to prevent breaking down.
- Add smoked sausage: After the broth and vegetables have simmered for about 5 minutes, add the sliced smoked sausage to the pot. Continue to cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is thoroughly heated through, roughly 25-30 minutes total cooking time.
- Finish the dish: Remove the bay leaves from the pot. If desired, carefully drain some cooking liquid, leaving enough to keep the dish moist and flavorful. Stir in the butter until fully melted to enrich the broth and coat the vegetables and sausage.
- Season and serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of hot sauce if you like an extra kick of spice.
Notes
- To create a seafood variation, replace sausage with cooked shrimp or crab legs, adding them in the last 5 minutes of cooking to warm through.
- Make it vegan by omitting sausage and using vegetable broth; smoked paprika provides a smoky flavor depth.
- Leftovers reheat exceptionally well, with flavors intensifying overnight.
- A splash of apple cider vinegar added just before serving brightens the overall flavor.
