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When the weather begins to turn and one-skillet meals are back on the menu, I absolutely recommend my Kielbasa Skillet recipe! If you are looking for a recipe that is flavorful, quick to make, and totally customizable, this is the perfect one.  

The aromas of apple, kielbasa, and rosemary perfectly compliment each other and will guarantee that your family will follow their noses to the kitchen. Serve this dish over wild rice, cabbage, quinoa, or even spaghetti squash

Sliced kielbasa, apples, and onions in a cast iron skillet with a rosemary spring on top.
Dinner in 20 minutes.

This one-pan meal is packed with savory goodness, natural ingredients, and takes 20 minutes from prep to serving. You can use whatever apples, onions, and sausage you prefer, but check out my recommendations below.

Make it your own and share with friends with limited prep, cook, and clean-up time needed! And the best part? You only have one dish to clean when it’s finished!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • 20-minute meal from prep to serving.
  • Easy cleanup.
  • Seasonal flavor in every bite.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for Kielbasa skillet dinner: onions, apples, kielbasa, salt, pepper, butter, and fresh rosemary.
A few ingredients, but so flavorful.


Onions
I like Vidalia onions but these can be substituted with yellow, white, or red onions.

Apples I use my favorite honey crisp apples, but you can use any apple that will soften when cooked but not break down completely.

Kielbasa SausageI recommend uncured, 100% grass-fed beef Kielbasa for this recipe, but you can use your favorite brand of Kielbasa or smoked sausage. The brand I used is Teton Waters Ranch.

ButterButter adds to the caramelized onion and apple flavoring. However, you can swap out this fat for a non-dairy alternative like olive oil. 

Fresh rosemaryThe fresh rosemary in this recipe, adds to the flavoring the skillet needs to stand out as a favorite. Fresh is best!! You can use dried but use about half the amount.

Packaged uncured, grass-fed, beef kielbasa by Teton Water's ranch
The kielbasa brand I like.

How To Make Kielbasa Skillet 

4 image collage showing steps to making kielbasa on the stove with apples and onions.
4 easy steps!

Step 1|Heat the skillet.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. This is an entire meal, so a large skillet is important.

Step 2| Add Onions

Add your sliced onions to the skillet. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the onions and stir occasionally until they start to turn translucent — about 3 minutes.

Step 3| Add Apples

Add the apples to the skillet and stir them into the onions. Let these sit for 3 more minutes.

Step 4| Add Kielbasa & Rosemary

Add the kielbasa or sausage, and stir it in with your apples and onions and cover the skillet for 6 to 9 minutes until heated through.

Remove the cover and add the fresh chopped rosemary. Stir everything together for 30 seconds.

Want to add some greens? This Kale Crunch Salad is SO good and is just as quick to make.

Serve immediately! This recipe serves 6.

Smoked sausage with sliced apples and onions in a white bowl.

Chef’s Tips and Variations

  • Brown the onions– Once you toss the onions in the pan, let them sit for a good 2 or 3 minutes before stirring. This will let the onions brown and char and add color, flavor, and texture to your dish.
  • Pick your favorite ingredients– Swapping out different kinds of apples, onions, and sausage in this recipe will change the flavor slightly depending on what you use. Play around with your favorite ingredients to find the perfect combination for you!
  • If you substitute a different apple variety, make sure it won’t break down when cooking. Braeburn, Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Jonagolds are all great alternatives, just keep in mind, the flavor is different than the Honeycrisp used here.
  • Go preservative free– When selecting your protein for this dish, whether it be Kielbasa or another smoked sausage, try to use something that is natural and uncured with no preservatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kielbasa and how is it different from regular sausage?

The short answer is that Kielbasa is just the Polish term for sausage! Traditionally, Kielbasa is coarse smoked sausage, usually made with pork. But you can find Kielbasa in almost any variety, made with any meat and packed with different seasons.

How long do you cook kielbasa in a frying pan?

Kielbasa that is sliced into ½ inch pieces and fried in a skillet takes 6- 9 minutes to cook through. 

Serving Suggestions

Storing and freezing

  • This Kielbasa Skillet recipe will be good in your fridge for three to four days.
  • You can freeze the leftovers. Use an air tight container or freezer bag, it will stay good for up to three months. Thaw before gently reheating on the stove top.
  • Kielbasa, or any sausage, is great to keep on hand in your freezer for fast, delicious recipes that you can make on the fly.
  • Since it’s apple season, consider freezing some to enjoy during the cold winter months! To freeze ripe apples, dice them and then seal them in an airtight freezer bag. Frozen apples will be softer, so plan to use them in baking or skillet recipes. 

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Sliced kielbasa, apples, and onions in a cast iron skillet with a rosemary spring on top.

Kielbasa Skillet with Apples and Onions

The aromas of apple, kielbasa, and rosemary perfectly compliment each other and will guarantee that your family will follow their noses to the kitchen.
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 471kcal
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • large skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 medium Vidalia onions sliced into ½ inch half moons
  • 2 medium apples sliced into ½ inch slices
  • 24 ounces Kielbasa or smoked sausage sliced into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir occasionally until starting to turn translucent (about 3 minutes)
  • Add the apples and stir into the onions, let that sit for about 3 minutes.
  • Add the kielbasa, stir, and cover for 6-9 minutes until heated through.
  • Remove the cover and add the fresh chopped rosemary, stir for 30 seconds.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use your favorite brand of kielbasa. I like to use something natural and uncured with no preservatives. I used Teton for this recipe.
  • You can substitute a yellow, white, or red onion in place of the Vidalia onions. It will change the flavor slightly depending on what you use.
  • Use an apple that will soften slightly during cooking but not break down. I used honey crisp in this recipe because it’s my favorite.
  • For charred onions, don’t disturb for 1-2 minutes after putting in the pan and before stirring. 

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 1230mg | Potassium: 469mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 161IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this for tonight’s dinner and was so very good and easy to make! I used Apple Gouda Uncured Sausage w/no preservatives, nitrates or nitrites. Also used red onions along with Granny Smith apples and it was so tasty!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this recipe tonight and thought it has good flavor and would make it again. I would definitely add more onion and apples though as I had only a 14 ounce package of kielbasa and still felt it was heavy on the meat. Thanks for sharing.

  3. 5 stars
    Made this recipe tonight & we both loved it! However, I think I will add more onions to it next time. It just didn’t seem like much after cooking them up. I used 2 med/sm onions, so next time I’ll use 2 or 3 lg ones.