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    Home » Recipes » Beef and Pork Recipes

    How to Cook Kielbasa

    Published: Nov 8, 2022 · Modified: Jul 21, 2024 by Jenny Meier

    Jump to Recipe

    Kielbasa, also known as Polish sausage, is really easy to cook and perfect for fast weeknight dinners. If you're wondering how to cook kielbasa, below you'll find step-by-step instructions for the 5 best cooking methods: pan sear, grill, roast, boil or microwave.

    sliced kielbasa in a skillet

    Kielbasa, also known as Polish sausage or Kielbasa Polska, is smoked sausage that is almost always sold pre-cooked in the United States. This means that the sausage only needs to be heated before you eat it. 

    You can serve polish sausage in a bun or next to any type of starch or vegetable, like Instant Pot egg noodles or roasted potatoes. Sausage is fantastic over creamy baked polenta.

    If you're looking for kielbasa recipes, try kielbasa and sauerkraut or sheet-pan kielbasa and cabbage & potatoes with dill vinaigrette.

    Kielbasa is a convenient choice for easy weeknight dinners. There really isn't a best way to cook kielbasa, just choose the cooking method that is most convenient for you.

    The five best methods for cooking kielbasa and polish sausage are:

    1. Pan-fry/pan seared
    2. Grill
    3. Roast
    4. Microwave
    5. Boil
    Jump to:
    • Expert Cooking Tip
    • How to Pan-Sear or Saute Kielbasa
    • How to Grill Kielbasa
    • How to Roast Kielbasa
    • How to Microwave Kielbasa
    • Boiled Polish Sausage
    • How to Serve Sausage
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Favorite Sausage Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Expert Cooking Tip

    Most kielbasa sold in U.S. grocery stores is smoked and pre-cooked. For food safety, and because kielbasa just tastes better warm, it’s recommended that kielbasa is always "cooked" before serving, which is really just re-heating the sausage. On some kielbasa packages you’ll see the simple instructions, “Heat and Eat.”

    How to Pan-Sear or Saute Kielbasa

    Pan-frying gives the sausage a seared, crispy exterior. It's quick, easy and the method that I use most.

    Step 2: You can slice the kielbasa widthwise into bite-sized rounds or lengthwise into sections that are a few inches long. After cutting the sausage lengthwise, then cut each section in half to expose the inside of the sausage.

    Step 2: Add a drizzle of oil to the skillet first. Over medium heat, pan-fry the sausage until it's heated and as browned as you like it, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Flip the pieces of sausage once or twice as they cook.

    You can cook the slices alone in a skillet or add the kielbasa to a skillet with other ingredients, like vegetables.

    For a delicious skillet recipe, try kielbasa and sauerkraut cooked with onions and a splash of hard cider.

    Looking for another easy, affordable protein to pan-sear? Try pan-seared beef liver.

    slices of kielbasa panfried in a skillet

    How to Grill Kielbasa

    You can grill kielbasa as a whole u-shaped link, or cut the link into sections.

    Step 1: Over medium heat, grill the sausage until it is warmed all the way through and slightly crispy on the outside, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Turn the sausage as needed so it doesn't burn. That's it!

    How to Roast Kielbasa

    Whole, unsliced kielbasa can be cooked in the oven. The trick is not to cook it too long, or it will dry out. It shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes to heat it all the way through.

    Step 1: First, heat your oven to 375F.

    Step 2: Use a fork or the tip of a knife to poke holes in the sausage. Or, you can use a knife to cut a shallow slit down the length of the sausage.

    Step 3: Place the kielbasa on a lightly greased sheet pan and roast for about 15 minutes, until heated.

    Kielbasa can be roasted on a sheet-pan with vegetables (including potatoes), but the vegetables will take longer to cook. Give the vegetables a head start so they are a little more than half-way cooked before adding the sausage to the sheet pan.

    For a tasty dinner, try sheet-pan kielbasa and cabbage & potatoes with dill vinaigrette.

    How to Microwave Kielbasa

    For a quick and easy way to cook the sausage, use your microwave. The only downside is that you won't get a crispy, browned finish on the sausage.

    Step 1: Use a fork or knife tip to poke holes all over the sausage. To prevent the sausage from drying out, set a damp paper towel over the top of the link.

    Step 2: Heat for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sausage is heated all the way through. Slice and serve.

    Boiled Polish Sausage

    This is a simple way to heat a whole link of sausage, while keeping it moist and flavorful.

    Step 1: Keep the sausage whole and unsliced. Cover the sausage with a few inches of water in a pot.

    Step 2: Bring the water to a simmer, then simmer the kielbasa for about 10 minutes until it is heated through. Slice and serve.

    A whole link of Polish sausage boiled in a pot.

    How to Serve Sausage

    There are so many ways to serve sausage!

    • In a bun with ketchup and/or mustard, with onions or relish or sauerkraut
    • Sliced and served with any type of cooked potato or potato salad
    • Mixed with rice
    • Served with buttery pasta, like Instant pot orzo or Instant Pot egg noodles.
    • With scrambled or fried eggs
    • With cooked greens, like Instant Pot collard greens
    • With cabbage, either cooked cabbage like Instant Pot cabbage with lemon and parsley or coleslaw
    • Add sliced kielbasa to soup (slice it first). Try slow cooker 15 bean soup.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is fresh kielbasa?

    Fresh kielbasa is raw, uncooked sausage. It is sometimes called white kielbasa because of the color. It is completely raw and needs to be cooked fully before eating it. Fresh kielbasa is usually boiled or grilled. You can also choose to boil the sausage until it's fully cooked, then grill or pan fry the sausage to crisp up the outside.

    Most of the time, you will only find smoked kielbasa at the grocery store (especially in the United States.) Smoked kielbasa has a dark color and is pre-cooked. It only needs to be reheated before eating it.

    How many types of kielbasa are there?

    In Polish, the word "kielbasa" simply means sausage. So there are actually many types of kielbasa, not just the smoked Polish sausage that is sold most often in American grocery stores. If you'd like to learn more, check out this article on TasteAtlas.com about the 8 most popular Polish sausages.

    What type of meat is in kielbasa?

    The sausage is usually made with pork but sometimes beef and veal are mixed in.

    What does kielbasa taste like?

    The sausage has a smoked flavor and is quite salty with a hint of sweetness. It has different types of spices and seasonings added, such as salt, sugar, garlic, ginger, marjoram, paprika, celery seed, nutmeg and black pepper.

    Favorite Sausage Recipes

    • Bean soup with slices of sausage.
      Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup
    • cooked sauerkraut, kielbasa and onion in a bowl
      Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
    • a bowl of sliced kielbasa with roasted potatoes and purple cabbage
      Kielbasa and Cabbage & Potatoes with Dill Vinaigrette
    • a bowl of lentil sausage soup
      Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage

    If you found this How to Cook Kielbasa guide helpful, please leave a 🌟 star rating below the recipe box and let me know how your recipe turned out. I love hearing from readers!

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    📖 Recipe

    How to Cook Kielbasa

    sliced kielbasa sausage in a skillet
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    5 from 6 reviews

    Kielbasa, also known as Polish sausage, is perfect for fast weeknight dinners. Kielbasa is smoked and ready to eat, which means you only need to heat it up before eating. 

    This recipe includes the 5 best ways to cook kielbasa: pan sear, grill, roast, boil and microwave. 

    • Author: Jenny
    • Prep Time: 5
    • Cook Time: 10
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2 to 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Beef and Pork
    • Method: Pan Fry
    • Cuisine: Polish

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 package (or more) of kielbasa

    Instructions

    How to Pan Fry Kielbasa

     Pan-frying gives kielbasa a seared, crispy exterior. It's quick, easy and the method  that I use most. 

    1. You can choose to slice the kielbasa widthwise into bite-sized rounds or lengthwise into sections that are a few inches long. If you cut sections lengthwise, slice them in half to expose the inside of the sausage. 
    2. Add a drizzle of oil to a wide skillet. You can use cast iron or non-stick.
    3. Over medium heat, add the slices of sausage and cook until it is heated and as browned as you like it, about 6 to 8 minutes total.
    4. Flip the pieces of sausage once or twice as they cook. 
    5. You can cook the kielbasa slices alone in a skillet or add the kielbasa to a skillet with other ingredients, like vegetables.

    Notes

    More Cooking Methods

    Grill: You can grill kielbasa as a whole u-shaped link, or cut the link into sections. Over medium heat, grill the sausage until it is warmed all the way through and slightly crispy on the outside, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Turn the sausage as needed so it doesn't burn.

    Roast: Heat your oven to 375 degrees. If you're roasting the kielbasa without slicing it, then use a fork or the tip of a knife to poke holes in the sausage. Or, you can use a knife to cut a shallow slit down the length of the sausage.  Place the kielbasa (whole or slices) on a lightly greased sheet pan and roast for about 15 minutes, until heated. Kielbasa can be roasted on a sheet-pan with vegetables (including potatoes), but the vegetables will take longer to cook. Give the vegetables a head start so they are a little more than half-way cooked before adding the sausage to the sheet pan. 

    Boil: Leave the sausage whole and unsliced. Cover the sausage with a few inches of water in a pot. Bring the water to a simmer, then simmer the kielbasa for about 10 minutes until it is heated through. Slice and serve. 

    Microwave: Use a fork or knife tip to poke holes all over the sausage. To prevent the sausage from drying out, set a damp paper towel over the top of the link. Heat for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sausage is heated all the way through. Slice and serve. 

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. dana

      February 06, 2023 at 1:45 pm

      Great tips for cooking kielbasa here! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Holley

      February 06, 2023 at 1:26 pm

      I really needed these tips on different ways to cook kielbasa! Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch

      February 06, 2023 at 12:53 pm

      These were some great tips; the sausage turned out perfectly juicy and delicious! A great way to heat up a quick meal, indeed!

      Reply
    4. Nathan

      February 06, 2023 at 12:42 pm

      Kielbasa is a classic in my family, but I've never actually cooked it myself! This recipe is so easy to follow, I'm excited to try it out. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    5. Tayler

      February 06, 2023 at 12:40 pm

      I made this kielbasa for dinner last night and it was incredible! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    6. Jenny

      November 12, 2022 at 7:29 am

      Helpful tips! Kielbasa is an easy protein to cook on really busy weeknights.

      Reply

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    Kitchen Skip foodblogger and recipe developer Jenny Meier

    Hi, I'm Jenny!

    I'm a food blogger with a culinary degree and a busy Mama of two who now works full-time in education. I create easy dinner recipes for busy parents like you!

    More About Me

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