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How to Cook Kielbasa

sliced kielbasa sausage in a skillet

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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. 

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.