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Kielbasa and Potatoes

Kielbasa and Potatoes is one of my go to recipes for weeknight dinners. With just a handful of ingredients and two easy steps you can have it on the table. It’s quick, easy and the entire family will love it! 

We all have one of of those meals that brings us back to our childhood right? My mom used to Kielbasa and Potatoes all the time. It was one of her go-to meals in between running my sister and I to orchestra (me) and softball (my sister).

And now that I am a busy mom myself, I find myself turning to it too. it is because it is so easy and the kiddos love it.

Side angel photo of fried potatoes and kielbasa in a cast iron skillet.

I mean what is not to love. Between the smoky sausage pieces and the crisp yet tender bites of potatoes, it is bound to be a crowd pleaser.

What ingredients do you need?

Overhead photos of ingredients needed to make fried kielbasa and potatoes.

KIELBASA: Kielbasa is one of my absolute favorite sausages. It is a polish sausage that has a smoky flavor. It is pre-cooked and great for adding to all kinds of recipes.

RUSSET POTATOES: To keep with the ease and rustic flare to this dish, I prefer to keep the skin on the potatoes. Cut them relatively small so that they cook faster and you will also want to make sure you dice them all the same size so that they cook evenly.

OLD BAY SEASONING: This has been one of my favorite seasoning blends as of late. It is made with celery salt, bay leaves, mustard and peppercorns. It is great with seafood but I really love using it with potatoes too. If you can’t find it in the spice aisle at your grocery store, check the seafood counter. They usually have them there.

BUTTER and OLIVE OIL: I like using a combination or both. You get the buttery flavor from the butter but the added oil helps keep the butter from burning.

ONION (optional): Typically kielbasa and potatoes has onions but let’s be honest, they aren’t always kid friendly. I left them out of this recipe but it is an easy add if you want. Simply put them in a couple of minutes before you add the sausage.

A forkful of potatoes and sausage.

How do you make fried kielbasa and potatoes?

I like to do all of this in one skillet. I find that cast iron works fabulous when I am wanting to get crispy edges on my potatoes but any large skillet will work fine. You just want to make sure that you can get all of the potatoes in a single layer in the skillet.

STEP #1: Heat oil and butter together in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the potatoes. And sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.  Allow the potatoes to cook 5 minutes before stirring and then allow the potatoes to cook 10 – 15 minutes or until tender.

Frying potatoes in a cast iron skillet with Old Bay Seasoning sprinkled on top.

DES’ TIP: A key to making crispy, yet tender potatoes is to let them sit and cook for about 5 minutes before you start turning them. This will give them a chance crisp on the outside. The potatoes will be easier to lift from the pan once the outside has crisped. 

STEP #2: Add in the kielbasa. Cook 3 -5 minutes more or until the kielbasa is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Overhead photo of skillet potato and sausage dinner.

See! How easy is that? Literally two steps and dinner is on the table. This is why this Fried Kielbasa and Potatoes is one of my favorite things to make for dinner on a busy weeknight.

Side photo of skillet dinner on a white plate.

If you want to make sure you get some veggies too, I like to serve it with southern fried cabbage, sautéed broccoli or a green salad with garlic vinaigrette or homemade thousand island dressing.

Note: this post was originally posted in 2010 it was updated with new photos, nutrition information and a modified recipe in 2021.

Overhead photo of potatoes and sausage on a white plate.

Kielbasa and Potatoes

Kielbasa and Potatoes is one of my go to recipes for weeknight dinners. With just a handful of ingredients and two easy steps you can have it on the table.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 459 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 medium russet potatoes diced
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 pound kielbasa cut in half at the curve and then sliced

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted add potatoes. Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring. Stir after 5 minutes. Cook another 10 - 15 minutes or until tender. Stir.
  • Stir in kielbasa. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until sausage is warmed through and pieces begin to brown. Serve hot.

Notes

After about 30 minutes I was on the couch under a blanket with a bowl of this in my lap, a glass of wine in my hand and suddenly the day didn't seem all that bad.Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 37.9gProtein: 18.5gFat: 26.6gSaturated Fat: 9.4gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1714mgFiber: 5.1gSugar: 2.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: one pot dish, potatoes, quick meal

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Chris T
    March 31, 2023 at 2:45 pm

    5 stars
    Recipe is a favorite. Maybe something can be done about the ads that conveniently cover the recipe.

  • Reply
    Debbie Whiteford
    September 27, 2017 at 8:06 am

    Can this be made in the instant pot (electric pressure cooker)? If so how long would you cook it? And would you make any adjustments? I’m thinking, after pressure cooking putting it under the broiler for a few minutes to crispen it up.

  • Reply
    Joni Bentley
    February 22, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    I have several questions about this dish. I doubled it because of my family size, but the potatoes took for ever to cook. How big do you dice yours? what kind of pan did you use, and temp? I used an electric skillet on 325. I feel like par-boiling would have helped the potatoes cook faster.

    • Reply
      Des @ Life's Ambrosia
      February 23, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      Hi Joni! I diced the potatoes into bite size pieces and cooked them in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. I usually cook it as is but reading through the comments if you par-boil the potatoes, I think they would cook a bit faster for you!

  • Reply
    Ginny Pizzuto
    October 16, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    I made this but i did it in the oven and added red peppers and other spices was yummy… next i think i will add mushrooms.. thanks

  • Reply
    A. Smith
    June 28, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    I’ve made KB & spuds for years, but I throw in a rounded tsp. of no-salt Lemon-Pepper Seasoning, a good pinch of sea salt (1/4 tsp.), and some coarse ground tellicherry black pepper (you may have to get a pepper grinder). My other version is using ground horseradish & sea salt. Both are great and everyone loves it.

  • Reply
    Amber
    November 20, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    I made it but with russet potatoes and nuked them after the 10 minutes of cooking just to make sure they were thoroughly cooked. It was delicious.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      November 23, 2014 at 11:37 pm

      Thank you!

  • Reply
    Debra DeGroot
    August 17, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    Opps, I meant steamed cabbage, sorry.

  • Reply
    Debra DeGroot
    August 17, 2013 at 1:35 pm

    I make this dish with the turkey sausage and potatoes. The only thing I do different is add stemmed cabbage to this dish. That’s the way my mother always made it. We called it Cabbage, Potatoes, and Smoked Sausage. Yummy!

  • Reply
    erin
    July 31, 2013 at 10:24 am

    This might be a silly question, but could you use red potatoes instead?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      July 31, 2013 at 10:28 am

      Hi Erin- Yep you can!

  • Reply
    sue
    August 15, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    Good start but layer bottom of pan with cabbage,then potatoes ,a bag of Normandy blend frozen veggie( Broc,cauliflower,carrots).top with Polska Kielbasa.season with lemon pepper.1/2 cup water.SEAL with foil.325 degrees for a few hours. I LOVE IT and each person can decide if they want apple cider vinegar .I LOVE the vinegar drizzled on mine! This dish is SOOOOO good!

  • Reply
    deedasher
    March 14, 2012 at 4:30 pm

    can I make this up the night before? will the potatoes stay good and just warm up the next day

    • Reply
      Deseree
      March 14, 2012 at 7:43 pm

      deedasher- I’ve eaten this as leftovers the next day for lunch so I would say that would be just fine. :)

  • Reply
    Ande
    March 4, 2012 at 6:33 pm

    This was delicious and super easy. The only problem I found is that the skillet gets a bit crowded. If you’re a little picky about browning the meat I would use a separate skillet for the sausage and cook it with the other half of the onion.

  • Reply
    Nancy Ruiz
    January 24, 2012 at 8:53 am

    Definitely trying this recipe,Thanks for sharing,simple but filling,my kind of recipe

  • Reply
    Joanna
    June 30, 2011 at 9:12 am

    The name “kielbasa” is not turkish but polish!!!

  • Reply
    Susan
    April 23, 2011 at 9:06 am

    Thanks Meahan! Did this one last night- definite keeper! After reading the of the other comments I used the pre- boil method for the potatoes ( about 8 min) and crisped them up in the pan while browning the chicken smoked sausage (since that’s what I had). I also added a 1/2 red and 1/2 a yellow bell pepper and some fresh minced garlic that I sauteed with the onion in the pan first then set aside. In the last minute i combined the peppers/onions and the potatoes and sausage to blend and rewarm.

  • Reply
    Amanda
    February 22, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    thanks for the idea Meagan, i might try pre-boiling them this time.
    Deseree, the potatoes were slightly hard still, but hot. the second time we tried it-we did 3 rounds of 5 on the potatoes before adding anything extra, and it helped. to be fair, we are also adding extras to this meal-to stretch it out for our family of 4…we added green peppers and mushrooms to it. and the last time we made it-we tried crumbled breakfast sausage-Sooo Delish!
    This week im back to turkey kielbasa. Our household loves this dish! OK-the grown ups love it-and the kids pick at it-but who’s keeping score right?! LOL

  • Reply
    Meaghan
    January 27, 2010 at 7:42 am

    an idea for the potatoes- Pre-boil them until fork tender. Then toss them into the pot as you would before, but don’t cook as long. you want them to get a little “crust” of love on them, but don’t over cook. (maybe 2-3 minutes each side)

    then continue on. The potatoes may be more delicate, so don’t mix hard, but they will be done.

    (I’m a classically trained chef, along with 10+ years experience.)

  • Reply
    Deseree
    January 15, 2010 at 7:27 am

    Safoora and Shriley I’m glad that you enjoyed this dish! Amanda- Did you have a problem with the potatoes? I usually don’t have a problem with the potatoes unless I cut them a little bigger, but if I happen to do that I just let them cook a little longer.

  • Reply
    Shirley
    January 14, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    So delicious! I just made this and it made my day! Thanks for the recipe!

  • Reply
    BNDQ8
    January 14, 2010 at 6:38 am

    It looks so delicious!! we dont really have turkey kielbasa ..can i use turkey sausage?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 14, 2010 at 7:30 am

      BNDQ8- Thanks! You can use turkey sausage if you like or regular beef kielbasa if you have access to that.

  • Reply
    Amanda
    January 13, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    im currently making this now, and hubby is complaining about the potatoes possibly not cooking through…did anyone have this problem?

  • Reply
    Safoora
    January 8, 2010 at 3:33 am

    I made this last night – was delicious! Perfect way to beat the chill! :)

  • Reply
    Steph
    January 7, 2010 at 8:11 am

    My mom used to make this for us all of the time, too. It has since turned into my boyfriend’s favorite on a cold night… with a bit of ketchup on top :)

  • Reply
    patsy
    January 6, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    That looks like the perfect cold weather comfort food! I’m going to try to find turkey kielbasa at the store this weekend.

  • Reply
    Teresa
    January 6, 2010 at 12:37 pm

    My mom used to make this all the time! And serve it with fresh corn on the cob from the garden. Wow! I’m going to have to make this for my kids soon. My Lilly would love it! :-)

  • Reply
    Mom
    January 6, 2010 at 10:54 am

    Umm sounds like a plan for tonight!

  • Reply
    Jessie
    January 6, 2010 at 10:00 am

    this is a great quick whip meal! I just might make this sometime this week :)

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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