Cârnați cu Varză — Romanian Sausages with Cabbage
Romanian homemade pork sausages simmered and then browned alongside braised sauerkraut. A dish of
extraordinary simplicity — but the interplay of the fatty, smoky sausages with the sour, tender
cabbage is Romanian winter cooking in its purest form. Served with mămăligă.
FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (pork sausages, lard)
SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1.2 kg Romanian pork sausages (cârnaţi proaspeţi) — fresh, not smoked. Substitute Polish or Italian fresh pork sausage if unavailable.
- 1.5 kg sauerkraut, well drained (reserve some brine)
- 3 large onions, sliced
- 4 tablespoons lard or sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 500 ml water or white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional, traditional in some regions)
- Salt and black pepper
For serving:
- Mămăligă
- Sour cream
- Hot chillies
- Black bread
- Mustard
METHOD:
1. Rinse the sauerkraut lightly if very sour (taste first). If mild, use as is. Drain well.
2. Melt lard in a large Dutch oven. Sauté onions over medium heat 10 minutes until deeply golden.
3. Add paprika, caraway, and thyme. Stir 30 seconds.
4. Add sauerkraut, tomato paste (if using), and water or wine. Tuck in bay leaves.
5. Cover and simmer gently 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cabbage should soften and flavours meld.
6. Meanwhile, brown sausages: heat 1 tablespoon lard in a skillet. Prick sausages once or twice with a fork. Brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes total.
7. Nestle sausages into the cabbage. Cover and simmer 20-25 more minutes, turning sausages once or twice.
8. Taste for salt (sauerkraut is already salty) and pepper. Remove bay leaves.
9. Serve in deep bowls: a mound of mămăligă, a generous heap of cabbage, sausages on top. A dollop of sour cream, sliced hot pepper, black bread, and mustard on the side.
NOTES:
- Genuine Romanian fresh sausages (cârnaţi proaspeţi) are seasoned with garlic, thyme, and black pepper — not smoked. Look for them at Romanian or Eastern European butchers.
- For extra depth, add 100 g diced smoked bacon at the onion stage.
- Sauerkraut quality matters enormously. Fresh fermented sauerkraut from a deli or farmer's market is vastly superior to canned.
- This dish is the Romanian winter Sunday meal — a heavy, warming plate for bitter-cold afternoons.
NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 620 | Protein: 28 g | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Fat: 48 g | Fibre: 6 g