Sausage with Roasted Cabbage and Butternut Squash Puree is about to be your new Whole 30 approved comfort food obsession. And I am not even exaggerating on this one. This also makes an epic holiday meal side dish if you are so inclined.
Sausage with roasted cabbage and squash puree is a pure comfort food
Yep. It’s a thing. I kid you not. Sausage with roast cabbage and butternut squash puree is a Whole30 diet comfort food.
I thought I knew comfort food. And, no doubt, I thought I loved vegetables and was well rounded. You never caught me complaining about mixing my plates with an assortment of greens and starches, proteins and vitamins.
To be sure, I thought I had my bases covered with a love for all savory things. Because, I even loved obscure veggies that my friends and families turned their noses up at.
And then I tasted roasted cabbage.
How to make perfect Roasted Cabbage
My mind was blown. I’d had cabbage in soup, shredded, stir-fried, baked. But roasted. Roasted may be the definitive way to eat all of the vegetables. Have a friend that doesn’t like cabbage? Throw an extra-firm head at them and kick them out because you are about to savor possibly the best way to eat cabbage.
Roasting cabbage, much like sprouts and squash, allows the vegetable to cook slowly, softening even it’s tightly wrapped inner leaves. It caramelizes the outside and creates a gentle crunch that brings for flavors you never knew the same thing used for kraut could have.
It’s not bitter or harsh. It’s just a little honeyed with a rich punch. It is perfection and it will see many many side dishes for my comfort food season. (And then when that season is over, I’m going to grill it).
Alternatively, try my favorite recipe for smoked cabbage for an amazing flavor!
Whole30 explained
If you are not familiar with “Whole30”, then a quick explanation is in order. Whole30 is a diet plan where for thirty straight days you only eat whole foods and avoid as much processed foods as possible.
Whole30 might seem a bit similar to a paleo diet. For example, no sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy. But Whole30 goes a bit further restricting sugar.
What kind of sausage is best?
With this recipe, since it is Whole30, I go with sugar free apple sausage. But there are really so many options when it comes to sausage. Many sausages are sugar free by the way, just not all. So if you need it to stay Whole30, then keep that in mind.
Truth be told, you can use turkey, pork, or beef sausages. The thicker and short ones, like the British style “bangers” I think work best. But any of those ones ending in some form of “wurst” are best. (Yes, that sounds a bit oxymoronic, doesn’t it?)
One Pan. Fewer Dishes.
This is a simple dish, with one pan to roast the sausage and cabbage. The butternut squash puree is a bonus. You could also serve this with traditional mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes or even whipped cauliflower if you are feeling brave.
NEED MORE WHOLE30 INSPIRATION? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES:
- Enchilada Stuffed Smoked Poblano Peppers
- Sausage with Roasted Cabbage and Butternut Squash Puree
- Paleo Sesame Tuna Bowls
- Grilled Harissa Avocado Baked Eggs
If you’ve tried my Whole30 Approved Sausage with Roasted Cabbage Recipe or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
Sausage with Roasted Cabbage and Butternut Squash Puree
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of green cabbage
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 lbs sugar-free apple sausage
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp ghee
- Fresh Thyme or Caraway seeds for garnish.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450.
- Slice the cabbage into wedges. Arrange in the center of a large foil lined baking tray.
- Core, remove seeds and cut the butternut squash in half. Arrange on either side of the cabbage.
- Drizzle olive oil over the cabbage and squash. Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 20 minutes; Flip the cabbage, nestle the sausages into the pan and roast for 20 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, whisk the mustard, mayo, coconut aminos, salt and pepper, with the melted ghee in a small bowl to make the sauce.
- Carefully scoop the roasted squash from the skin and puree with ghee.
- Serve the cabbage wedges and sausages over the butternut squash with a drizzle of the mustard sauce and fresh thyme or toasted caraway seeds.
Nutrition
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I followed the recipe but maybe my cabbage wedges were a different size? The outside leaves were very tough, and some of the inside was still crunchy (in a very chewy way). Small bits were done well and these were quite tasty, but my kids said that roasted veggies were over-rated and they were better boiled.
The sauce grew on me and I liked it better by the end of the meal (my kids didn’t really like it.)
By the end of dinner my husband had pulled out bread & PB (he was still hungry) and my daughter filled up on cereal. (This never happens.) I was looking forward to this meal but will not be making it again.
(The sausage was tasty & the squash was fine but nothing special.)
I love butternut squash and am ok with cabbage if it is in recpies like this. For sure will have to try it
Great comfort food. Sausage and cabbage go so well together
I am not a cabbage eater. I was not sure I would like cabbage roasted. I certainly was in for a surprise! The roasted cabbage, sausage and butternut squash was packed full of flavor and easy to prepare for dinner when I cam home from work.
I love this recipe, such a delicious combination of flavors.
ok what are coconut aminos? and ghee?
Hi Diana, Coconut aminos and ghee are common ingredients for people sticking to the Whole 30 diet. Ghee is just clarified butter and coconut aminos are a replacement for soy sauce, used for boosting flavor a bit. If you aren’t doing Whole 30, just use what you have on hand instead of feeling like you need to spend money on extra stuff. Thanks for asking and hope you give this one a try!
OMG, I am drooling all over my keyboard as I read this! Just happen to have sausage and cabbage here and am heading out for squash. Thanks for sharing.
I found this recipe on Pinterest and I feel like it was pure serendipity! I just happened to cook a sugar pumpkin today to avoid it going to waste, planning to freeze it. And I swear my dinner plans consisted of sugar free apple sausage and braised cabbage. I feel like this is a sign for me to put all three together, and I will try roasting the cabbage this way. Thanks for the inspiration!