Sausage and Cabbage Skillet: A 10-Minute Healthy Lunch to Keep Weight Loss Simple

Simplifying your meals with convenient ingredients doesn’t mean sacrificing health. For me, pre-cooked sausages and other convenience foods were a game-changer on my health journey. They helped me make better choices, ditch takeout, and stay consistent with my goals. You don’t have to make every meal from scratch to stay healthy—sometimes, the right shortcuts can be a huge help in maintaining a better balance with your weight and your overall health.

Easy Food, Big Results

In my 100 lb weight loss journey, the biggest challenge wasn’t micromanaging my diet—it was simply having something quick and tasty to eat at home. Before discovering pre-cooked chicken sausage and other quick and tasty convenience options, I was relying on takeout for more nights than I cared to acknowledge, which made it really tough to hit my calorie goal. That meant I was staying at a high and unhealthy weight for me. Over time, I started to realize that having a few easy ingredients, like these sausages, made it easier to stick to my healthy plans. Using somewhat-processed items like pre-cooked chicken sausage, flavor-packed condiments, salad kits, and frozen veggies was instrumental to my 100 lb weight loss journey, significantly improving my blood markers in the process.

Why This 10-Minute Healthy Lunch Is Great for Busy Work-from-Home Days

Whether you’re working from home or juggling a busy schedule, this 10-minute healthy lunch is perfect. It’s quick to prepare, full of protein, and provides around 2-3 servings of vegetables. You can make it in a flash, which means it’s a perfect solution for when you need something satisfying but don’t have time to fuss with complex recipes. The best part? It keeps you feeling full, energized, and on track with your weight loss goals—no need for another takeout order.

Why This Simple Weight-Loss Lunch Is Packed with Nutrients

This 10-minute healthy lunch isn’t just easy to make—it’s also packed with nutrients. The pre-cooked chicken sausage provides a hearty dose of protein, while the cabbage is a great source of fiber, helping keep you full longer. This meal also provides vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium. With 2-3 servings of veggies and plenty of protein, you’re setting yourself up for sustained energy throughout the day, without needing a mid-afternoon snack.

How to Make the Sausage and Cabbage Skillet: Step-by-Step

Without further ado, here’s how to make this simple, satisfying meal:

1. Slice the sausage into coins and place them in a hot pan over high heat (no oil needed). Let them brown on one side, then remove them from the pan and set them aside.

2. In the same pan, add your chopped cabbage and a splash of water, followed by a pinch of kosher salt. Stir everything together, cover with a lid, and let it cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

3. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, add your smoky seasoning blend, and a ½ tbsp of olive oil. Let the cabbage cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until it’s nicely browned and caramelized.

4. Finally, add the sausage back into the pan to warm it up, then plate it up to serve. Enjoy your easy, delicious lunch!

Flavor Variations: Mix It Up and Get Creative

One of the things I love most about this dish is how adaptable it is. You can switch up the flavor profile depending on what you’re in the mood for:

• Try using spinach feta chicken sausage and lemon pepper seasoning.

• Use Italian turkey sausage, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a dash of Italian seasoning.

• Opt for smoked kielbasa, add onions to caramelize with the cabbage, and load up on black pepper. Don’t forget to top it off with a dollop of sour cream!

• Go for Aloha pineapple chicken sausage and fresh, diced pineapple, seasoned with Hawaiian seasoning

There are lots of switch-ups you can make, and each variation brings something special to the table.

Tips for Meal Prep and Make-Ahead Options

One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s perfect for meal prep. You can easily make a big batch of sausage and cabbage, divide it into individual portions, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat in the microwave or on the stove for a quick, satisfying lunch or dinner.

How Else Can I Support My Weight Loss Goal?

I’m very glad you asked. My name is Megan Gaul. I’m an online wellness coach specializing in weight-loss and food freedom. My 100-lb weight loss journey, which began in 2018 here in Staten Island, New York (I’ve been maintaining my healthy weight range since then), was the catalyst I needed to start my coaching career in 2021. I have a number of resources that can help you:

• Book your free Journey-Day-1 coaching call

• Attend live Meal Planning classes every week, taught by yours-truly (join free here)

• Enroll in your 1-1 coaching program to get out of your negative cycle and actually lose weight for good

• Follow my instagram for more recipes and strategies, and all about Messy Life after Losing 100 lbs (find me at @partake_foodie )

Final Thoughts: Enjoying Food and Achieving Your Weight Loss Goals

At the end of the day, health isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency and finding joy in what you eat. This sausage and cabbage skillet is a simple, delicious way to support your weight loss goals without compromising on flavor. Whether you’re looking to eat healthier, lose weight, or just make life a little easier, this meal is proof that small changes can make a big difference.

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10-Minute Smokey Sausage and Cabbage Skillet Lunch - Early Exclusive Release for Partake Members Only

Yield: 1

Author: Megan Gaul from Partake Meal Planning

Prep time: 1 MinCook time: 9 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Ready in just 10 minutes, and only 4 ingredients? Sign me up. This cozy lunch comes together incredibly fast, so you can make it on you Work-From-Home lunch break. Plus, it's smokey, warm, comforting, and filling enough to work perfectly in your day of weight loss. The 29 g of protein and 6+ g of fiber certainly help!

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Ingredients

• 2 tsp smokey seasoning blend - to make your own, combine 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
• 8 oz shredded cabbage (red, green, or mixed) - you can also buy a head of cabbage and chop it finely yourself, which is what I like to do
• 2 links pre-cooked chicken sausage - my favorite is Gilbert's Smoked Gouda Chicken Sausage
• 1/2 tbsp (6 g) olive oil

Instructions

1. Slice the sausage into coins. Brown the sausage on one side in a pan over high heat (no oil needed). Once browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add cabbage and a splash of water to the same pan with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, until the cabbage is wilted and tender.
3. Remove the lid, add the smokey seasoning blend and olive oil, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is nicely browned.
4. Add the sausage back into the pan to warm through. Plate, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

If you know you can't spare 10 minutes to cook this lunch, you can scale up this recipe and prep 4 servings on Sunday for the work-week. Just let it cool fully before storing in airtight containers in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

365.9

Fat

22.6 g

Sat. Fat

6.9 g

Carbs

18.3 g

Fiber

6.6 g

Net carbs

0 g

Sugar

7.5 g

Protein

29.6 g

Sodium

1140 mg

Cholesterol

130 mg

This wepbage provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online nutrition data from manufacturer and food retailer websites. By accessing or using this recipe, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the full nutrition information disclaimer for this website, which you can read in its entirety here.