Cabbage 3 Ways: Simple, Affordable Dinners for the Week (MM#21)

If you’ve been to the store lately, you’ve probably noticed cabbage is on sale and for good reason! This humble veggie is not only budget-friendly but also a great base for so many different meals. A single head can stretch into multiple dinners, making it one of the best bargains in the produce aisle.

For this week’s 3-dinner mini meal plan, we spent just $28.29 for 14 items at Walmart and turned one large head of cabbage into three totally different family dinners. Best of all, each recipe is simple, low-effort, and perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.

Grocery List Needed for the Mini Menu

If you want to see the full shopping list on Walmart in your area, all you have to do is click my Walmart Grocery list and change the zip code to your area. *This is an affiliate link, and I do make a small commission on any purchases, but at no additional cost to you!*

My Walmart Grocery List

**** Please note, that every once in a while, an item that I pick turns out to be regional. This means that it may be a much higher price in some areas. Always double check the list and if you see an item that is much higher than normal, just adjust as needed.

Pierogi, Cabbage & Smoked Sausage Skillet

This quick skillet dinner is hearty and comforting, with pierogies, smoked sausage, and tender cabbage all in one pan. You can swap the pierogies for gnocchi or even dumplings, and use kielbasa or turkey sausage if that’s what you have.

Sloppy Jack Sandwiches with Coleslaw

A rotisserie chicken gets a fun twist with sloppy joe sauce, then piled onto buns and served with ahomemade cabbage slaw. You can use BBQ sauce instead of sloppy joe mix for a shortcut, or serve it open-faced on toast if you don’t have buns handy.

Hearty Cabbage Soup with Ground Turkey

A cozy, budget-friendly soup filled with ground turkey, carrots, and plenty of cabbage in a tomato broth. If you prefer, swap in ground beef or pork, or add beans to stretch it into an even heartier meal.

Possible Variations

Most of the dishes this week can easily be swapped around. The proteins are really just suggestions. Don’t want to do link style sausage? That is totally fine, and you can easily use ground sausage or even chorizo instead in the pierogi dish!

Sloppy Jacks are a fun option if you love the flavor of sloppy joes but not loose ground meat; it is slightly less messy too! If you are a not a fan, you can easily use BBQ sauce or really any sauce that you enjoy with pulled chicken or pork.

Soups are always a great leftover buster, so I encourage you to check out your fridge and freezer for more veggie options. Have a couple of sad potatoes in the house, chop them up, and throw them in the pot. Canned potatoes work well too and make the soup more filling!