Description

This easy Crockpot Kielbasa and Green Beans recipe is one of my best ideas for a quick weeknight dinner with simple prep and healthy green beans tucked into every bite. Smoky sliced kielbasa, baby Yukon gold potatoes and savory broth cook low and slow until everything is tender. It’s great for meal prep, potluck nights or a cozy family dinner when you want comfort without fuss.

Ingredients

Scale

14 ounces smoked pork kielbasa
1 pound fresh trimmed green beans
1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves fresh garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley

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Instructions

Set the slow cooker insert beside you at room temperature around 70°F. Slice the 14 ounces smoked pork kielbasa into 1/2 inch coins and halve the 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes. Use a steady rocking motion with the knife so the sausage pieces stay uneven but not torn. You’ll see glossy pink centers on the kielbasa and pale yellow potato flesh. Cut the potatoes too large and they’ll stay firm when the green beans are already tender.
Keep the slow cooker off while you build the layers at about 70°F. Add the 1 pound fresh trimmed green beans, sliced yellow onion, minced fresh garlic cloves, smoked paprika, kosher salt and coarse black pepper over the kielbasa and potatoes in 3 to 4 minutes. Scatter the beans by hand instead of dumping them in one pile. The green beans should sit in loose crisscrossed layers and the paprika should dust the potatoes in rusty patches. Pack it too tightly and the beans steam unevenly while the bottom turns mushy.
Whisk the low sodium chicken broth, melted unsalted butter and Dijon mustard until the mustard breaks into tiny flecks. Pour it around the side of the slow cooker insert and cook on LOW at 200°F for 3 hours and 30 minutes. Tilt the insert slightly as you pour so the liquid slips under the potatoes instead of washing every spice off the top. You’ll smell smoky sausage by hour 2 and the broth will bubble lightly around the edges. Cook on HIGH past 2 hours and the green beans can wrinkle before the potatoes turn creamy. (I tried rushing it once, the beans looked tired and the potatoes still had bite.)
At 200°F LOW heat and minute 210, open the lid and fold the mixture once with a wide spoon from the outside toward the center. Cook 25 to 30 minutes more with the lid back on. The potatoes should look creamy at the cut edges and the green beans should turn olive green with a soft bend. You’ll hear a gentle wet sizzle when the broth moves through the bottom layer. Stir hard or go past 30 minutes and the potatoes can break down into the broth.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM at about 165°F. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and half the fresh flat leaf parsley for 1 to 2 minutes, then rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Use a gentle lifting motion so the potatoes stay chunky and the sausage coins stay visible. The broth should look glossy and cling to the beans instead of pooling like soup. Skip the rest and the sharp vinegar sits on top instead of blending into the smoky broth.
Spoon one serving onto a white plate while the food is still about 160°F. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the broth settles around the potatoes and beans. Place the sausage coins slightly overlapping the potatoes and tuck the green beans around them by hand. You’ll see browned edges on the kielbasa and uneven glossy patches on the beans. Plate too early from a very wet insert and the portion slides around instead of holding together.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Slice smoked pork kielbasa into thick coins so it doesn’t dry out during the long cook.
Don’t add extra salt until the end because kielbasa can season the broth more than expected.
Keep the lid closed during the first 3 hours so the potatoes cook evenly.
Use fresh trimmed green beans when you want the best color and texture.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The potatoes soak up more broth as they sit, so add a splash of low sodium chicken broth before reheating. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat at about 4 on a 10-dial for 6 to 8 minutes. You can also microwave single portions for 90 seconds, stir, then heat 30 seconds more.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (of 4)
Calories: 539
Sugar: 7g
Sodium: 10795mg
Fat: 37g
Carbohydrates: 52g
Fiber: 19g
Cholesterol: 94mg