Candied Kielbasa Bites
Kielbasa is such a great sausage! Smoky and garlicky, it’s rich and flavorful without ever being too much, and best of all, it works in so many things, from stews to casseroles to appetizers. Here, these Candied Kielbasa Bites pair that great sausage with three simple ingredients to highlight their flavor and add some lovely sweet caramelization to the mix. They’re a great party appetizer but they’re delicious over rice or noodles too!
How Do You Make Candied Kielbasa Bites?
This is largely about the preparation, which involves cutting the sausage hasselback-style. That’s where you slice into something (a potato, a zucchini, this sausage…) but leave the bottom attached, so you’re creating a kind of accordion. The easiest way to do this, especially with something like sausage, is to place a chopstick on either end to stop your knife from cutting all the way through.
Cut the kielbasa into 1-inch sections and cut each section into 3-4 hasselback slices, then simply mix it with the other ingredients and get it in the oven. It will take about an hour to get the edges nice and crispy and to get the sauce fully caramelized, but if you’re not looking for a lot of color here you can get away with a shorter baking time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey kielbasa, sliced into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup sugar-free maple syrup
- 2 tbsp sugar-free ketchup
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Optional: pinch of smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Add sliced turkey kielbasa to a bowl.
- Mix maple syrup, ketchup, horseradish, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic powder and pepper.
- Toss the kielbasa with the sauce.
- Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until browned and caramelized.
- Serve warm.
