Chipotle Kielbasa Tacos
My Polish dad saw me put kielbasa in a taco and looked at me like I'd committed a crime. Then he ate three.
Ingredients
For the Kielbasa
- 1 pound Polish kielbasa, sliced into half-moons
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the Chipotle Slaw
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt
Quick Pickled Onions
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
For Assembly
- Corn tortillas
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Salsa verde
Method
Quick Pickle the Onions
- Thinly slice the red onion. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a jar or bowl. Add the onions. Let sit at least 15 minutes (longer is better — an hour turns them bright pink and deeply tangy). These pickled onions add acidity and crunch that cuts through the rich kielbasa. The technique is identical to mizeria pickling and Korean quick pickles — Polish skills, universal application.
Make the Chipotle Slaw
- Mix shredded cabbage with mayo, chipotle in adobo, lime juice, and salt. The slaw should be creamy, smoky, tangy, and slightly spicy. Cabbage in tacos serves the same purpose as sauerkraut alongside kielbasa in Polish cooking — acidity and crunch to balance rich, fatty meat. Different dressing, same function.
Cook the Kielbasa
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa slices and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the edges are caramelised and crispy. The natural sugars in kielbasa caramelise beautifully in a hot pan, creating crispy edges that shatter when you bite into them. Don't crowd the pan — each slice needs contact with the hot surface.
Assemble
- Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame. Layer: chipotle slaw on the bottom, charred kielbasa, pickled onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of salsa verde. Squeeze lime over everything. Eat immediately.