Kaszanka (aka ‘Polish Kishka’) Baked with Onions & Apples

Kaszanka (also known internationally as ‘Polish kishka’) is a Polish-style Blood Sausage – an acquired taste for some, but a true delicacy for many.  

In this recipe, Kaszanka is baked in the oven. It gets accompanied by bitey red onion and brightened with juicy apples. A bit of horseradish and cinnamon gives it that extra oomph.

For the full list of ingredients & detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. But before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know below.

Kaszanka is made of pork offal, pork blood and buckwheat; and flavoured with herbs and spices. The casing is made of a pig’s intestine. There are many ways to enjoy this sausage – it gets fried, grilled, baked; sometimes it ends up in various fillings.

Do you need any special ingredients to make this Baked Kishka / Kaszanka?

Yes. First off, you’ll need a few links of decent Polish-style Blood Sausage. 

🇵🇱 In Poland, look for sausages named ‘Kaszanka’. You’ll find them in meat & charcuterie stores; but also in most grocery shops; big and small. Of course, the quality (and therefore – prices) varies greatly.

It’s worth spending a bit more for a better product. My favourite Kaszanka comes from a Polish cold-cuts manufacturer Nowicki Naturalnie (that’s not an ad).

🌍 Internationally, ‘Kaszanka’ is known as ‘Polish Kishka’, ‘Buckwheat Kishka’ or ‘Polish Blood Sausage’. You’re most likely to find it at Polish or Eastern European Delis.

Alternatively, try using German blood sausage instead (it’s called ‘Grützwurst’). Remember to read the labels carefully and avoid products containing additives and preservatives.

Apples can be swapped for pears, apricots or peaches. 

If you can’t find horseradish relish or the ground fennel, feel free to skip them.

How to make this Baked Kaszanka?

Step 1

Peel two red onions. Cut them in half, root to tip. Place the halves cut side down and slice them into half-moons.

Step 2

Wash two apples, but don’t peel them. Cut them roughly into eighths, removing the seeds.

Step 3

Grab a frying pan and melt a tablespoon of butter. Drop in chopped onions and apples. Spice them with cumin powder, ground cinnamon and ground fennel. Fry together for 3-4 minutes and take off the heat.

Step 4

Line an oven-proof dish with aluminum foil. Create a single pocket for all three sausages (like on the photo), or make three individual ‘nests’ out of foil, one for each sausage.

Cover the bottom of the foil with grated horseradish.

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Step 5

Move some of the apple-onion mix into the dish. Add in Polish kishka, sliced up into thick rounds. Cover with the rest of the apple-onion mix and cover with more foil.

Bake for 20 minutes in 390°F (200°C). Serve hot.

What could you serve with this Kishka dish?

In this recipe, we’re serving Kaszanka alongside Celeriac Purée – but that’s just a serving suggestion. 

Here are some other pairing options:

• a few slices of fresh bread (especially classic rye bread)
• potatoes (boiled, baked, mashed or in the form of potato salad) 
• green salad
• something sour & crunchy: dill pickles, sauerkraut

Drink-wise, I would suggest serving a cold Polish beer (a lager maybe?) or apple cider.

Can you cook this Polish Blood Sausage dish another way?

Yes. Instead of using an oven, place the foil directly on the BBQ. It takes roughly 20-25 minutes to grill.

What diet is this Baked Kishka / Kaszanka suitable for?

This dish is generally gluten-free, but please double-check the Kaszanka label. Buckwheat in itself is gluten-free, but some products may contain traces of gluten.

How long can you keep this Kaszanka dish in the fridge?

Once served, eat the dish within 3-4 hours.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just place the dish (it can stay in the foil) into a container with a lid and chill.

Can I freeze this Blood Sausage dish?

I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s better to freeze uncooked Kaszanka on its own.

How do I reheat this Baked Kishka / Kaszanka?

From chilled: Place the leftovers in a microwave-friendly container, loosely cover with a lid and heat for 4 to 6 minutes in a microwave until hot throughout. Alternatively, just pop in onto a frying pan and reheat on medium heat for a few minutes.

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Yield: 3

Baked Kishka / Kaszanka (Polish Blood Sausage with Buckwheat) with Red Onions and Apples

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This recipe for Polish Blood Sausage with Red Onions and Apples makes a quick, satisfying dinner. Goes nicely on the BBQ as well.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

For Kaszanka:

• 3 blood sausage links (Polish Kishka, Kaszanka; mine are roughly 6 in / 15 cm long; 1.5 in / 4cm in diameter)
• 2 medium red onions, or 3 small ones
• 2 apples, or 3 small ones
• 1 tbsp butter
• Pinch of cumin powder
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 2 pinches ground fennel
• 2 tbsp horseradish relish, from a jar; optional

For Celeriac Purée: (optional side dish)

• 2 medium-large celery roots, baked
• 1 apple, sweet type
• 3 tbsp white wine, semi-dry or semi-sweet
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• Pinch of salt, to season
• Fresh thyme, a few leaves for garnish

Instructions

Baking Kaszanka:

1. Peel the onions. Cut them in halves, root to tip. Place the onion halves cut side down and slice the halves into half-moons.
2. Wash the apples. Cut them into eighths, remove the seeds.
3. On a frying pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and add in all onion slices and apple pieces.
4. Add in the spices: cumin powder, ground cinnamon and ground fennel. 
5. Mix everything together with a spatula and fry for a few minutes (3-4 minutes is enough; we are not trying to cook them - just allowing for the flavours to open up). Take the pan off the heat.
6. Line an oven-proof dish (or a cake tin) with aluminum foil (shiny side up). You can create a single “space” for all blood sausages - or make 3 individual ‘nests’ out of foil, one for each kishka.
7. Spread two spoonfuls of grated horseradish relish on the bottom of the foil. Add in some of the apple-onion mix, roughly one-third.
8. Slice buckwheat kishka into thick rounds. Place the rounds into aluminum-lined cake tin. Cover with the apple-onion mix on top.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes in 390°F (200°C). Serve hot.

For Celeriac Purée: (optional side dish)

1. We’ll need baked celery roots for this recipe. I peel them and chop them into pieces before baking, to make the process quicker. Chopped celery roots need roughly 20-25 minutes in 390°F (200°C) to bake.
2. Drop the celery root into a stand blender (if you don’t have one, immersion blender works too). 
3. Peel the apple, remove the core. Cut the apple into rough pieces, drop it into the blender.
4. Add in 3 tablespoons of white wine, a tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and a generous pinch of salt.
5. Blend everything into a lump-free purée. Move into a serving bowl and garnish with a few leaves of fresh thyme. Serve alongside baked kaszanka.

Notes

• This recipe is originally by Tomasz Jakubiak (here's the original recipe in Polish), I've seen it on his tv show. I've adjusted it slightly by adding horseradish and swapping pears for apples (they're more available all-year round)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 688Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1029mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 7gSugar: 26gProtein: 19g

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Recipe Information

Filed under:

Appetisers, Mains

all-Polish (Popular Nationwide)

Comfort Food, Grilling & Picnic, Summer

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Alternative traditional/regional names:
Kiszka Pieczona, Kaszanka z Piekarnika
Also known / Misspelt internationally as:
Baked Blood Sausage, Baked Kishka

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First published on:

Recipe by / Adapted from:

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