Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Printable Version)

Caramelized cabbage with spaghetti, garlic, and Parmesan. Simple, hearty Italian comfort in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium head green cabbage, about 1.5 lbs, cored and thinly sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Aromatics and Flavor

06 - 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
07 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
08 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 0.75 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

→ Finish

10 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
12 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced cabbage and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes until cabbage is caramelized, golden, and tender.
03 - Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet with cabbage. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper as desired.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and lemon zest if using, and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns a half-forgotten head of cabbage into something you'll crave on cold nights.
  • The cabbage caramelizes into buttery, golden ribbons that cling to every strand of pasta.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking, but you'll be eating in thirty-five minutes.
02 -
  • Don't rush the cabbage, low and slow caramelization is what makes this dish sing instead of taste like boiled vegetables.
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, that starchy liquid is what binds the sauce and makes everything creamy without cream.
  • If the garlic burns even a little, it will taste acrid and overpower the sweetness of the cabbage, so watch it closely.
03 -
  • Use the widest skillet you have so the cabbage has room to caramelize instead of steaming in its own moisture.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh right before tossing it in, the difference in creaminess and flavor is worth the extra two minutes.
  • If the pasta seems dry after mixing, don't add oil, add more pasta water and stir vigorously to create a silky emulsion.
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