Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Printable View)

Caramelized cabbage tossed with pasta, garlic, and Parmesan for a comforting Italian-inspired weeknight meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Vegetables

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

→ Aromatics and Flavor

06 - 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
07 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
08 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - ¾ 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
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How To Make It:

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 ½ 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 create a light sauce.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as desired.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon zest, topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something silky and golden that clings to every strand of pasta like it belongs there.
  • The whole dish comes together in one skillet after the pasta cooks, so cleanup is blessedly simple.
  • You probably have most of the ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
  • It tastes like comfort food but feels light enough that you won't regret a second helping.
02 -
  • Don't rush the cabbage, if you crank the heat too high it will char before it softens and you'll lose that sweet caramelized flavor.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, it's your secret weapon for bringing the whole dish together.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat so it melts smoothly instead of seizing into grainy clumps.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline or the slicing blade on a food processor to shred the cabbage quickly and evenly.
  • If the pasta seems dry when you toss it, add more pasta water a little at a time until it looks glossy and coats the noodles.
  • Grate the Parmesan right before serving so it melts into the hot pasta instead of sitting on top like dust.
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