Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Print Version)

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, 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
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
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced cabbage and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the 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 the cooked pasta to the skillet with the 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, and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something golden, sweet, and impossible to stop eating.
  • You probably have most of the ingredients already sitting in your kitchen.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking, but you'll be done in half that time.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip salting the cabbage as it cooks, it draws out moisture and helps it caramelize instead of steam.
  • If the pasta looks dry when you toss it, add more pasta water bit by bit until it looks silky, not swimming.
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh and add it off the heat so it melts smoothly without clumping into greasy strings.
03 -
  • Use a wider skillet if you have one, it helps the cabbage caramelize faster and more evenly.
  • If you love garlic, double it, but slice it paper-thin so it doesn't burn before the cabbage is done.
  • Always taste before serving and don't be shy with the black pepper, it adds a gentle bite that balances the sweetness of the cabbage.
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