Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Printable)

Caramelized cabbage, garlic, and Parmesan come together in this comforting Italian-inspired pasta dish.

# 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 & 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

# How-To Steps:

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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses humble ingredients you probably already have and transforms them into something that feels special enough for company.
  • The cabbage gets sweet and tender as it cooks down, creating a sauce that clings to every strand of pasta without any cream.
  • You can have this on the table in 35 minutes, which means less time cooking and more time eating with people you love.
02 -
  • Do not rush the cabbage, it needs those 12 to 15 minutes to soften and caramelize or it will stay crunchy and taste raw.
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, because once it is gone you cannot get that starchy magic back and plain water will not do the same job.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat so it melts into a creamy coating instead of clumping into grainy bits.
03 -
  • Use the widest skillet you have so the cabbage has room to brown instead of steam, which is the difference between bland and beautiful.
  • Taste your Parmesan before you add all the salt, because some cheeses are much saltier than others and you can always add more but you cannot take it back.
  • If you love garlic, double it, this dish is forgiving and more garlic just means more flavor.
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