Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Printable)

Caramelized cabbage with spaghetti, garlic, and Parmesan. Simple Italian comfort food ready 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, cored and thinly sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Aromatics and Flavor

06 - 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
08 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 3/4 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

# 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 1/2 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, and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something sweet and deeply savory, almost like it has been hiding this flavor all along.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and whatever pasta shape you have on hand.
  • The garlic gets just toasty enough to perfume the whole dish without overpowering anything.
  • It feels fancy enough for company but easy enough to make on a Tuesday.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the secret to making everything come together without the dish feeling dry or clumpy.
  • Let the cabbage sit undisturbed in the pan for a few minutes at a time so it actually caramelizes instead of just steaming.
  • Add the garlic after the cabbage has cooked down, or it will burn and turn bitter before the cabbage is ready.
03 -
  • Use the largest skillet you have so the cabbage has room to spread out and caramelize instead of crowding and steaming.
  • Grate the Parmesan right before serving, and save the rind to toss into soups or sauces later for extra flavor.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it is well salted, it will season the whole dish as you toss everything together.
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