Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Print)

Caramelized cabbage tossed with pasta, garlic, and Parmesan. Simple, hearty, and delicious in just 35 minutes.

# Ingredients:

→ 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 & 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

# Directions:

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 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced cabbage and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes, until the cabbage is caramelized, golden, and tender.
03 - Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook for 1–2 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 -
  • Cabbage becomes so sweet and tender you'll forget you're eating vegetables.
  • It's genuinely faster than takeout and tastes like you spent the whole evening cooking.
  • Everything is flexible—add wine, toss in breadcrumbs, swap the cheese, and it still feels right.
02 -
  • Caramelizing cabbage is not fast—resist the urge to crank the heat because rushing it means you'll end up with soft mush instead of tender-sweet pieces.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining or you'll be stuck without it and the whole dish loses that creamy texture that makes it feel luxurious.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan makes an actual difference here because it melts smoothly and clings to the pasta instead of sitting in clumps.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at medium while caramelizing—high heat rushes the process and prevents the cabbage from getting properly tender and sweet.
  • If your pasta water is cloudy with starch, that's perfect for creating a light sauce that clings to everything instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Taste as you go when adding salt because Parmesan is already salty and you don't want the whole dish tipping into overseasoned territory.
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