Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Print Version)

Caramelized cabbage with pasta, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Simple Italian comfort food ready in 35 minutes.

# 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 & 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

→ Finish

10 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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 of pasta cooking 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 golden, caramelized, 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 together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the 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 parsley and lemon zest, and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something deeply sweet and luxurious without any fancy technique.
  • You can make it entirely from pantry staples and one head of cabbage, no special shopping required.
  • The pasta water and Parmesan melt together into a silky coat that clings to every strand.
  • It tastes like youve been cooking all day, but it only takes about half an hour start to finish.
02 -
  • If you dont let the cabbage sit undisturbed for a few minutes at a time, it will steam instead of caramelize, and youll miss that deep sweetness.
  • Adding the garlic too early will make it taste bitter and sharp, wait until the cabbage is almost done before tossing it in.
  • The pasta water is not optional, its what turns a pile of ingredients into an actual cohesive sauce that coats every strand.
03 -
  • Use a wider skillet than you think you need, it gives the cabbage more surface area to brown instead of crowding and steaming.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh right before serving, the difference in texture and flavor is worth the extra minute.
  • Dont rinse the pasta after draining, the starch clinging to it is what helps the sauce come together.
  • If the pasta seems dry after tossing, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it looks glossy and cohesive.
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