Cabbage Pasta With Garlic Parmesan (Print Version)

Caramelized cabbage meets spaghetti, garlic, and Parmesan for an easy Italian-inspired weeknight dinner.

# 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, 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 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 ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until cabbage is caramelized, golden, and tender.
03 - Add garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Add cooked pasta to skillet with cabbage. Toss together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as desired.
06 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest if using, and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It turns humble cabbage into something golden and surprisingly luxurious without any fancy ingredients.
  • The whole thing comes together in one skillet after the pasta boils, which means almost no cleanup.
  • It tastes like comfort food but feels light enough that you dont need a nap afterward.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have mingled.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and had to add plain water which made everything taste flat instead of silky.
  • The cabbage needs space to caramelize, so if your skillet is crowded, cook it in two batches or it will steam instead of brown.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or over very low heat, otherwise it can seize up into clumps instead of melting smoothly.
03 -
  • Use the biggest skillet you own so the cabbage has room to brown instead of steam, this makes or breaks the dish.
  • Grate the Parmesan yourself right before you add it, the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly.
  • If you have any leftovers, reheat them gently in a skillet with a splash of water or broth to bring back the creamy texture.
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