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A serving of creamy caramelized cabbage pasta in a bowl.

Creamy Caramelized Cabbage Pasta

This creamy caramelized cabbage pasta recipe features tender, sweet cabbage and onions simmered in a rich cream sauce, tossed with al dente pasta and Parmesan cheese. It's a surprisingly delicious and comforting meal perfect for a weeknight.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb short pasta (such as orecchiette, fusilli, or penne) (450g)
Cabbage
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 (about 2 lbs), cored and thinly sliced medium head green cabbage
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth for alcohol-free)
Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Red pepper flakes (optional, for a hint of heat)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Equipment

  • large, deep skillet
  • Dutch oven
  • large pot

Method
 

Caramelize Cabbage
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add sliced cabbage and onion.
  2. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until the cabbage is deeply golden brown and tender, ensuring proper caramelization for flavor.
Add Aromatics
  1. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Deglaze
  1. Pour in white wine or broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and simmer for 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates.
Cook Pasta
  1. While cabbage caramelizes, boil salted water in a large pot, then cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
  2. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
Build Sauce
  1. Reduce heat under the cabbage to low, then stir in heavy cream and half of the Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Gently warm the sauce for a few minutes.
Combine & Serve
  1. Add drained pasta to the creamy cabbage sauce in the skillet and toss to coat.
  2. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached, then divide among bowls and garnish with more Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

Caramelizing the cabbage properly is key to developing the deep, sweet flavor in this dish.