This buttery cabbage pasta turns a single head of cabbage into a cozy weeknight dinner. The cabbage cooks slowly in butter until golden and sweet, then gets tossed with pasta and finished with plenty of Parmesan.

A skillet of bowtie pasta with caramelized cabbage sits on a striped towel. A wooden-handled fork rests in the pasta. Pepper mills, a jug, and a dish of red pepper flakes are nearby.

Cabbage might be one of the most overlooked veggies in the produce section. I’m here to ask you to give cabbage a chance! Cook it slowly in butter for twenty minutes and it turns into something completely different. It gets soft and golden and sweet and it’s just delightful mixed in with your favorite noodle and lots of fresh parm.

I’m never not looking for quick and easy dinner options. As it turns out, every season is a busy season. So I will continue to identify as a busy home cook for the rest of my life, therefore making simple meals forever.

I always have a stocked pantry with plenty of pasta options for nights when I need something quick, easy and of course delicious. So when I opened my fridge and saw a sad head of cabbage, this recipe was born. Add it to the long list of other easy pasta recipes I have.

Close-up of bow tie pasta mixed with caramelized cabbage, sprinkled with grated cheese and herbs. A large serving spoon rests in the pasta, ready to serve.

What does cabbage pasta taste like?

If you’ve only had cabbage raw in slaw or boiled in soup, this will change your mind. When it cooks down in butter, the edges start to caramelize and the whole thing gets mellow and a little nutty. Toss it with pasta and a splash of starchy pasta water and it becomes silky, almost like a sauce. The red pepper flakes add a little kick, and the Parmesan brings the salty finish. It’s truly perfection.

What you’ll need

Bowls of uncooked egg noodles, shredded cabbage, grated cheese, oil, butter, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes are arranged on a light surface, ready for preparation.
  • Green cabbage – One small head, thinly sliced. It will look like way too much but it isn’t. It cooks way down.
  • Butter and olive oil – Use both. Butter for flavor, olive oil to keep the butter from browning too fast.
  • Salt – Kinda the VIP. Salt helps pull moisture out of the cabbage so it softens.
  • Black pepper and red pepper flakes – Just a pinch of each.
  • Short pasta – Bow ties or orecchiette are my favorites here because they catch all the little bits of cabbage.
  • Parmesan – Freshly grated, and more than you think.

Let’s Make It

A large metal pot filled with cooked farfalle pasta, also known as bow-tie pasta, sits on a light-colored surface.
Cook the pasta in a large pot.
A stainless steel pan filled with sautéed, browned shredded cabbage sits on a light-colored countertop.
Meanwhile, cook the cabbage in a separate skillet.
A skillet filled with bowtie pasta mixed with caramelized cabbage, topped with grated cheese and herbs, sits on a striped cloth, with a wooden spoon, salt and pepper shakers, and a small dish of red pepper flakes nearby.
Combine and finish with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Don’t rush the cabbage

This is the one step that makes or breaks the recipe. At first the pan will be crowded and the cabbage will mostly steam. That’s normal. As the moisture cooks off, the cabbage has more contact with the pan and starts turning golden. Stir it occasionally, not constantly, so it has a chance to brown. Twenty minutes feels long, but that’s where all the flavor comes from.

Keep some pasta water!

Before you drain the pasta, scoop out about a cup of the cooking water. It’s full of starch, which helps the butter and cheese cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. Add a splash at a time while you toss until everything looks glossy and comes together.

Storing leftovers

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen things back up, then add fresh Parmesan on top.

A bowl of bow tie pasta mixed with roasted cauliflower, topped with grated cheese and herbs, with two gold utensils. Pepper mills, a sauce dish, and a napkin are nearby.
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A skillet of bowtie pasta with caramelized cabbage sits on a striped towel. A wooden-handled fork rests in the pasta. Pepper mills, a jug, and a dish of red pepper flakes are nearby.

Buttery Cabbage Pasta with Parmesan

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  • Author: Laney Schwartz
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Sautéing
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This buttery cabbage pasta turns a single head of cabbage into a cozy weeknight dinner. The cabbage cooks slowly in butter until golden and sweet, then gets tossed with pasta and finished with plenty of Parmesan.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 12 ounces short pasta such as bow ties or orecchiette
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
  2. While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  3. Add the sliced cabbage, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the cabbage cooks way down and becomes soft, golden, and slightly sweet. Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  4. Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet with the cabbage. Toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help everything come together.
  5. Serve warm with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

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