creamy-caramelized-cabbage-pasta

Winter Best Food

Creamy Caramelized Cabbage Pasta

In this comforting vegetarian dinner, cabbage is sautéed in butter until it caramelizes, imparting a subtle sweetness to the dish. A light, creamy sauce coats both the cabbage and the pasta. If you want to stretch the sauce a little further, you can thin it out by adding in a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water; drain the spaghetti and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, garlic and salt; cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is tender and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, thyme and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar; cook, stirring often, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in the spaghetti, the reserved 1/2 cup cooking water, 1/4 cup Parmesan and cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the spaghetti, about 1 minute.
  5. Divide among 4 bowls. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.