Creamy Caramelized Cabbage & Bacon Pasta

Cabbage is definitely one of those veggies that seem to last forever in the fridge, which is why I love keeping it on hand. Not only is it a long lasting vegetable, but it’s super versatile too. Whether you’re shredding it and adding it to stir fry’s, chopping it in wedges and roasting it, or having it in soup, there are so many uses for cabbage. And if you haven’t yet tried adding it to your pasta, I hope this recipe convinces you. For this recipe, we’re shredding the cabbage thinly on a mandolin and combining it with onion. Then we’re caramelizing it low and slow, tossing it with pasta in a creamy sauce with bacon, toasted walnuts and lemon to brighten everything up. So if that sounds good to you, you’ve gotta try this recipe.

Ingredients

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this cabbage and bacon pasta.

• cabbage
• yellow onion
• butter
• parmesan
• heavy cream
• rigatoni
• walnuts
• bacon
• garlic
• lemon
• parsley

How to Make Caramelized Cabbage and Bacon Pasta

Heat a large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add the cabbage and onion and stir to combine, reduce the heat to low and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent any sticking. Add the garlic and cook for an additional two minutes, until fragrant.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
Pour the cream into the skillet or dutch oven with the onion and cabbage, increasing the heat to medium-low. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Working in batches, add handfuls of parmesan to the cream, whisking to incorporate until all is added.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the pasta, pasta water (start with half and add more as needed) and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together until the pasta is nicely coated. Stir in the bacon.

Divide the pasta into bowls or plates and top with the walnuts and parsley. Add a pinch of chili flakes and flaky salt (if needed). Enjoy!

Tips

• Don’t rush: the cabbage and onion take on lots of flavour when you take the time to cook them down slowly. This is the base of the recipe, so it’s important to not rush the process. You can cook the cabbage and onion in advance and then continue with the rest of the recipe if you need to make it quickly.
• Cook the pasta al dente: I suggest cooking the pasta al dente as it will continue to cook as you toss it with everything over low heat.
• Keep extra pasta water: like any pasta that sits, it will soak up more of the sauce, so keep extra pasta water in a jar to add to the pasta if you’ll have leftovers. When you reheat it, add a splash more water.

Substitutions

• No bacon: you can omit the bacon if you don’t want any pork. Or, use crispy prosciutto instead.
• Walnuts: use toasted cashews, almonds, pecans or pine nuts. For a nut-free option, use pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend

Kosher salt: I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Flaky Salt: I always, always have Maldon flaky salt on hand and add it to almost all of my dishes as a finishing salt. I can’t recommend this enough.

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