Hearty noodles serve as the perfect backdrop for slightly sweet cabbage and savory bacon in this simple Cabbage Pasta.
Spaghetti with Cabbage and Bacon
After making and tasting this Cabbage with Noodles dish last year, I was hooked. The combination of pasta and cabbage is a refreshing one with terrific textures in each bite. Adding meat for a savory and sweet flavor balance elevates it further.
I’ve been playing with the recipe off and on since then, and this spaghetti with cabbage and pasta is SO good, I ate it three days in a row. And then, I made it again.
You can even add a pound of regular, hot, or Italian sausage to this dish to make it even heartier. I enjoy it most with just a bit of bacon, while my boys are big fans of the additional meat.
If you decide to add the sausage to the recipe, just cook and crumble the sausage before cooking the bacon. You can use the same pan, too. Just drain the grease before you start cooking the bacon.
Cabbage Pasta
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- spaghetti
- bacon
- green cabbage
- yellow onion
- pasta water and bacon grease
- salt and pepper
- red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese
- fresh Italian parsley
Cabbage Spaghetti
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Then, cook the pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Then, drain and rinse in cold water until cool.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet with deep sides or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove the bacon from the stove and crumble it. Leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the pot, return it to the stove. We’re going to cook the vegetables with the bacon grease instead of olive oil.
Add the onion and cabbage to the bacon grease and stir to coat. Then, pour about ¼ cup of pasta water and cover with a lid. Cook covered for 5 minutes.
Uncover and continue cooking over medium-high heat, while stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften and the liquid is absorbed. Season generously with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Cabbage and Bacon
When the cabbage has softened, return the pasta and the bacon to the cabbage mixture and toss well. Add a generous splash or two of the reserved pasta water, if the pasta looks dry.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley, then toss a final time. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, as desired. Serve warm.
Looking for more recipes like this one? Cabbage and Noodles flavored with little more than butter and a bit of pepper is going to impress you in its simplicity. This an old-fashioned dish that has become a regular comfort food in our household.
Tender cabbage with crispy bacon in a very light sauce is rich and hearty without becoming heavy. Creamed Cabbage with Bacon is a fabulous partner to a variety of main dishes and will warm you up on a cold day.
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Butter Braised Cabbage seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper is one of the simplest yet tastiest side dishes you can make.
Fried Cabbage with crispy bacon and slightly wilted cabbage is a classic not to sleep on. Let’s face it bacon is every vegetable’s best friend.
Buttery, tender yet crisp Cabbage and Kielbasa sausage for a skillet meal you will have on the table in mere minutes.
Cabbage Spaghetti and Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thin spaghetti noodles
- 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped or crumbled, about ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease
- 1 small head green cabbage sliced into thin strips, about 10-12 cups
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese OPTIONAL
- 2 tablespoons freshly Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until tender but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain well and rinse in cold water until cool to stop the cooking process.
- Cook the bacon in a large deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove the bacon from the stove and crumble it. Leaving about 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot, return it to the stove.
- Add the onion and cabbage to the bacon grease and stir to coat. Add about ¼ cup of pasta water and cover with a lid. Cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking over medium-high heat, while stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften and the liquid is absorbed. Season generously with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- When the cabbage has softened, return the pasta and the bacon to the pot and toss well. Add a generous splash or two of the reserved pasta water, if the pasta looks dry. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Toss again. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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