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Overhead view of orecchiette tossed with golden fried cabbage and onions in a cast-iron skillet, topped with shaved parmesan

Fried Cabbage and Onions with Pasta: Silky and Simple

Cabbage and onions cooked low and slow until golden, then tossed with short pasta, butter, and parmesan for a cheap, fast skillet dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course (Pasta)
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 742
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 340 g orecchiette or other short pasta / 12 oz; dry
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter / 28 g
  • 1 yellow onion large (about 300 g); thinly sliced
  • 1 green cabbage small head (about 600 g / 1.3 lb); cored and thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste; freshly cracked
  • 40 g parmesan / 1/2 cup grated; plus more for serving
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water / 240 ml

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.
  2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch / 30 cm skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
  3. Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
  4. Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt. Spread it in an even layer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring only every 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden and soft. If it looks watery instead of browning, the skillet is too crowded or you're stirring too often, let it sit still longer.
  5. While the cabbage cooks, drop the orecchiette or other short pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to the package time.
  6. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the cabbage in the last minute of cooking, stirring until fragrant.
  7. Reserve 1 cup / 240 ml of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  8. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more water as needed until everything is glossy and coated.
  9. Stir in the parmesan and a generous crack of black pepper. Taste and adjust salt.
  10. Divide among bowls and top with extra parmesan before serving.

Notes

  • Don't rush the cabbage, 20 to 25 minutes of mostly undisturbed cooking is what gets it golden.
  • Reserve pasta water before draining, you'll almost always need it to loosen the skillet.
  • Slice cabbage and onion to a similar thickness so both cook evenly.
  • Taste before adding extra salt, parmesan brings its own saltiness to the dish.