This easy cabbage pasta uses simple affordable ingredients of fresh cabbage, leeks and herbs along with pantry staples. It's a tasty plant-based weeknight dinner idea that's all made on the stovetop in just 35 minutes or less!
If you're like me and love cabbages (green or hispi cabbage, I'm a fan of them all!), but aren't sure how to make them the star of the show (well, dinner), then perhaps this hispi cabbage pasta needs to be added to your meal rotation!
The cabbage is tender and slightly sweet, the leeks give that onion vibe, and fresh herbs add their fragrant flavor. It's a simple dish with affordable ingredients and you can pair with something like my air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs if you want a protein too!
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Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Cabbage - I like to use sweetheart cabbage (also known as hispi cabbage) for this recipe as it has a nice slightly sweet flavor. It's the pointed light green cabbage rather than a round one. You can also use green cabbage!
- Leeks - to give that onion-y flavor. Dice finely and use the white and light green parts, not the tough darker green leaves.
- Herbs - I definitely recommend to use fresh herbs. They give so much fragrant flavor and really make this hispi cabbage recipe extra tasty!
- Pistachios - to give a little crunch. You could swap out for another low histamine nut or seed if you prefer others.
How to Prep the Cabbage?
Just like in my cabbage without bacon recipe, the hispi or green cabbage we use in this recipe needs a little prep first. Don't worry it's not difficult to do!
It's easiest to first remove any outer damaged leaves, cut the cabbage into quarters, so you have wedges, then cut out the tough core. Then shred the cabbage fairly finely. Have a look at the tutorial by Love and Lemons on cutting cabbage for a step by step guide.
How to Make Cabbage Pasta
Making this pasta with cabbage and leek is really easy, you just need a skillet or Dutch oven for the cabbage and a pot to cook up your pasta. No need to turn the oven on!
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Cook leeks
Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and tip in the diced leeks. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened (image 1).
Step 2: Add the cabbage
Tip in the shredded cabbage, whether a green cabbage or hispi / sweetheart cabbage, plus the garlic, dried thyme and salt. Cook on a low to medium heat, stirring often to prevent any burning, for 12-15 minutes (image 2).
Step 3: Cook your pasta
While the cabbage is cooking, cook the pasta to package instructions in salted water. Make sure to reserve a cupful of the pasta water! (image 3).
Step 4: Make your pasta with cabbage!
Tip the cooked pasta into the skillet with the cooked cabbage, and sprinkle in the fresh herbs. Add a tablespoon or so of the reserved pasta water, stir well, and sprinkle in the fresh herbs (image 4). Season to taste, and sprinkle on the crushed pistachios to serve.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Cook the cabbage to preference. You want to cook the cabbage until you have some browning, and so the cabbage is soft but not mushy, and to the amount of 'bite' that you like best.
- Don't have the heat too high. On a recipe test, I had the heat too high and got a little bit of the cabbage got burnt. Keep it on a low to medium heat, so the cabbage is going towards carmelization and browning, not burning!
- Use an alternative pasta. If regular pasta doesn't work for you, there is also spelt pasta and alternatives to try such as brown rice or quinoa pasta. I've heard good things about the Rummo gluten free pasta lately too!
- Add grated Parmesan. This likely isn't suitable for low histamine readers, but if you're not, then a grate of Parmesan cheese would add extra flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hispi cabbage, also known as sweetheart cabbage, is a pointed cabbage and has a sweeter flavor than green cabbage.
You can use any smaller pasta shape such as farfalle, penne or fusilli to make the pasta. Feel free to use spaghetti too!
I suggest to make this fresh, as pasta can go rather gummy and change texture after being frozen.
More Meat Free Pasta Ideas
Find tons of pasta recipes here, including my popular carrot pasta sauce and roasted red pepper pasta, and these tasty ideas:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you, so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Simple Cabbage Pasta
Equipment
- Dutch oven or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small cabbage sweetheart (hispi) or green cabbage, core removed, shredded
- 1 leek white and pale green parts, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley diced
- 8 oz pasta I suggest a small pasta such as farfalle or fusilli
- pinch black pepper optional
- ¼ cup pistachios crushed, optional
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil in your skillet or Dutch oven and add the diced leek. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the shredded cabbage, garlic, dried thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook on a low to medium heat for 12-15 minutes, or until the cabbage is softened, caramelized and tender. Be careful not to have the heat too high as the cabbage could burn.
- Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve half a cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and add to the skillet with the cabbage. Spoon in 2-3 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water, stirring well, and adding more as needed. Sprinkle over the dill and parsley and stir through the pasta.
- Spoon the pasta with cabbage into your serving bowls. Add fresh black pepper, to preference and sprinkle with crushed pistachios for some crunch.
Notes
- I tend to use a hispi cabbage (also known as sweetheart cabbage) to make this recipe, both because I like the lightly sweet taste but also as they are easy to find where I am. Green cabbage can also be used.
- You want the leeks and cabbage to have some light browning, but be careful not to let them burn (watch the heat, so it doesn't get too high).
- Adjust the recipe with more fresh dill to taste preference.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- green cabbage scores 0, while hispi / sweetheart cabbage isn't mentioned. Use hispi only if you know you tolerate well.
- garlic, leek and dill, which score 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
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