Caramelized Cabbage Carbonara Pasta (Print Version)

Caramelized cabbage and creamy sauce elevate this vegetarian pasta to satisfying Italian-inspired comfort.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely sliced (optional)
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pasta

06 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine

→ Carbonara Sauce

07 - 4 large egg yolks
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

→ Seasonings

12 - Salt, to taste
13 - Extra black pepper, to serve

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt unsalted butter with olive oil. Add sliced cabbage and onion (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until cabbage is deeply golden and caramelized. Stir in minced garlic and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, whole egg, grated cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and smoked paprika (if using).
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with caramelized cabbage. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta and cabbage, tossing vigorously with tongs or a pasta fork. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed, until a creamy sauce forms and clings to the noodles.
06 - Season with salt and additional black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese and black pepper as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramelized cabbage gives this pasta a sweet, golden depth that’s genuinely satisfying — and no one will miss the meat.
  • The creamy egg and cheese sauce hugs each noodle, making every forkful both rich and fresh.
02 -
  • Pouring the egg mixture onto pan-too-hot pasta led to an accidental scramble my first round — let things cool a bit or keep the skillet off the flame.
  • Using freshly grated cheese (not the powdered stuff) makes the sauce silky instead of clumpy.
03 -
  • Add just enough reserved pasta water to stretch the sauce — it’s better to start slow than to end up with soup.
  • If your eggs and cheese ever clump, a few seconds of tossing over barely-there heat usually saves the day.
Return