Cabbage is a shape-shifter among vegetables. Unlike kale, with its recognizable ruffle, or collards, which are always their leafy green selves, cabbage can transform in a cook’s hands. Slice it into crunchy slaw. Ferment it into bracing sauerkraut or kimchi. Broil it until charred and sweet. Simmer it into silky submission. Cabbage will be whatever you want it to be.
And this time of year, I want it to be the foundation of a warming, weeknight-friendly one-pot pasta.
A note about one-pot pasta: It’s not necessarily easier than making pasta the usual way. Yes, you’ll have one fewer pot to wash, but plenty of classic recipes require only a pot and a skillet anyway. The real reason to love a one-pot pasta is its depth of flavor. When pasta cooks surrounded by aromatics and vegetables in broth instead of water, it absorbs every nuance, gaining character that you simply can’t replicate by tossing cooked pasta with a sauce. One-pot pastas are a way to bank flavor, to accumulate the richness of ingredients until, like Scrooge McDuck, you’re basically swimming in a wealth of deliciousness.
The key is choosing the right ingredients, ones that will release liquid and flavor as they simmer. Juicy vegetables are ideal to infuse the sauce. Add enough of them and your one-pot pasta becomes a one-pot meal.
In this recipe, I sauté the cabbage first along with some leeks, coaxing out sweetness through gentle caramelization. This soft tangle becomes the base of the dish. Vegetable or chicken broth instead of water deepens everything further, while salty, nutty Gruyère and tangy sour cream round out the sauce. A sprinkle of smoked paprika adds heat and complexity, and fresh dill (or whatever herbs you have), a pop of color and freshness.
You can use any short pasta here — rigatoni, penne, shells — just keep a close eye on it as it cooks. You want the pasta to be just tender, absorbing the flavorful liquid without turning mushy. If the pot threatens to dry out before everything is done, add a splash more broth or water. If there’s too much liquid at the end, let it simmer uncovered for a minute or two to evaporate.
The result is a comforting weeknight dish you’ll want to make again and again, especially as the weather stays cold. Cabbage will be there for you; cabbage, being cabbage, will always oblige.
One-Pot Cheesy Orecchiette with Cabbage and Paprika
A sweet, soft mix of cabbage and leeks forms the base of this homey one-pot dish. Using vegetable broth instead of water as the liquid in the pot deepens the flavor, which is rounded out with salty, nutty Gruyère cheese and sour cream, and finished with smoked paprika and dill (or another fresh herb). You can use any short pasta here, just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook; it should be just tender without being mushy.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (or use 4 scallions)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
Pinch of red chile flakes, more for serving
1/2 small green cabbage (about 1 pound), sliced (5 cups)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar, more to taste
1 pound small pasta, such as orecchiette, shells or fusilli
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup shredded Gruyère (about 3 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche or mascarpone
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley, more for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add leek and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook until tender and very lightly golden at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Add the cabbage and season with more salt and pepper. Cook until soft and collapsed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and add more salt, pepper and vinegar until it’s nicely seasoned.
2. Add pasta, broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover the pan and cook, stirring and tossing the pasta once or twice, until it is cooked through but still al dente, 12 to 15 minutes. If the skillet dries out before the pasta is cooked through, add a little water. And if there’s a bit of water left in the pan at the end, fear not, the pasta will absorb it in the next step. Just make sure to take the pan off the heat before the pasta gets too soft.
3. Remove pan from heat and stir in Gruyère, crème fraîche and smoked paprika, and toss well. Stir in the dill. Season to taste with more salt (if you used salt-free broth, you might need to add more than you’d think) and cider vinegar if needed. Serve topped with more paprika, olive oil and dill if you like.
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