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Cabbage alfredo

Cabbage Noodles Alfredo

Sauteed cabbage noodles with a creamy cheese sauce make a perfect pasta alternative with deep, savory flavor and texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 492
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium head cabbage (sliced)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
  • pinch nutmeg

Equipment

  • Large skillet, 12-inch minimum
  • Sharp chef's knife
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Prep the cabbage
    Remove the outer leaves and cut the cabbage into long, thick ribbons at least a quarter-inch wide. Thicker ribbons hold their structure through the cooking process and provide the textural contrast against the rich cream sauce that makes this dish satisfying.
  2. Cook the cabbage
    Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage ribbons and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every two minutes, until the cabbage softens and develops some light golden color at the edges. Transfer the cooked cabbage to a plate and drain it briefly on a paper towel to remove any released moisture. Wet cabbage returned to the sauce thins the cream and produces a watery finish.
  3. Sauté the garlic
    Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for exactly 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Garlic left unattended in hot butter burns in under a minute and turns the entire sauce bitter with no recovery option.
  4. Simmer the cream
    Pour the heavy cream into the garlic butter and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, letting the cream bubble steadily so water evaporates and the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Melt the cheese
    Reduce the heat to low. Whisk the freshly grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg into the cream in small handfuls, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. Remove the pan from the heat entirely if the sauce bubbles aggressively at this stage. High heat causes the dairy proteins in parmesan to seize and the fat to separate into a greasy, broken sauce.
  6. Combine and serve
    Add the drained, cooked cabbage back to the pan. Toss with two spatulas until every ribbon coats in the garlic cream sauce and the cabbage heats through completely. Serve immediately before the sauce tightens on the plate.

Recipe Notes

  • Cabbage: I use standard green cabbage, sliced thick. Savoy cabbage also works.
  • Butter: I use unsalted butter. Salted butter works with reduced added salt.
  • Cream: I use full-fat heavy cream in this recipe. Half-and-half produces a thinner sauce.
  • Parmesan: I always grate from a block. Never use pre-shredded bagged parmesan.
  • Protein: Brown sliced sausage or seasoned chicken in the skillet before the cabbage step for a complete meal.