Cabbage Sausage Pasta
Bite-size pasta, spicy sausage, and tender-crisp cabbage add up to a winning dinner that you can pull together in less than 30 minutes.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bite-size pasta
- 2-3 cups reserved pasta cooking water *
- 1 pound sausage mild or hot
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
- 1 small (or ½ large) head of green cabbage chopped small, about 6 cups
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese grated, about ½ cup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced, about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta, reserving about 2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid.
- While the pasta is boiling, warm a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally to break up into bite-size pieces. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate; leaving the drippings in the skillet.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the drippings. Add the onion and cook, scraping up browned bits in the skillet, until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, garlic, red pepper, and salt. Toss to coat in the drippings and add about a ¼ cup of pasta water to the skillet. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping the pan as needed.
- When the cabbage is tender, add the cooked pasta and sausage to the skillet, along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens to lightly coat the pasta, about 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cheese, and lemon juice; cook, stirring constantly, until saucy, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a splash or two more of the reserved cooking liquid, as needed, to achieve the desired sauce consistency. Taste the pasta and add more salt, only if needed.
- Sprinkle with basil and toss to combine right before serving. Serve with additional red pepper and Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
* Don't panic if you forget to reserve the pasta cooking water, you can also use chicken broth for this, if needed. Pasta water is my preference though, as the starches in the water will help to thicken the pasta sauce in the end.