So Many Dishes

There are recipes that require an entire head of cabbage. And then there recipes that leave you with half of a head in the fridge. I found a great recipe to use that particular leftover.

According to various publications, 2026 is the year of the cabbage. Lots of recipes have been featured on social media in the past few months. It makes sense. Cabbage is inexpensive, readily available, versatile, and a healthy addition to anyone’s diet.

I guess I’ve been ahead of the trend, because I’ve cooked cabbage for years. I recently posted about the stuffed cabbage soup that I made, and the reason I had half a head of cabbage in the fridge. In that post, I talked about making stuffed cabbage. Some months ago, when I was in a nostalgic mood, I posted a cabbage recipe from Prague. Probably the cabbage recipe I cook most often is rotkohl, or red cabbage , and I wrote about that recipe, too. So I’m glad to embrace this trend.

When an article about the popularity of cabbage appeared in the Washington Post on the same day I made the stuffed cabbage soup, it seemed preordained that I try the linked recipe. It’s one developed by one of their former food writers, Aaron Hutcherson, who specialized in accessible weeknight recipes.

Cabbage and sausage pasta was a very straightforward recipe to cook. Thinly sliced cabbage and onions are sautéed in olive oil before adding mild Italian sausage. I used regular pork Italian sausage, but I’m sure the turkey version of Italian sausage would work, and the recipe notes say that a plant-based sausage can be substituted if you want a vegetarian sauce. The recipe calls for fennel seeds as the primary seasoning. I don’t have any, so I used an Italian seasoning blend instead. Additionally, since I had fresh basil leftover from Sunday’s pasta dinner, I decided to include that. I threw a handful of chopped basil, probably about one-quarter of a cup, into the sauce for the last 10 minutes. I still had some left, so I sprinkled additional basil over our bowls.

Ken rated the dish 10 out of 10. It was easy and relatively quick to put together. We agreed that this is one of those dishes for parents who are trying to sneak vegetables into their kids’ diets. The cabbage cooks down and adds sweetness to the sauce, but the cabbage isn’t obvious. I don’t care about that; what I like is that it’s absolutely delicious.

Cabbage and Sausage Pasta

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small head green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound mild or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 12 ounces dried fusilli or other pasta
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving (optional)

In a large Dutch oven, pot, or sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the cabbage, onion, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and wilt, about 5 minutes.

Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into small chunks with a spoon or spatula, until very little pink remains, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 1 minute.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, then transfer it to the sauce and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Divide among bowls and serve, topped with cheese, if using. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Happy eating!