The 4-Ingredient Dinner I Make Once a Week (For Bonkers Weeknights)

It’s the ultimate back pocket meal.

By
Molly Adams
Molly Adams
Molly Adams
A self-proclaimed food-pusher, Molly Adams has been cooking for the loved ones for as long as she can remember. She is a classically-trained chef with a background in catering, private cheffing and food media. Her experience includes recipe development, recipe testing and food writing. 
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published November 05, 2025
Molly Adams
A white bowl with caramelized cabbage spaghetti, garnished with chopped parsley

Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

Why Make This

  • You just need 4 ingredients and about half an hour to make this filling, delicious pasta.
  • Shredding the cabbage as the pasta water comes to a boil saves time.
  • Caramelizing the cabbage brings out its natural sweetness.

We have a home on Cape Cod that we visit from time to time and to describe it as spartan would be incredibly generous. As a chef, the kitchen is a nightmare. The knives are terrible, the pans are an abomination, and the fridge is shockingly empty. 

When we go up for a longer stretch, we’ll stock the pantry and fridge with just enough food to get by. Not only do I hate to waste food, leaving trash behind isn’t an option, and riding home with a bag of garbage is not a pleasant way to spend four hours in traffic.

When we are there just for a long weekend, I like to challenge myself to buy just enough food to get by for our stay. It’s like my very own version of Chopped, except my kids are the judges. Scary! 

One recent weekend while we were there, I opened my fridge to find a sad head of cabbage left over from a visit to one of our favorite local farms. I also found some butter that needed to be used up and a generous hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano. I scrounged through the pantry and uncovered some spaghetti and knew just what to make: caramelized cabbage spaghetti. 

A Family Meal Everyone Can Love

Cabbage is the type of vegetable I can always feed my kids. When cooked for a long time, it gets extra sweet and doesn’t send out any green vegetable red flags; it blends seamlessly into the spaghetti. 

Inspired by a family favorite, Deb Pearlman’s Zucchini Butter Spaghetti, this pasta dish has become a go-to weeknight pasta dish for those evenings when I don’t know what to cook. It’s super quick, only requires a handful of ingredients, is packed with vegetables, and everyone will eat it. What more could you ask for?

A closeup of caramelized cabbage spaghetti in a white bowl, garnished with parsley

Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

Simple Tweaks to This Recipe

I’ve used this same recipe with lots of pasta shapes, but my kids prefer spaghetti. Feel free to swap it for whatever shape you have on hand. I like using green cabbage, but any head of cabbage you need to use up will work well. Just make sure to shred it thinly and cook it until it is super caramelized and sweet! (Note that red cabbage will turn the pasta an interesting color.)

If I’m feeling fancy, I will crisp up about two ounces of bacon or pancetta in the pan first and use the fat in place of some of the butter to caramelize the cabbage. Then I’ll top the pasta with the crisp pork before serving.

Caramelized Cabbage Spaghetti

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds)

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 pound spaghetti (or pasta of choice) 

  • 4 ounces (120g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 1 cup)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

Method

  1. Bring water to a boil:

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Halve and core the cabbage, then thinly shred.

  2. Caramelize the cabbage:

    In a large saucepan or large, deep skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the cabbage, salt, red pepper (if using) and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage has cooked down significantly and is deeply caramelized. If it becomes too dry as it cooks, add a splash or two of the pasta water to prevent it from sticking and to deglaze the pan.

  3. Boil the pasta:

    Meanwhile, once the pasta water reaches a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

  4. Combine the pasta and cabbage:

    Add the cooked pasta to the saucepan with the cabbage along with the parm and about 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is creamy and the cheese has melted. Add a little more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh parsley (if desired) before serving.

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for 4 days. Add a splash of water before reheating to help loosen the sauce.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    A white bowl with caramelized cabbage spaghetti

    Simply Recipes / Molly Adams
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
525 Calories
21g Fat
68g Carbs
17g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 525
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 12g 61%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 531mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 64mg 319%
Calcium 245mg 19%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 538mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.