Purple cabbage pesto, also called red cabbage, is a colorful and tasty cream—simple and surprising—with an intense color and a delicate flavor. It is made in just a few minutes and is perfect for dressing pasta with purple cabbage pesto, but also to enrich crostini, bruschetta or vegetable dishes.
On my blog you can find several recipes for homemade pestos and creams for pasta, as well as the classic and much-loved Pesto alla Genovese.
This purple cabbage and almond pesto is an easy, economical and very versatile recipe, perfect to dress fresh pasta such as busiate or maccheroni al ferretto, but also any type of dried pasta. In my recipe the cabbage is cooked briefly to soften it and then blended with toasted almonds, cheese and fresh basil until a smooth, silky cream is obtained.
I cooked the cabbage in the microwave, a practical and quick method that preserves color and flavor well. Alternatively, you can steam it or braise it in a pan over low heat until tender.
The result is a bright purple cream, perfect to use as a pesto for pasta, but also excellent to fill sandwiches, flatbreads or to accompany main courses.
If you love creamy pastas dressed with homemade pestos, I also recommend trying my Carrot Pesto or my Zucchini Pesto with Cooked Zucchini, delicate, fragrant and perfect when you want a light but tasty dressing.
If you prefer more rustic and full-flavored condiments, you might also like the Sicilian sun-dried tomato pesto, an intense cream prepared in minutes that is ideal for giving character to many dishes.
Making a homemade pesto is always a quick way to bring something good and genuine to the table. A few ingredients and a blender are enough to obtain a fragrant cream that can transform even a simple plate of pasta into something special.
The purple cabbage and almond pesto also has a truly spectacular color, perfect to make dishes more inviting and surprise guests with an original recipe different from the usual. Ready to make it together? Let’s head to the kitchen, but as always, if you want to stay updated on all my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
Take a look at these tasty and original pesto recipes:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Steaming
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for making purple cabbage pesto
With a few ingredients we prepare a creamy purple cabbage pesto, an original variation of the classic pesto perfect for dressing pasta.
- 4 1/4 cups red cabbage (purple cabbage)
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Pecorino cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small bunch basil (if in season)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Steamer
Preparation of purple cabbage pesto
This pesto has a bright purple color, very showy and perfect to make even a simple plate of pasta special, so let’s hurry and prepare it together!
To make the purple cabbage pesto, remove the tougher outer leaves from the cabbage, wash it and cut it into pieces or thin strips.
Transfer the cabbage to a microwave-safe bowl, cover it and cook for about 15 minutes at 750W, or until it becomes soft. Alternatively, you can steam it or braise it in a pan over low heat with a very small amount of water until tender. Then let it cool.
In the meantime, toast the almonds in a nonstick pan for a few minutes, stirring often, until they are lightly golden and fragrant.
Transfer the cooked purple cabbage and the toasted almonds to a food processor.
Add the Parmesan, the Pecorino, the garlic, fresh basil if in season, the lemon juice (which helps give the characteristic bright color), a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
Also pour in the extra virgin olive oil and blend everything until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream.
If necessary, add a little more oil to adjust the consistency.
This pesto is perfect for preparing a creamy pasta with purple cabbage pesto, simple and quick, but also to enrich pizzas, crostini and bruschetta.
Storage notes and tips
Purple cabbage pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days in an airtight container. To keep it fresher and preserve its color, cover the surface with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil.
If you want to keep it longer, you can also freeze it in small containers or in ice cube trays, so you’ll have handy single portions ready to use.
This pesto is perfect for dressing pasta, but it is also great for making crostini, bruschetta, sandwiches or flatbreads. It can also be used to flavor grains such as farro, rice or couscous.
To obtain an even milder cream you can slightly reduce the garlic or replace part of the Pecorino with more Parmesan.
If the pesto turns out too dense, you can make it creamier by adding a tablespoon of pasta cooking water or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
This purple cabbage pesto is perfect for preparing quick first courses and can also be used as a red cabbage cream for pasta.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare purple cabbage pesto in advance?Yes, you can prepare it a few hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
How can I cook purple cabbage?
The cabbage can be cooked in the microwave, as in this recipe, or steamed or braised in a pan over low heat until it becomes tender.
Can I substitute the almonds?
Yes, you can also use walnuts, hazelnuts or pine nuts, depending on your preferred flavor.
Can purple cabbage pesto be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze it in small containers or in ice cube trays, so you’ll have portions ready to use when needed.
Which pasta goes best with this pesto?
This pesto is perfect with short pasta, such as fusilli, penne or rigatoni, as they hold the cream well, but thinned with some cooking water it is also great with long pasta.
Can you make pesto with purple cabbage?
Yes, purple cabbage can be used to make an original and very tasty pesto. Simply cook it lightly and blend it with almonds, Parmesan, Pecorino, basil, extra virgin olive oil and a little lemon juice. The result is a cream with an intense purple color, perfect for dressing pasta.
