Pasta with Potatoes and Cabbage is a rich and enveloping main course, the perfect comfort food to face the cold autumn and winter days. Creamy and dense like the traditional Neapolitan pasta and potatoes, this variant stands out with the addition of cabbage and bacon, two ingredients that harmonize splendidly, enhancing the sweet taste of the potatoes. This cabbage and potato soup is one of the many interpretations of pasta and potatoes that, during the cold season, I love to transform with different combinations of typical seasonal ingredients: pasta with potatoes and beans, pasta with potatoes and pumpkin, or a “sea and mountain” version with potatoes and mussels. The simplicity of these recipes is one of their strengths: to prepare pasta with potatoes and cabbage, you only need one pot. The vegetables are stewed together with the potatoes, and the pasta is cooked directly in the soup, without the need for pre-cooking. Finally, a touch of grated Parmesan cheese added at the end of cooking will give the dish an even creamier consistency and irresistible taste!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 471.69 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 48.04 (g) of which sugars 5.90 (g)
- Proteins 25.62 (g)
- Fat 21.25 (g) of which saturated 5.96 (g)of which unsaturated 6.92 (g)
- Fibers 8.62 (g)
- Sodium 979.73 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 400 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Pasta with Potatoes and Cabbage
If you are celiac, use gluten-free pasta and ensure that the bacon is labeled “gluten-free”.
- 7 oz cannolicchi (for me gluten-free)
- 14 oz cabbage
- 1.3 lbs potatoes
- 3.5 oz bacon
- 1/2 onion
- 1 block Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste vegetable broth
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Colander
- 1 Pot large, with lid
How to Prepare Creamy and Dense Pasta with Potatoes and Cabbage
To prepare pasta with potatoes and cabbage, start by cleaning the cabbage: remove the two outermost leaves, then cut it in half. With a knife, cut around the stem and remove it (1). Then cut it into strips (2). Transfer it to a colander and rinse it thoroughly (3).
Peel the potatoes and cut them into not too small pieces (4). Cut the bacon into cubes. Chop the onion and put it in a large pot together with the oil (5). As soon as it starts to sizzle, add the bacon (6).
Let it brown for a couple of minutes over low heat, being careful not to burn the onion (7). Then add the potatoes and cabbage (8). Salt, pepper, and mix well, letting it all flavor for about a minute. Then wet with a ladle or two of hot vegetable broth (9).
Cover the pot with the lid and let the cabbage and potatoes cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. When the potatoes start to crumble, add a little more vegetable broth (10) and, as soon as the soup returns to a boil, the pasta (11). Cook pasta with potatoes and cabbage for 8-10 minutes (also adjust according to the time indicated on the pasta package), stirring it constantly almost as if it were a risotto (12) and adding a little hot broth if it becomes too thick.
As the pasta cooks, adjust the right amount of broth to add to get a thicker or more brothy pasta and potatoes, depending on your taste. When the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and add the grated Parmesan cheese (13). Mix carefully to blend it with the rest of the soup (14).
Serve pasta with potatoes and cabbage immediately, garnished with more Parmesan or a pinch of freshly ground pepper if desired.
Tips and Variations
Instead of bacon, you can use speck or guanciale. If you prefer a vegetarian dish, you can omit it; the soup will still be very tasty.
