Cabbage with Noodles is one of those meals that with a single bite brings me back to childhood, and my homeland Croatia. It was, and still is one of my favorite meals. For me, and my family this is the evergreen meal and a joker of what to cook when we are without an idea what to cook today. This meal is one of the typical meals in Croatia and Hungary. In this recipe, I will show you how to make it without alliums, completely no onion no garlic way.
Cabbage with Noodles can be a main dish itself or a side dish. My husband Peter loves eating cabbage with noodles with chicken. Check out his favorite air-fryer chicken breast recipe here. On the other hand, I love eating cabbage with noodles without any meat. Just plain and simple cabbage with noodles.
For Peter and me, this meal reminds us of childhood. Peter is from Hungary, and when he was in kindergarten, he had this meal often on the menu. When I was a child, my grandma was cooking me this meal every week.
Cabbage with Noodle is an allium-free recipe, and it is perfect for all of us with an allium allergy, allium intolerance, and GERD/reflux.
For more delicious allium-free pasta recipes, check out my Bacon and Cottage Cheese pasta, Healthy & Tiny Meatballs in the Red Mushroom sauce or LOW FODMAP Chicken & Mushroom Ragout.
Fun facts about cabbage
Cabbage is the key ingredient of Cabbage with Noodles. Here are some historical facts which you can share with your loved ones during the dinner.
In ancient Egypt and Rome, people consider cabbage as food for the rich people. In the evening, before the party, people would eat cabbage. They believed that eating cabbage would help them with hangovers the next morning. Also, the host could encourage them to drink more at the party and make the party last longer.
Cabbage went from rich people to poor people’s food.
People were eating cabbage during economic depressions, and natural disasters. One of the most memorable salvation made by the cabbage happened to people in Ireland during the Great Potato Famine. Ireland had a lot of potato crops, but they got rotten because they got infected by one type of water mold (Phytophthora infestans). Since they didn’t have potatoes to eat, they were eating cabbage.
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How healthy is cabbage?
Cabbage is one of the healthiest plants on the earth. It is low in calories, but rich in healthy micronutrients that are keeping us healthy.
Cabbage contains:
- vitamin A
- vitamin B2
- vitamin B6
- vitamin B9
- vitamin C
- vitamin K
It also contains:
- calcium
- iron
- magnesium
- manganese
- potassium
As a result, cabbage is a very healthy ingredient.
Tips and tricks
- After you cut the cabbage, put it in a colander, sprinkle a few pinches of the salt, and let it rest for like 10 minutes. As a result, cabbage will get softer, and it will be done quicker
- Mix the cabbage and noodles when both of them are hot. Do not remove the cabbage from the stove, when you mix it with noodles and pasta water. Let it cook together for a minute
- Use any type of short-cut pasta. Certainly avoid long and medium-sized pasta like spaghetti, bucatini, lasagne, and cannelloni because it will not taste good
How to know if it’s done?
- Cabbage needs to have a light brown color, and be fork-tender
- Pasta has to be al dente
- When mixed together, it has to be wettish, shiny, and not dry or swimming in the water
Cabbage with Noodles: what can go wrong, and how to fix it:
- Cabbage is smoking, and sticking to the pot
Your stove is too hot, and it is burning the cabbage. Turn down the heat a bit, and add a bit of water - Cabbage is sticking to the pot
You are missing oil, add a little bit of of oil and continue sauteing it while stirring it often - Too much pasta water in the last step
Let it boil and evaporate the exes water, and if it’s too much water to evaporate, try to remove it with a spoon. To prevent this, always add one tablespoon, by one tablespoon, so that you can control the liquid
How to store Cabbage with Noodles?
Refrigerator
Cabbage with Noodles can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Cabbage with Noodles can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
Equipment
- 2 pots
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 colander
Ingredients
- 9 oz green cabbage 250 g
- 6 oz square pasta (or any short-cut pasta of your choice) 170 g
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cup water 235 ml
- ½ cup pasta water 120 ml
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut cabbage into thin slices. Put the cabbage in the colander, season it with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the oil to the pot and heat over medium heat.
- When the oil gets hot (in a few moments), put cabbage, sprinkle the salt and pepper, and saute it while stirring often. Add gradually water, so that the cabbage will not stick to the pot. Avoid adding too much water at the same time, and wait until the water evaporates before you put water again.
- Cook pasta according to the package with water and salt. Save water when pasta is cooked (pasta water).
- When the cabbage becomes fork tender, add cooked pasta and ½ cup of pasta water. Stir it and cook it with occasional stirring for a minute or two so that the flavors can combine.
Need more recipe ideas?
Check out these recipes:
- Low fat Vegetable Casserole
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- Clear Vegetable Soup
- Creamy and Flavorful Risotto
- One-pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta
If you need more recipes, check out my meal plan bundles! There you will find 60 unpublished no onion no garlic recipes! Get exclusive recipes without onion & garlic and cheer up your dinner time with delicious meals! Check the packages here.
I made it yesterday and it was tasty. I cooked chicken breast for it
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊
I love this healthy recipe. I made it a few times and it always turned out good
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊
I made it a few times. Last time I used penne and it was delicious
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊
My grandson loves this recipe! Whenever he visits me, he always ask me to make it for him! Thank you
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊