Brown Butter Bucatini With Charred Cabbage 

By Ham El-Waylly

Published April 22, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(1,335)
Comments
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Charred cabbage brings a complex combination of flavors, from savory to bitter to sweet, to this simple but satisfying weeknight pasta. As it cooks, the cabbage also turns silky, clinging to the bucatini like the most delicious of frills. The pecans play off the natural nutty notes of the charred cabbage and brown butter. Like cacio e pepe or other pastas that fuse melted cheese with pasta water, this dish tightens up quickly, so make sure to have plenty of pasta water on hand to loosen it as needed. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 

  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral-flavored oil 

  • 1 small green cabbage (about 1 ½ pounds), halved, cored and thinly sliced 

  • 12 ounces bucatini 

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks 

  • ½ cup roughly chopped raw pecans

  • 2 cups/6 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan

  • ⅓ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped  

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

78 grams carbs; 90 milligrams cholesterol; 889 calories; 20 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 52 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 826 milligrams sodium; 30 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with enough salt that it tastes like a slightly salty soup.

  2. Step 2

    In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the cabbage and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cabbage softens, shrinks and becomes deeply charred in spots, 20 to 25 minutes. Season aggressively with pepper, taste for salt and season accordingly, and transfer the cabbage to a plate. Wipe out the skillet.

  3. Step 3

    Add the bucatini to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructs. Drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.

  4. Step 4

    To the large skillet, add the butter, pecans and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of pasta water, the cabbage and the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add half of the cheese and all the parsley and stir vigorously until the sauce coats the pasta and the cheese melts. If the pasta seems too dry, add a splash of pasta water.

  5. Step 5

    Divide among bowls and top with the remaining cheese and some freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,335 user ratings
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Comments

gc

second time around, chopped up a few slices of bacon. cooked them, then removed and cooked cabbage in the drippings. yes, that takes the dish out of vegetarian territory, but i regret nothing and would do it again. (i did cut down on the butter...i'm not a complete barbarian)

SMcG

So good! During dinner, my 3 year old asked if she could also have it for lunch. I changed the proportions a bit, using a 3+lb cabbage, 3/4 c pecans (which I pre-toasted), and 1lb fettucine. I dropped the butter to 5 Tbsp and the cheese to 1 cup, and it was still plenty rich.

melissa

We loved this. Def one of those where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. That said, next time might try roasting the cabbage to see if it caramelizes at bit more evenly at requires less attention. Might also try a little less butter, add a splash of lemon juice for brightness to balance the richness, and maybe even mash in a few anchovies. But probably Ham is right - and it’s perfect the way it was.

Deanna

The first time I made this, I followed the recipe. The second time, I only had half the butter called for, so I add 2 tbsp milk powder to the butter then browned it. It tasted the same to me, and would work well for the people concerned about the quantity of butter called for.

AND in CDMX

This was good. I'm not sure I achieved brown butter -- for me that usually requires a more specific, focused process -- but with the shared cabbage the flavor was pretty deep. Some onions cooked with the cabbage might also be good.

sarah e

i cut this first half of the cabbage too chunky and then had to course correct for the second half which ended up being perfect slices but then i had to sacrifice some cabbage for the final recipe ! do NOT let this happen to you! the cabbage is delicious! you require all cabbage !!

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