Pasta with Sautéed Cabbage Chickpeas and Pancetta

This Pasta with Sautéed Cabbage, Chickpeas and Pancetta is a hearty, flavorful dish that’s inexpensive and easy to make. It’s comforting and cozy!

Growing up, my mother often made dishes with cabbage and noodles. But the idea for today’s recipe came from a local place at the Jersey shore that I love to frequent. I thought what a tasty combination of ingredients, so I knew I’d have to recreate it on my own and share it with you folks.

Their dish featured bucatini, but I decided to use egg noodles because my mother always used egg noodles when making a dish with cabbage and noodles.

I love the added chickpeas as a source of protein and fiber in this dish. I also love the flavor of the pancetta, garlic and Parmesan. Simple ingredients here, yet so much flavor.

How to Make this Pasta with Sautéed Cabbage Chickpeas and Pancetta

First, you’ll cook your pancetta in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven until it’s nice and crispy. Then you’ll add your chopped shallots and garlic. You’ll remove the pancetta mixture with a slotted spoon to a plate and leaving any leftover fat in the skillet or Dutch oven for flavor you’ll add some butter, the cabbage and kosher salt and pepper. The cabbage will need to cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat until it’s softened and lightly browned.

While the cabbage is cooking you’ll cook your pasta reserving 1/2 cup to one cup of the pasta water.

You’ll add your drained chickpeas, as well as the pancetta mixture and cooked pasta to the cabbage. You will add your parsley, Parmesan cheese and some pasta water to thin things out if you like and toss everything together.

I enjoy this dish with a nice glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Hope you guys give it a try!

Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!

Pasta with Sautéed Cabbage, Chickpeas and Pancetta

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 6 servings

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This Pasta with Sautéed Cabbage, Chickpeas and Pancetta is a hearty, flavorful dish that's inexpensive and easy to make. It's comforting and cozy!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients  

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. diced pancetta
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 medium head green cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)
• 1 12-oz. bag wide egg noodles
• 1 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried parsley

Instructions 

• Add the olive to a large skillet or Dutch over over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until crispy. Add the shallots and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one additional minute. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon to a small plate. Set aside.
• To the fat left in the skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the shredded cabbage, kosher salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
• While the cabbage is cooking, cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain when done, reserving 1 cup of the hot pasta water.
• When the cabbage is done cooking, add the chickpeas and pancetta mixture back to the skillet and stir until well combined. Add the pasta and toss to combine, adding some of the pasta water to thin out, if desired. Add the Parmesan cheese and parsley and toss until well combined. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

As I mentioned above, I like to use wide egg noodles for this recipe, but you could also use the bucatini.

After you have cooked the pancetta and removed it from the pot, I like to leave in the added fat for flavor. It's not much, so your dish won't be swimming in fat, but it does add lots of flavor.

Keyword: chickpeas, Comfort Food, green cabbage, pancetta, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Dish