Cacio e Pepe is one of my favorite pasta dishes but it contains no vegetables and is super easy to overeat! It is an ultra simple dish consisting of pasta, black pepper, Pecorino cheese, and oil/butter. Guess what? These ingredients also work smashingly well with cabbage ribbons!  You will not trick anyone into thinking this is pasta, but it’s a delicious alternative if you’re looking for a lighter or a low-carb meal.  If you’re not a fan of the cacio e pepe flavor profile, cook the cabbage in this method and add your favorite pasta toppings!  Cabbage is one of the most underrated vegetables – it is incredibly nutritious, grown all year long, and very inexpensive for how much it yields.

Why You’ll Love This Cabbage Cacio e Pepe

• A lower-carb option than traditional Cacio e Pepe;
• 5 ingredients and minimal prep;
• Cabbage is very inexpensive and nutritious – it is a great source of vitamin C and fiber in addition to other vitamins and minerals;
• Insanely delicious – it’s one of my favorite side dishes!

Ingredients

• Cabbage – a green cabbage resembles the color of noodles once cooked
• Black Pepper – one of the two most important ingredients in Cacio e Pepe, freshly ground
• Olive oil – use an unrefined oil and preferably from a dark glass bottle
• Butter – unsalted butter or plant butter
• Pecorino – the second of the two key ingredients. You could also do Parmesan or a mix of Pecorino and Parmesan.

How to Make Cabbage Cacio e Pepe

1. Slice the cabbage in half cutting through the core. Cut out the core and discard. Place each halve cut side down and slice into ¼ inch thick strips. Pull apart the strips to achieve cabbage ribbons. 
2. Heat a large skillet or pan, preferably one with a lid over medium heat. I used a 13-inch pan. Add the black pepper to the dry skillet and heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
3. Add the oil, butter, and cabbage and toss to coat. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally, and cook until cabbage is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. 
4. Place cheese in a serving bowl. Stir in the cabbage and toss to coat. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Tips

• This is a peppery dish. Use less if you are sensitive to black pepper.
• Make sure not to skip over the step where the black pepper hits a dry skillet for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe. This brings out the pepper’s flavors and fragrance.
• Cook cabbage until it is soft and the ribbons limp – this will take about 15 -20 minutes.

Substitutions

• All cabbage – you can do a mix of noodles and cabbage. Boil noodles and add some butter. Mix together with the cheese at the end.
• Butter – a plant butter or you can use olive oil
• Pecorino is a sheeps milk cheese and Parmesan is cows milk. Pecorino is a bit sharper and tangier and Parmesan is nuttier and more mild.  Pick whichever you like or use both!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Other recipes you may like:

Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Zucchini “Pasta”

Broccolini with Garlic, Chili Flakes, and Vinegar

If you give this Cabbage Cacio e Pepe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, check out my online class here!  I teach a new class every month, which you watch on your own time.  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!