With a delicate sweetness and rich, bold flavour, braised red cabbage makes a wonderful vegan pasta sauce.

I’m someone who meticulously and religiously meal plans. Mostly because I’ve grown to dislike GOING shopping the older I get so I’m at the behest of a fortnightly food delivery and so meals don’t get left to chance. However, there are occasions when I’ve over-indulged on something I’ve baked and I don’t fancy dinner. Or I’m just not in the mood for what I’ve planned. One happens slightly more often than the other (bet you can’t guess which 😏).  I also had this sad looking left over wedge of cabbage that was too limp for salad but perfect for braising and I’ve always got pasta – and so was born this braised red cabbage pasta!

And I’ve ended up making this so many times since. It’s so easy but SO tasty. There’s a bit of chopping, but the stove does most of the leg work. And with red cabbage still just about in season in the UK (late autumn to early spring) and a definite chill still in the air here it’s definitely worth making the most of this wonderful vegetable.

Braised red cabbage ingredients

Red cabbage – I’ve not tried this with white cabbage – and not just because the red cabbage turns the pasta a lovely and subtle shade of pink – but red cabbage has a slightly better nutrition and flavour profile than white. The colour gives it more antioxidants and vitamin C.

Red onions – I use red onions for almost all my savoury recipes. I find them sweeter and like red cabbage, the colour gives them higher antioxidants.

Caraway seeds – I find their mild aniseed flavour goes really well with the red cabbage

Balsamic vinegar – gives the whole dish a bit of a flavour kick

Dried herbs – I used basil and parsley. Swap out for fresh herbs if you have them and you can also play about with the herbs you use. Oregano, rosemary and sage would all work too. Dill could also be used if you really want to emphasise aniseed paired with the caraway seeds.

Vegan butter – use a good quality vegan butter. My personal favourite is the salted Flora Plant butter – the block one rather than the spreadable one. This coats the pasta and cabbage really well and makes a lovely rich pasta sauce.

Vegan Parmesan – I swear by Violife Prosociano but it can be a test getting hold of it. It’s the closest thing to actual Parmesan I’ve come across but use what you can get hold of. And if you have any of your own favourites let me know!

How to make this easy red cabbage pasta:

Finely shred the cabbage – I find a quarter of a large cabbage is enough for two portions.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan that has a lid. Add the shredded cabbage and caraway seeds and stir together over a medium heat for a minute.

Add the water and a lid and gently bubble for 10 minutes or until the cabbage is just starting to soften. Give the pan a stir from time to time.

While that’s simmering, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once it’s cooked, drain then submerge in cold water to stop it sticking together while you finish braising the cabbage.

Remove the lid and add the onion to the cabbage. Stir fry for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.

Stir in the balsamic, sugar and butter.

Stir in the herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the pasta then add to the pan with the grated Parmesan and mix everything really well together – I find tongs rather than a spoon helpful for this!

Substitutions and additions:

• Sub the dried herbs for fresh herbs if you have them. Oregano, rosemary and sage would also work well in this recipe.
• Add some minced fresh garlic or a teaspoon of garlic granules along with the onion.
• Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.

Looking for even more easy vegan pasta recipes? Try these (FYI, they’re all cooked in one pan):

One Pan Creamy Tomato Pasta

Vegan Pasta Alfredo

Vegan Meatball Pasta Bake

Spring Vegetable Orzo

Lemon Courgette Rigatoni

If you make this recipe or any of the recipes from The Cook & Him I’d LOVE to see! Just snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #thecookandhim and tagging @thecookandhim in the photo itself (as this guarantees I’ll see your picture!)

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for even more recipe inspiration and chat, competitions, behind the scenes and so much more!