This Italian Cabbage recipe combines the robust flavors of tender green cabbage, rich pancetta, and creamy cannellini beans, simmered in a savory tomato sauce with a hint of spice from Calabrian peppers. It's a hearty and satisfying dish that's perfect for a comforting weeknight meal or a flavorful side on any Italian-inspired table. The addition of a generous amount of parmesan cheese and a splash of chicken broth enhances the flavors, making it a great side dish to serve alongside pork chops or as part of a delicious cabbage dish.
What is this Italian Cabbage Recipe?
This Italian cabbage recipe showcases tender cabbage cooked with savory pancetta, aromatic garlic and onions, tomato paste, and Calabrian peppers for a hint of heat. Cannellini beans add creaminess and protein, while olive oil, white wine, and spices enhance the depth of flavor, creating a delicious and comforting dish.
Try my other cabbage recipes like Venetian Warm Cabbage Salad and Potatoes & Cabbage.
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🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Rich Flavor Profile: The combination of savory pancetta, sweet caramelized onions, and a hint of spice from Calabrian peppers creates a flavorful and satisfying dish with a rich depth of flavor.
- Comforting and Hearty: This dish is both hearty and comforting, ideal for a cozy meal on a chilly evening. The tender green cabbage and creamy cannellini beans contribute to its comforting texture.
- Versatile and Easy Recipe: Italian cabbage that can be enjoyed as a main dish or a side. Plus, it’s relatively easy to prepare with simple ingredients, making it accessible for home cooks of any skill level. This is also a great way to use a whole head of cabbage.
- Great Side Dish: It perfectly complements a variety of main courses, especially for an Italian-inspired meal.
🥘 Ingredients
- Pancetta or Bacon: Adds savory richness and depth to the dish, perfectly complementing the cabbage and beans.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used for sautéing and drizzling over the cabbage to enhance flavors and texture.
- Onion: Chopped onion and caramelized to provide sweetness and depth to the dish.
- Garlic: Minced to impart aromatic flavor throughout the recipe.
- Tomato Paste: Provides a rich tomato base that flavors the dish and adds vibrant color.
- Calabrian Peppers: Adds a subtle heat and distinctive flavor profile.
- Fennel Seed: Contributes a hint of licorice-like flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- White Wine: Used for deglazing the pan and adding acidity to balance the flavors.
- Green Cabbage: Halved and sliced, this is the main vegetable component that softens and absorbs flavors during cooking.
- Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing the taste of the dish. Don’t skip salting to taste!
- Cannellini Beans: Drained and added towards the end to provide creamy texture and protein.
- Tomato Sauce: Adds tangy richness, enhancing the dish’s depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Used to simmer the cabbage and beans, infusing them with savory notes.
- Parmesan Cheese: Sprinkled on top before serving for a creamy, flavorful finish.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Cook Pancetta: Fry chopped pancetta in a Dutch oven with a bit of olive oil until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Sauté Onions and Garlic: Add extra virgin olive oil to the pot. Sauté sliced onions until lightly charred, then add minced garlic and fennel seeds, cooking until fragrant.
Add Tomato and Cabbage: Stir in tomato paste and Calabrian peppers. Deglaze with white wine, then add green cabbage. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until tender.
Finish with Beans: Stir in drained cannellini beans and the previously cooked pancetta, heating through. Serve hot, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tip
- Avoid overcrowding the Dutch oven when cooking the pancetta and caramelizing the onions. This ensures even browning and helps to enhance the flavors of the dish.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Vegetarian Option: For a delicious vegetarian version, omit the pancetta and add smoked paprika or liquid smoke for a rich, smoky flavor. Use vegetable broth or chicken stock to enhance the depth of flavor.
- Spicy Variation: Increase the amount of Calabrian peppers for an extra kick, or substitute with chopped jalapeños or crushed red pepper flakes for a spicier touch.
- Bean Varieties: Instead of cannellini beans, you can use chickpeas (garbanzo beans) black beans, or white kidney beans to vary the texture and taste. Adjust the cooking time as necessary to ensure the best results.
- Cabbage Varieties: Try using savoy cabbage, red cabbage, or black cabbage.
🍴 Equipment
- Dutch Oven: A Dutch oven is ideal for simmering the cabbage and beans, allowing the flavors to meld together perfectly.
- Cutting Board: Essential for chopping onions, garlic, and green cabbage.
- Knife: Use a knife to slice the onion, green cabbage, and pancetta.
- Wooden Spoon: Perfect for stirring and sautéing ingredients, ensuring even cooking.
- Measuring Spoons: For accurate amounts of salt, pepper, and other seasonings.
- Measuring Cup: Useful for measuring chicken broth and white wine.
- Can Opener: Needed for opening cans of cannellini beans and any other canned ingredients.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute pancetta with bacon or even smoked sausage for a similar savory richness. Both options will complement the cabbage and beans while adding a flavorful depth to the dish.
If you can't find Calabrian peppers, you can use crushed red pepper flakes or chopped fresh chili peppers to add heat and spice. Both alternatives will provide a similar subtle heat and distinctive flavor profile.
If you can't find Calabrian peppers, you can use crushed red pepper flakes or While green cabbage works best for this recipe, you can experiment with Savoy cabbage or Napa cabbage for different textures and flavors. Adjust cooking times as needed to ensure the cabbage is tender yet not overcooked.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Store any leftover cabbage or cabbage dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the dish in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Freezing: To freeze, let the dish cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
🍷 Wine Pairing
The buttery notes and subtle oakiness of a Chardonnay complement the richness of the pancetta and the creamy texture of the cannellini beans. Its acidity also cuts through the tomato-wine sauce, enhancing the overall balance of flavors in the dish.
👩🏼🍳 Top Tips
- Caramelize the Onions: Allow the onions to char slightly for added depth of flavor before incorporating garlic and spices in this Italian cabbage recipe.
- Deglaze with White Wine: Use white wine to lift the browned bits from the Dutch oven for a richer sauce.
- Monitor Cabbage Texture: Ensure the cabbage is tender yet not overcooked; add liquid sparingly to prevent drying out.
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🥗 Pairing Recommendations
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Italian Cabbage
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Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- Can opener
Ingredients
- ¼ lb pancetta chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Calabrian peppers adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons fennel seed
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 head green cabbage halved and sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 14oz can cannellini beans drained
Instructions
- Place the pancetta in a cold Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Add the sliced onion and cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Stir, then add the garlic and fennel seeds. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Push the onions aside and add the tomato paste directly to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir it in with the onions and garlic. Add the Calabrian peppers and mix well.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot. Add the sliced cabbage, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir the cabbage, adding more wine or water if needed. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat until the cabbage is softened and red from the tomato paste, about 15 minutes total.
- Add the drained cannellini beans and reserved pancetta and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Notes
🌡️ Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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