Caramelized Onion, Fennel, and Cabbage Pasta

This recipe is like if beef bourguignon decided to become a vegetarian pasta dish - the depth of savory flavor and melty qualities make this easy meal feel like it has been slow-cooking for hours. Enjoy this pasta in the summer when fennel and cabbage simultaneously go in season, or in the colder months when the cozy nature of this recipe make it both fresh and hygge. 

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I was inspired to make this dish after signing up for a community-supported agriculture (CSA) box from the Queens County Farm Museum in NY (that’s right: a farm in New York City). I received a napa cabbage and fennel bulb in the same box and I thought, ‘What am I going to do with this?’ I had rarely cooked with fennel and thought mostly about cole slaw when facing a head of cabbage. But I had a store-bought onion at home and realized that there could be something caramelized and flavorful in all of these delicious, surprisingly subtle ingredients. I love this recipe. 

You’ll want to slice all of the veggies into similar sizes, one by one. Start with the onion, cutting into quarter moons to avoid having very stringy onions and add it to a pan with olive oil, already heated. 

While the onions cook, stir them frequently to caramelize them and get them beyond translucent to a light-golden brown.

Tip: Adding your ingredients to an already-hot pan will prevent sticking. 

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While stirring the onions every few minutes, rinse the fennel to remove any dirt (remembering to get into the crevices where the stalks meet the bulb, where sometimes dirt likes to get caught). Cut the tops of the stalks off the fennel - just the part with the fronds. Slice up the stalks and bulb, cutting the bottom tough base of the bulb off by cutting out a v-shaped wedge right in the center and composting it. That part is too tough to eat easily. Just like with the onion, you want to halve the bulb and slice thinly, then also slicing the stalks. Add the sliced fennel to the pan to start letting those caramelize, similarly stirring frequently to avoid burning. Add more olive oil as needed.

Tip: See our separate tips for drying and jarring herbs to do this with the fennel fronds, or use them in another recipe, such as a tart or chicken salad. You’ll want to let them air dry out (which might take a week or two if they are still attached to their stalks) and then remove the hair-like, little fronds, and jar them when completely dry. 

While the fennel and onion cook, wash the cabbage (remove the outer leaf layer if needed, if really dirty or insect-eaten) and similarly cut off the very bottom of the stem that is tough by cutting out a v-shaped wedge. With the rest of the cabbage, cut in halves and slice thinly through all the leaf layers. Add to the pan and allow to wilt down and caramelize as well. You may need to do this in batches, as the cabbage will take up a lot of space, given all the volume in the cut leaves.

Allow the mixture to soften completely - you don’t want tough bits. If you aren’t sure if they are soft, try to pierce with a fork and it should go through easily, like soft butter. 

Add the veggie stock and simmer. Chop finely fresh rosemary (or dried if necessary) and add to the mix. If you are using dried, add a bit extra, to taste. Add fresh pepper and keep stirring, allowing the stock to deglaze the pan and simmer down. You want the veggie stock to eventually simmer down until it is almost gone except a small layer in the bottom of the pan, about half an inch high.

Lastly, add a parmesan rind or two and simmer - it will release lots of delicious flavor. Just don’t forget to remove it at the end! If you don’t have a rind handy, you can compensate by adding an extra half cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese at the end of the recipe to get the flavor. For this recipe, I like to use a relative of parmesan, called Grana Padano - it is rich and nutty. However, other parmesan or even a salty pecorino romano will do nicely!

Bring a pot of heartily salted water to boil and make the pasta to the al dente box instructions. I like mezzi rigatoni for this recipe, but other short or grooved shapes would work well. Try to take the pasta out just shy of its cooking time, because it will finish cooking when combined with the cabbage. Drain the pasta when done and add back to the pot with some oil to avoid sticking.

As you simmer the cabbage mix, if you need to add more oil or stock to loosen if too much is boiling off, do so and lower the heat.

Remove the rinds and add the cabbage mix to the pot of pasta and add a half cup of grated parmesan. Stir and mix evenly on a low heat to incorporate.

As a last touch, in the pan that used to hold the cabbage (which is now in the pasta pot with the drained pasta), add a layer of regular breadcrumbs and toast on a medium heat, stirring or tossing frequently until all is just slightly browned and there is a toasty smell. Stir the breadcrumbs into the pasta and leave a little to put atop each bowl or a serving dish.

Tip: Toasting breadcrumbs

Toasting breadcrumbs adds a warm, inviting flavor to dishes and can be a nice texture, particularly in dishes where many of the elements are soft. They can also help soak up extra liquid to create a thick, creamy sauce rather than a thin, wet one. Toast breadcrumbs by adding them to a dry pan on a low heat in an even layer.

How do you know when your breadcrumbs are toasted? Well, make sure you are constantly stirring - you don't want the bottom to burn even if the top seems fine. Allow the crumbs to change one shade in color - you don't want them going from tan to black. You want them to look like when you take a piece of bread and toast it on a low setting - golden and a little darker than before. You'll also know the magic is working because you will smell a little toasty flavor, but not a burnt one. If you are trying things out and go too far by accident, it is okay: just toss (compost) the burnt breadcrumbs, wipe out the pan, and try again. No biggie!

Serve with more parmesan on top and enjoy!

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Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 60 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil plus more for pasta and throughout (approximately ¼ cup throughout)

2 medium yellow or sweet onions

1 large fennel bulb

1 small head of napa or other cabbage

2 cups vegetable stock

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried rosemary, finely chopped

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large parmesan rind

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup regular breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

1 lb short pasta shape

salt

Equipment

Large pan

Pasta pot

Colander

Instructions

• Peel and cut the ends off the onions. Cut into quarters and slice the onion into thin half moons.

• Add approximately 2 tbs of olive oil to the pan and heat to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions. Stir frequently until caramelized - translucent and browning.

• Wash the fennel bulb and cut the upper stalks with fronds off from the lower stalks and bulb. Cut the core out of the bulb in a v-shape and then cut the lower stalks off the fennel. Halve the bulb and slice the bulb thinly, a similar width to the onion. Thinly slice the lower stalks. 

• Add to the pan with the onions, adding more oil if too dry, and continue to stir frequently until the fennel has melted down and become more translucent and loft. You can test with a fork to ensure it easily pierces the fennel.

• Wash the cabbage and cut out the tough core in a v-shape. Cut the cabbage in half and slice thinly both sides. Add to the pan in patches as the cabbage wilts down (add in one batch if the pan is large enough).

• Continue to stir frequently until the cabbage softens and wilts. 

• Add the stock and parmesan rinds to the pan and simmer, adjusting the heat lower if the mixture is browning too quickly.

• Finely chop the rosemary and add it to the pan. Crack in the black pepper to taste.

• Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to just under the package instructions for al dente.

• When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and return it to the pot with olive oil to coat and prevent sticking. 

• The pan should have reduced the stock to about a quarter-inch coating at the bottom of the pan. 

• Remove the rind from the pan and discard.

• Add the mixture to the pot with the pasta, add in the parmesan, and mix thoroughly.

• In the pan, add a thin layer of breadcrumbs at a low-medium heat and toast until fragrant and slightly brown. Mix in with the pasta and leave a little to sprinkle on top with extra parmesan when served. 

• Enjoy!