Polish-style Cabbage and Noodles is a simple pasta dish made with just a handful of ingredients. My high school boyfriend’s mom used to make this cabbage pasta for us all the time, and it’s remained a comforting, cozy meal that I still love to this day. If you love buttered noodles, this cabbage pasta recipe will be right up your alley!
I’m always looking for more cabbage recipes, because it’s SUCH an underrated vegetable! Cabbage is a versatile, nutrient-packed cruciferous vegetable that I like to make in a number of ways including this simple roasted cabbage recipe and for special occasions, these incredible Vegan Cabbage Rolls. But using sautéed cabbage for noodle dishes like this one really lets this special ingredient shine. Even vegetable-skeptical seem to find this meal irresistible!
Polish-Style vs Traditional Polish Food
I love traditional Polish food. The cuisine is delicious, and recipes like Pierogis and Haluski (the Polish name for Cabbage and Noodles) are classics for reason. This recipe is my plant-based spin on traditional Haluski, and while almost everything remains the same, the main difference is that I like to use olive oil instead of butter (and the amount of salt in the recipe reflects the use of oil instead of salted butter) I also add a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese, which adds an extra layer of salty, cheesy, umami goodness that evokes another one of my favorite comfort foods: buttered noodles with parmesan.
The result is a delicious Polish-inspired noodle dish that is an easy to make, comforting, and perfect for a simple weeknight supper.
How to Make Cabbage and Noodles
The full recipe in on the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview to show you how it works:
Step 1:
Sauté onions and cabbage with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s important to note that this will seem like more oil and salt than is necessary for the vegetables, but this will create the sauce for the entire dish later on, so don’t skimp. The salt draws out the flavorful juices from the onions and cabbage, which will mingle with the olive oil and create a delicious sauce for the pasta. Cook for about 20 minutes, and sprinkle in the garlic granules at the end.
Step 2:
While the cabbage cooks, bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles, and season the tofu with garlic and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside. Then cook the pasta for 10 minutes.
Step 3:
Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot with the cabbage and onions, and vegan parmesan cheese. Toss well over low heat and then serve in bowls with the baked tofu on top. Sprinkle with extra parm and enjoy!
What Type of Pasta is best for Cabbage Pasta?
My high school boyfriend’s mom would make this dish with homemade pasta or Bow Tie Pasta, aka Farfalle. I find that any short pasta works well, but bow ties, shells, or Fusilli pasta are usually my go-to.
What to Serve with Cabbage and Noodles
This pasta can be served as a side dish, but I like to make it the main event by adding some plant protein in the form of baked tofu. Simply sprinkle of garlic and oregano, some salt and pepper, and bake until golden brown around the edges. Then serve on top of the pasta for a balanced plant-based dinner.
Looking for More Noodle Recipes?
Try these easy noodle recipes from the archive!
- 10 Minute Peanut Noodles
- Plant-Based Hamburger Helper
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- Cajun Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Polish Cabbage and Noodles
Ingredients
Cabbage Pasta
- 1 lb short pasta such as bow ties or shells
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 large green cabbage
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ cup vegan parmesan, plus more for serving such as VioLife
Baked Tofu
- 1 block firm tofu
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic granules
Instructions
Prep
- Start by slicing the onion, then set aside. Next, remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Quarter it and remove the core. The slice and set aside.Finish prepping by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees for the tofu.
Sauté the Veggies
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and set the heat to medium-high. Add the onions, cabbage, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic granules in the last two minutes of cooking and mix well.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: It's important to note that this will seem like more oil and salt than is necessary for the vegetables, but this will create the sauce for the entire dish later on, so don't skimp. The salt draws out the flavorful juices from the onions and cabbage, which will mingle with the olive oil and create a delicious sauce for the pasta.
Bake the Tofu
- Then chop the tofu into small bite-sized pieces and pat dry with a clean towel. Place on a baking sheet with the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic granules and toss to coat. Spread into an even layer and bake for 15 minutes.
Cook the Pasta
- When the water is boiling, drop in the pasta, stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Combine
- Drain the water from the pasta and add the noodles back to the pot. Add the cabbage and onion, and parmesan. Mix well to combine over low heat for 1 minute.Serve in bowls with the baked tofu on top, and sprinkle more vegan parmesan if desired. Enjoy!
Hey! I’m Nicole and I make practical vegan recipes for REAL life. I cook with simple, easy to find ingredients and I’m passionate about creating delicious plant-based meals that everyone will love!
I hope you enjoy my recipes and videos :) Happy Cooking!
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Absolutely delicious recipe! Did seem like a lot of oil but I will definitely make this again1. This dish is so flavorful and comforting.
Author
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know 🙂