One-Pot Cheesy Orecchiette With Cabbage and Paprika
Published January 14, 2026
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (or use 4 scallions)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
Pinch of red chile flakes, more for serving
½ small green cabbage (about 1 pound), sliced (5 cups)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar, more to taste
1 pound small pasta, such as orecchiette, shells or fusilli
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup shredded Gruyère (about 3 ½ ounces)
½ cup sour cream, crème fraîche or mascarpone
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or parsley, more for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
93 grams carbs; 44 milligrams cholesterol; 701 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 1157 milligrams sodium; 24 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add leek and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook until tender and very lightly golden at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Add the cabbage and season with more salt and pepper. Cook until soft and collapsed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and add more salt, pepper and vinegar until it’s nicely seasoned.
- Step 2
Add pasta, broth and ½ teaspoon salt to the pan. Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover the pan and cook, stirring and tossing the pasta once or twice, until it is cooked through but still al dente, 12 to 15 minutes. If the skillet dries out before the pasta is cooked through, add a little water. And if there’s a bit of water left in the pan at the end, fear not, the pasta will absorb it in the next step. Just make sure to take the pan off the heat before the pasta gets too soft.
- Step 3
Remove pan from heat and stir in Gruyère, crème fraîche and smoked paprika, and toss well. Stir in the dill. Season to taste with more salt (if you used salt-free broth, you might need to add more than you’d think) and cider vinegar if needed. Serve topped with more paprika, olive oil and dill if you like.
Private Notes
Comments
@Ken in DFW I think a few things contribute to cabbage tasting bitter: the quality (some larger grocery stores’ cabbage is very old;it’s worth grabbing at a grocer where you know the produce turns over often) & how it’s cooked. When cooked long and low, cabbage actually becomes quite sweet. One of my favorite ways to cook it is inspired by Chez Panisse’s ‘Braised Red Cabbage,’ but I always at least double the cooking time. Even my kids gobble it up! When I make this recipe, I’ll probably cook the cabbage for more like 45 min ~ or more, depending on the quality & how long it takes to get that sweet, caramelized flavor. I think cabbage is underappreciated mostly because folks haven’t had it prepared properly, + purple cabbage is cheap & super high in antioxidants :)
I used a deep skillet for this, but next time I would use a dutch oven or pot. Using tongs to toss the raw cabbage while it's wilting was key - did a twisting motion and scraped the bottom so leeks didn't get too singed. I do think "tossing frequently" should be included in the directions for the 15 minute cook time for the cabbage. Echoing the other commenter that said this - let the cabbage go for the full 15. Let it get brown and toasty. Next time, I will boil pasta while building the sauce. The pasta wasn't very seasoned. We ended up adding more salt and vinegar at the end, which I was surprised by. We squeezed half a lemon at the very end before serving. Dusting of smoked paprika and dill really made this. Rule in our house is to yell "there's a leek in the boat" several times while cooking leeks. :) Don't forget this necessary step!
A classy Mac n Cheese. Gruyere makes anything special. I made it with some substitutes, which I had on hand, such as red (purple) cabbage, a white onion instead of the leek, and chicken broth, rather than vegetable broth. I used DeLallo Shellbows. Otherwise, I followed the recipe, and it turned out succulent and tasty. My husband loved it, and I will be making it again, probably with the listed ingredients. A winner.
Allowed the cabbage to cook for closer to 30 minutes, rendering quite a bit of liquid, then added in some chopped chicken sausage - tasted delightful !
Excellent, as often the case with Melissa Clark. Offers a good foundation for experimentation during cabbage season. Render fat from diced bacon and add the bacon in at the end for a crisp textural contrast. With bacon fat, you can omit crème fraiche or sour cream. Substitute 1/2 of the pasta with cubed turnip, rutabaga, or celery root for more fiber and lower carbs; 1/2” cubes cook in about the same time as the pasta.
I used the whole cabbage & 2 bunches of ramps to start; shells for pasta but only 220 g; whole bunch of dill, less gruyere & creme fraiche & it came out deliciously soupy & sweet & perfect for this changing weather.