Cabbage takes center stage in this comforting pasta

For my first column of 2026, I m sharing a pastarecipestarring cabbage, sausage and tomatoes. It s got all the things you could want at this time of y...

For my first column of 2026, I’m sharing a pasta recipe starring cabbage, sausage and tomatoes. It’s got all the things you could want at this time of year: comfort, nutrition and affordability.

The idea for this dish first came to me about a year ago, but for various reasons, I’m just sharing it with you now. Fortuitously, 2026 is what some are calling the year of the cabbage. (Perhaps I manifested this to be the case?) Pinterest has coined the trend "cabbage crush”: "The motto for 2026? Live, laugh, leaf. In the year ahead, Boomers and Gen X will say goodbye to their cauliflower obsession and crown cabbage the new kitchen MVP,” the social media company wrote in its predictions for the year. The company cites the vegetable’s cost, nutrition and nostalgia as reasons it will be the belle of the ingredient ball. (It’s a good source of fiber, which is also "in” for the year.)

While I’ve long adored the cruciferous vegetable, I’m excited about the prospect of more people falling in love with cabbage. Adding the brassica to pasta sauce might sound like some sort of gimmick or make you think I’ve lost my mind, but this recipe gives a glimpse of just how versatile cabbage can be.

It seems that the public, or at least those who shop at my local grocery store, might already be on board with celebrating and cooking cabbage. When shopping for ingredients to test this recipe a few weeks ago, I was aghast to discover the store was out of heads of cabbage. I’d never witnessed such an event. But in their absence, I stumbled upon bags of shredded cabbage elsewhere in the produce department - a happy accident that drastically reduced the already limited prep time.

This recipe starts by sautéing thinly sliced cabbage and onion in olive oil until softened and wilted, which brings outs the sweetness of the vegetables. Fennel seeds come along for the ride, too, their anise flavor complementing the cabbage while also boosting the fennel flavor of the sausage, which is added next. Garlic and canned crushed tomatoes are last to join the party, before bubbling and simmering away to allow the flavors to mix and mingle.