Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cabbage and White Beans

Ingredients

Pasta

• 250 g pasta (penne, rigatoni, or whatever shape is on sale)about half a standard box — undercook it slightly, it finishes in the oven

Vegetables

• ½ green cabbagehalf a medium head, cored and sliced into thin ribbons
• 1 yellow oniondiced
• 3 clove garlicminced

Pantry

• 1 can canned white beans (cannellini or great northern)drained and rinsed
• 1 can canned crushed tomatoesabout 400 g
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)optional, for a little warmth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepperto taste

Finish

• 150 g shredded mozzarellabuy a block and shred it yourself — it's cheaper and melts better
• 40 g grated parmesan or any hard cheeseskip if using a vegetarian-unfriendly brand; look for 'vegetable rennet' on the label

Steps

1. Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice the cabbage into thin ribbons, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and shred the mozzarella if you bought a block. Drain and rinse the beans.5 minDoing all the chopping first makes the rest feel easy.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes LESS than the package says. Drain it, reserving about half a cup of the pasta water.10 minUndercooking matters — the pasta keeps cooking in the oven and would otherwise turn mushy.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt and cook 4 minutes until soft. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring now and then, about 6 minutes, until wilted and lightly browned in spots. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes for 30 seconds.12 minDon't crowd-panic if the skillet looks full — cabbage shrinks a lot as it cooks.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beans, and the reserved pasta water. Simmer 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Fold in the drained pasta.4 minThe sauce should be loose and saucy — it thickens as it bakes.
5. Turn off the heat, scatter the mozzarella over the top, sprinkle with the parmesan, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top.Hands-off · 15 minNo oven-safe skillet? Transfer everything to a baking dish before adding cheese.
6. Let it rest 5 minutes before eating so the sauce sets.Hands-off · 5 minCools to the perfect temperature and holds together better for your lunch portion tomorrow.