If you're looking for an Italian Cabbage Recipe to trump all other cabbage recipes, this is it! Braised cabbage in tomato, white wine sauce with crispy pancetta and cannellini beans.

Looking for more delicious vegetable recipes? Try our Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salador Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad with Pancetta!

A Quick Look at The Recipe

✅Recipe Name: Italian Cabbage Recipe
⏲️Ready in: 45 minutes
👪Makes: 8 servings
📋Main ingredients: Cabbage, pancetta, cannellini beans.
⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: This is a flavorful way to make a tender cabbage braised in a delicious white wine and tomato sauce!

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Why This Recipe

I always HATED cabbage growing up. We had it once a year on St. Patrick's Day. Boiled cabbage with peppercorns. If the cabbage wasn't bad enough, it had to come with those little black peppercorns. If my mom added enough butter, I was able to tolerate it, but I always remember it being a struggle.

My wife has this specific ability to take things I hate and make me like them. Trader Joe's, natural peanut butter, and now, cabbage. She started working on a recipe like this one, and I love it. Braising these tough vegetables, like Italian Lacinato Kale, makes them so much more delicious than how they otherwise might be served.

I think this is one of the most versatile side dishes we have on our website. It's not only a side dish, but it could absolutely be the main meal. It's so filling and healthy and is a great side any time of the year.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Pancetta. I always buy Boar's Head pancetta and chop it up myself. I find that the already chopped-up stuff is always too small and has a weird texture.
Cannellini Beans. You could potentially substitute white northern beans or fava beans, like in our Stewed Italian Broad Beans (Fava Beans).
Calabrian Peppers. Substitute crushed red pepper for the Calabrian peppers. I would suggest 1 tablespoon of red pepper for every 2 tablespoon of Calabrian peppers. I made the mistake of using both in one of the recipe development sessions, and it was definitely too spicy.
White Wine. I have substituted chicken broth for this, and it works perfectly fine.
Fennel. You can't leave the fennel out. Some people are averse to fennel, but it is such an important flavor in the recipe. I wouldn't recommend this dish without it. Use a little less fennel if necessary, or if you really like fennel, add a little bit of fennel at the end of cooking to add an extra layer of flavor.
Green Cabbage. Savoy cabbage would be a great alternative in braised cabbage recipes.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

How to Make Italian Cabbage

It is such an easy recipe, but it takes a little time to cook and wilt the cabbage. I recommend using a dutch oven over a standard pot, just because it keeps the heat so well.

Step 1: Place the chopped pancetta in the cold Dutch oven and raise the heat to medium. Fry the pancetta until golden brown, as shown above, about 8 minutes once hot. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside.

Step 2: Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the onions to the pot. Don't stir them. Let them sit for 3 minutes to develop a slight brown char.

onions sauteed with garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper

Step 3: Once the onions are starting to change color, stir them and add in the garlic, crushed red pepper, and the fennel. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes.

Step 4: Make a space to add the tomato paste and place it directly on the hot surface of the dutch oven, not on top of the onions. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir throughout. Add the Calabrian peppers and combine everything.

Step 5: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan.

Step 6: Add in the cabbage and stir to combine with the white wine. Lower the heat to medium-low. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cover for 20 minutes. Open and stir every 5 minutes. If necessary, add a ¼ cup of water at a time if the liquid completely evaporates.

Braised cabbage with beans and pancetta.

Step 7: After 20 minutes, the cabbage should have softened. Cover for an extra 5 minutes if necessary. Stir in the cannellini beans and pancetta. Let the beans and pancetta warm up for about 5 minutes.

Serve hot with Italian Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin or the PERFECT Cast Iron Chicken Breast!

Pro-Tips

Char the onions first to add a sweet and smoky flavor to the dish.
Caramelize the tomato paste directly in the pan for a few minutes to develop the caramelized sweet flavor of the tomato.
Deglaze the pan to scrape the brown bits from the charred onion and caramelized tomato paste on the bottom of the pot.
Depending on the size of the cabbage, the time covered may need to be longer. The cabbage should be fork-tender.

What to Serve with Italian Braised Cabbage

Italian cabbage would go great on the side of some Crispy Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Francese, or The BEST Chicken Piccata.
Pasta always needs more vegetables, so serve your Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil,Creamy Red Pepper Pasta, or Spaghetti Carbonara with some of this!
Serve along with an Italian Pork Roast and Fennel and Potato Au Gratin.
If you end up having it as a full meal, then you might have some leftover room for our Pistachio Cream Tiramisuor White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.

Italian Cabbage FAQs

What is the difference between savoy and Napa cabbage?

Savoy cabbage is similar to green cabbage but milder and sweeter, while napa cabbage is an oblong shape, a Chinese variety of cabbage, and much more delicate, which means it cooks a lot faster.

Why add the tomato paste directly to the dutch oven when braising cabbage?

Adding the tomato paste to the hot dutch oven lets it caramelize faster and develop an intense tomato flavor. This will translate into a less bitter flavor in the cabbage.

Do I have to use pancetta in Italian braised cabbage?

No! You can use no meat if you'd like. But I prefer it with a little meat for the protein. I'd also use Italian sausage in place of the pancetta, or in addition to it!

Can this be made in advance?

This Italian Cabbage Recipe is great to make in advance. It is one of those recipes that even tastes better the next day. If you make it in advance, just warm it up in a pan or dutch oven on medium heat until hot throughout!