A shallow bowl of glossy twirled pasta streaked with golden-brown cabbage ribbons, scattered with toasted pecans, emerald scallions, crunchy amber breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and flecks of red pepper for vivid contrast.

Charred Cabbage Pasta with Pecans, Scallions & Hot Honey Breadcrumbs

Category Main Course
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Style Southern American
Technique Boiling
Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: April 12, 2026

This pasta takes a Southern-inspired pantry in a less expected direction: silky noodles tossed with smoky charred cabbage, buttery pecans, lemon, scallions, and a little hot honey heat. It nods to braised greens, skillet suppers, and the sweet-savory edge Southern cooking does so well, while staying bright and spring-friendly with tender green cabbage and fresh herbs.

Ingredients (for 2)

Preparation

  1. Step 1 - 🍝💧🧂
    Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti or bucatini until just shy of al dente, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
  2. Step 2 - 🥘🍯✨
    While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and a small pinch of kosher salt, then cook until golden and crisp. Stir in the honey, hot sauce, and a pinch of smoked paprika until lightly glazed, then transfer to a bowl.
  3. Step 3 - 🌰🔥👌
    In the same skillet, toast the chopped pecans over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside with the breadcrumbs.
  4. Step 4 - 🥬🍳🔥
    Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the shredded cabbage with a good pinch of kosher salt, let it sit for 2 minutes, then toss and cook until wilted and browned at the edges.
  5. Step 5 - 🧄🧈🌶️
    Add the scallion whites, sliced garlic, remaining smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add 2 tbsp butter and let it melt into the cabbage.
  6. Step 6 - 🧀🍋🍝
    Lower the heat to medium. Add the drained pasta, 1/3 cup pasta water, cheddar, Parmesan, lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper. Toss well until the cheese melts into a glossy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed.
  7. Step 7 - 🥄🌿✅
    Taste and adjust with more kosher salt, lemon juice, or hot sauce if needed. Fold in half of the scallion greens and half of the chopped parsley.
  8. Step 8 - 🍽️🌰🌿
    Twirl the pasta into shallow bowls. Top with the hot honey breadcrumbs, toasted pecans, remaining scallion greens, remaining parsley, extra lemon zest, and more red pepper flakes if you like.
  9. Step 9 - 😋🔥⏰
    Serve immediately while the pasta is glossy and the topping stays crisp.

Additional

If you want to lean even more spring-forward, add a handful of peas with the pasta at the end. For extra Southern character, swap pecans for candied spiced pecans or add a pinch of cayenne. Kids can help tear parsley, zest the lemon, and sprinkle the crunchy topping over the bowls right before serving.