Vietnamese Pasta with Cabbage Recipe

I love pasta, and although I adore my Italian pasta recipes, there are times I crave the flavors–and healthiness–of Asian cooking. Enter Vietnamese Pasta with Cabbage. It has all of the satisfying flavors and textures of pasta while packing in the green veggies, such as cabbage and bean sprouts. If you prefer gluten free, use rice noodles in place of the traditional thin spaghetti.

I had a friend in Dallas who owned an upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant in Dallas, and she created her version of a Vietnamese Pasta with Cabbage a few decades ago as a side dish to Chilean Sea Bass. I’m sure my version is nothing like hers, as both time and distance have faded my memory. But I recently recreated it and was quite pleased with the result.

You use an ordinary package of thin spaghetti–or even a thin spinach spaghetti–which is then combined with a host of vegetables, such as cabbage, bean sprouts, green onions, and water chestnuts. Instead of a meal for five that you would get with regular pasta, this can now feed eight to ten people. (Or you will have leftovers for days, which in my humble opinion, is a good thing.)

You can serve this as a side dish with fish or you can top it with your favorite protein, such as sauteed shrimp or grilled chicken breast. When I made the batch pictured above, my husband was trying his hand at Asian-seasoned ground beef. We sprinkled some of the Asian ground beef on top of the Vietnamese Pasta with Cabbage and it was true harmony.

I’ve substituted other nuts for the peanuts if I didn’t have peanuts on hand, but I must confess that I like peanuts much more than other nuts. The nuts and water chestnut give it a satisfying crunch. If you’re allergic to nuts, you may just want to add more water chestnuts or add the bean sprouts at the end so they stay crunchy.

This recipe may need other substitutions, as you might not be able to get all of the ingredients in your area, especially during the COVID-19 Quarantine of 2020, when I am writing this. Here are some easy substitutions & additions:

• ​Fresh bean sprouts—substitute with canned bean sprouts or shredded carrots
• Fresh ginger—substitute with 1 tsp. Ground Ginger
• Peanuts—substitute with almonds
• Additions: Mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli

1 pound thin spaghetti
3.5 Tbsp. Sesame oil, divided
1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced and then diced
5-6 green onions, diced
3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds
​2 8-ounce cans water chestnuts, diced
​3 cups fresh bean sprouts
Lime wedges for garnishSauce:
1 lime, both zest and juice
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1-2 tsp. chili paste (to taste)
1-2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Break thin spaghetti noodles into thirds and cook according to package directions. You can use 8 ounces of rice noodles instead but I prefer te gluten with this recipe.

In a wok or large skillet, add 2 Tbsp. sesame oil. When oil is hot, add cabbage and 1 Tbsp. each of Soy Sauce & Fish Sauce. Stir occasionally until cabbage is soft.

Zest lime and then squeeze juice. Add other ingredients for sauce. Depending on your spice tolerance, add more or less to taste. Set aside.

Add bean spouts, green onions, water chestnuts, peanuts and cilantro to cabbage. Saute for about 2 minutes. Drain pasta and add to cabbage mixture. Add sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes. When ready to serve, remove from heat and add final 1 1/2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil. Stir until well combined.

Garnish with lime wedges, additional cilantro and additional peanuts.

This spicy pasta begs for an acidic fruity wine, such as a fruity Pinot Grigio or a Gewurztraminer. You can even pair it with an Italian Prosecco if you feel like sparkling wine.