Cabbage is a shape-shifter among vegetables. Unlike kale, with its recognizable ruffle, or collards, which are always their leafy green selves, cabbage can transform in a cook’s hands. Slice it into crunchy slaw. Ferment it into bracing sauerkraut or kimchi. Broil it until charred and sweet. Simmer it into silky submission. Cabbage will be whatever you want it to be.

Recipe: One-Pot Cheesy Orecchiette With Cabbage and Paprika

And this time of year, I want it to be the foundation of a warming, weeknight-friendly one-pot pasta.

A note about one-pot pasta: It’s not necessarily easier than making pasta the usual way. Yes, you’ll have one fewer pot to wash, but plenty of classic recipes require only a pot and a skillet anyway. The real reason to love a one-pot pasta is its depth of flavor. When pasta cooks surrounded by aromatics and vegetables in broth instead of water, it absorbs every nuance, gaining character that you simply can’t replicate by tossing cooked pasta with a sauce. One-pot pastas are a way to bank flavor, to accumulate the richness of ingredients until, like Scrooge McDuck, you’re basically swimming in a wealth of deliciousness.

The key is choosing the right ingredients, ones that will release liquid and flavor as they simmer. Juicy vegetables are ideal to infuse the sauce. Add enough of them and your one-pot pasta becomes a one-pot meal.

In this recipe, I sauté the cabbage first along with some leeks, coaxing out sweetness through gentle caramelization. This soft tangle becomes the base of the dish. Vegetable or chicken broth instead of water deepens everything further, while salty, nutty Gruyère and tangy sour cream round out the sauce. A sprinkle of smoked paprika adds heat and complexity, and fresh dill (or whatever herbs you have), a pop of color and freshness.

You can use any short pasta here — rigatoni, penne, shells — just keep a close eye on it as it cooks. You want the pasta to be just tender, absorbing the flavorful liquid without turning mushy. If the pot threatens to dry out before everything is done, add a splash more broth or water. If there’s too much liquid at the end, let it simmer uncovered for a minute or two to evaporate.

The result is a comforting weeknight dish you’ll want to make again and again, especially as the weather stays cold. Cabbage will be there for you; cabbage, being cabbage, will always oblige.

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