12 minEasyToo late but worth it
The Tomato Toast We Keep Making Too Late
This is the thing we make after saying we are definitely not hungry anymore.
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Recipe · Late winter
Miso Butter Cabbage Noodles
Glossy, savory, and just a little sweet around the edges, with cabbage that turns jammy instead of dutiful.
25 minEasyComfortingCabbagePosted February 14, 2026
We first made this on a cold Saturday when we were supposed to leave the apartment for dinner and then absolutely did not. The cabbage was already cut, the butter was already out, and the miso jar was in the exact useful stage where you have to scrape the corners.
Now it is the thing we make when we want something that tastes like effort without actually requiring any.
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 8 ounces wavy noodles or spaghetti
- 1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Black pepper and flaky salt
Method
- 01
Boil the noodles in well-salted water until just shy of done. Keep a mug of the cooking water before draining.
- 02
While the noodles cook, melt the butter in a wide pan and let it foam for a minute. Add the cabbage and cook until wilted at the edges and glossy in the middle.
- 03
Whisk the miso, soy sauce, and rice vinegar with two tablespoons of noodle water. Pour it into the cabbage and stir until the pan looks shiny rather than watery.
- 04
Add the noodles and another splash of noodle water. Toss until everything is coated and the cabbage catches in the strands.
- 05
Finish with scallions, plenty of black pepper, and enough flaky salt to wake the butter back up.
What changes every time
- Sometimes we add a fried egg and pretend that makes this a different dinner.
- If the cabbage is looking tired, we let it go a little longer so the edges get sweet.
- A spoonful of chile crisp turns this into the version we make when we do not want to talk much.
Inspired by
Half pantry pasta, half okonomiyaki-adjacent cabbage craving, and one too many noodles eaten standing over the stove.
Pairs well with
- Cucumber salad with vinegar and sesame
- A cold beer if it is Friday, hot tea if it definitely is not
- The tiny bit of soft tofu left in the fridge
Keep cooking