Last Updated on 21/01/2025 by Adina
Hungarian cabbage and noodles, also known as haluski, Krautfleckerl, or Kaposztas Testzta, is a buttery noodle dish served with sour cream and is the definition of comfort food.
This recipe for Hungarian cabbage and noodles is my go-to when I have leftover cabbage in the fridge. Cabbage is a staple in my kitchen - I often buy large heads, using the outer leaves for dishes like Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls. Even after preparing dishes such as Turmeric Cabbage or Stewed Cabbage, I typically have enough cabbage left.
What is haluski?
I’ve seen this cabbage and noodles recipe under both Hungarian and Polish names. In old Transylvanian Saxon cookbooks, it’s called Krautfleckerl. I thought it was Romanian for a long time because everyone seems to know it, and it appears in almost every Romanian cookbook I’ve encountered.
Its origins are unclear - both Hungarians and Poles claim it as their own. The dish is incredibly popular across Eastern Europe and loved by so many. It’s delicious, made with just a few simple ingredients, and very affordable. Unlike many recipes I’ve seen online, traditional haluski is mostly a vegetarian dish.
Try more Hungarian recipes: Pork and Potato Stew, Pull-Apart Yeast Cake, or Langos.
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Recipe ingredients
Cabbage: You will need white or green cabbage, about a quarter of a large head or half a small one, about 1.8 lbs/ 800 g.
Wide egg noodles: You can make the dish with something like tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fleckerl. Just make sure they’re wide.
Butter: Use real butter, not low-fat varieties or spreads. Both salted and unsalted butter work - just adjust the amount of salt in the dish.
Herbs: Dried savory is my top choice for making this haluski recipe. It’s one of the most commonly used herbs in our region (besides parsley) and pairs perfectly with cabbage dishes. I always use it generously when making Romanian Sarmale.
- If you can’t find savory (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab), thyme is a good alternative. I also find that Greek oregano (which I brought back from Greece) has a very similar flavor and fragrance. You can also add some caraway seeds if you like them; I love them!
Sour cream and lots of dill to serve. Smetana is a type of sour cream commonly used in Eastern European cuisines. It's rich, creamy, and slightly tangy, and it's often used in soups, sauces, or as a topping. Check out more recipes using it: Romanian Papanasi or Garlic Sour Cream Sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Hungarian cabbage and noodles?
How to cut cabbage into strips?
- Use a large, sharp knife, like a chef's knife. Start by removing the outer leaves of the cabbage and quartering it.
- Remove the core by cutting in a V shape around it.
- Slice the quarters into long, thin strips. If the quarters are very large, you can halve them crosswise in the middle before slicing to ensure the strips aren’t excessively long.
Step #1: Cook the diced onion in melted butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven until it becomes translucent.
Step #2: Add the shredded cabbage and stir well. If it doesn't fit, start with half, stirring until it reduces in volume, then add the rest. Stir in sweet paprika powder and thyme or savory, then add a little water.
Step #3: Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 20–30 minutes or until the fried cabbage reaches your desired tenderness. Stir every 5–6 minutes.
Step #4: Add the cooked egg noodles, lots of butter, and a bit of the pasta’s cooking liquid if the dish seems dry. Adjust the taste with plenty of salt and black pepper.
Cook the noodles in a large pot of water according to the package directions while the cabbage is cooking. When you drain the noodles, keep about ½ cup/ 125 ml of the cooking liquid.
Good to know!
Stir the cabbage every 5 minutes while cooking. Don’t worry if it catches slightly on the bottom of the pan; this adds flavor. It should caramelize a bit and develop deep brown spots, but avoid burning.
Liquid: Keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally, and add a small amount of water only if necessary. The cabbage will release enough liquid to cook itself if the lid stays on and steam doesn’t escape.
You can also add bacon by cubing it and frying it with the onions before adding the cabbage.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate leftover Hungarian cabbage noodles in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.
Reheat in a non-stick pan, adding a little extra butter. It’s best to reheat leftovers that haven’t been mixed with sour cream, but if they have, you can still do it.
The dish isn’t ideal for freezing; while you can freeze it, I find the texture doesn’t hold up well after thawing.
How to serve Hungarian haluski?
Hungarian cabbage and noodles are served with a generous dollop of sour cream and plenty of dill, adding a creamy and flavorful touch to the dish.
We usually enjoy it as a filling and delicious main meal, often paired with a green salad. As shown in the photographs, we also served it with fried turkey liver, freshly bought from a local poultry farmer last week. While optional, the liver was a fantastic addition to the cabbage noodles.
You can serve Hungarian noodles and cabbage as a side dish for kielbasa sausages, air fryer bone-in pork chops, Romanian meatballs, beef roulades, cast-iron chicken thighs, roasted half chicken, Lecso - Hungarian Pepper Stew, and so on.
Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles - Haluski
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 1.8-2 lbs cabbage white or green, 800 – 900 g, Note 1
- 1 lb egg noodles 450 -500 g, Note 2
- 1 medium onion
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme or savory
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream or smetana to serve, 250 g, Note 3
- 1 small bunch of dill to serve, chopped, optional but great
Instructions
- Chop: Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, then quarter it and remove the core. Slice the quarters into long, thin strips. If the quarters are large, you can halve them crosswise before slicing to avoid excessively long strips. Chop the onion finely.1.8-2 lbs cabbage/ 800-900 g
- Sauté: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pot. Cook the onion for a few minutes until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir well. If the cabbage doesn’t fit in the pot at first, add only half and stir for a few minutes until it reduces in volume. Then, add the remaining cabbage. Stir fry the cabbage for about 4 minutes.2 tablespoons butter + 1 medium onion
- Stir in sweet paprika powder and thyme or savory; stir for 1 minute.1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + 1 teaspoon thyme
- Simmer cabbage: Add about ⅔ cup/ 150 ml of water. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked to your liking, stirring every 5-6 minutes. Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Be generous with the salt, taste several times and add more if necessary.1 teaspoon sugar + 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Cook the noodles while the cabbage is cooking. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt generously and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles, reserving about ½ cup/ 125 ml of the cooking liquid.1 lb egg noodles / 450-500 g
- Combine haluski: Add the noodles and the remaining butter to the cabbage pot and stir well. If the dish seems too dry, add some reserved pasta water.2 tablespoons butter
- Serve: Sprinkle with chopped dill and serve with a generous sour cream or smetana dollop.1 cup sour cream + 1 small bunch of dill
Notes
- Cabbage: This amount is about ½ of a medium cabbage or ¼ of a large one.
- Wide egg noodles: You can use tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fleckerl for this dish - just ensure they’re wide.
- Smetana is a rich, tangy sour cream used in Eastern European cuisines.
Georgi says
Definitely going to making this one more regularly for my kids, who love noodles and cabbage. What's the difference between Smetana and Sour cream? I always thought it was a direct translation for sour cream.
Adina says
Smetana is the Eastern European version, it's really thick and has about 30% fat. Tastes a bit less sour than sour cream.
Linda says
My mother in law made this with Nokedli (small size) instead of noodles. Great both ways.
Bob LOETSCHER says
How much paprika and thyme?
Adina says
Hi Bob. I use them to taste, I'd say about 1 teaspoon of each.
Leesy says
Absolutely delicious!! Every time I make stuffed cabbage I make a version of this with the left over cabbage… I really enjoyed this recipe and it’s now in my “go-to” side dishes file!
Adina says
Super! So happy to hear it.
Eve says
Delicious! I served it with the liver as you suggested and everyone loved it. My husband is Romanian and it made him think of his bunica.
Adina says
I am so glad to hear it, Eve! Thank you.
Billy says
This looks delicious and hearty! I can't wait to try making this at home. Thanks so much for sharing!
Adina says
You're welcome, Billy. 🙂
mjskitchen says
My mother made a southern dish similar to this but I don't remember the cabbage. That really makes this dish so much better in both taste and nutrition. Great recipe for a quick meal. Thanks!
Karly says
Okay, YUM. This looks so yummy- perfect for a cold winter night in with the fam!
Evi @ greenevi says
This is one of my favorite comfort foods ever, so so so good! Never tried will dill though, must be an amazing addition 🙂
Roland says
And you have to try it with the liver. I normally really don´t like liver, but in this case it fits really nice to the cabbage noodles.