Hungarian Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles Recipe)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 10, 2025 
Hungarian Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles Recipe)- A traditional Polish and Hungarian dish made of sautéed Cabbage with Noodles with Bacon. Haluski (also called Kaposztas Kocka) is just the kind of comfort food I crave around the holidays.
Why We Love This Traditional Haluski Recipe
The holiday season is often a time we want to celebrate heritage and family traditions. This proves to be a little difficult for me, because I’m most certainly a mutt.
As far as I know, I’m a loose cocktail of Native American, English, French and who knows what else. So no distinct cultural traditions stand out.
Growing up in my house, we made up our own traditions around the holidays, instead of relying on those that came before us. I guess that is the American way…
However Lt. Dan has a strong Hungarian heritage, and I love to hear the stories his grandmother tells of their old country customs and special holiday dishes.
Being married to a Hungarian, I’ve casually adopted Hungarian as my cultural tie of choice, so many of the holiday dishes we make stem from Lt. Dan’s great-grandmother’s recipes.
What is Hungarian Haluski?
In years past we’ve made Hungarian Chicken Paprikas on Christmas Eve as our cozy meal to ring in the Christmas spirit.
Yet another Hungarian dish I’m very fond of, Haluski, is much simpler to make and oh so comforting. This traditional cabbage and noodle dish (also called Kaposztas Kocka) is so easy to prepare, takes no time at all, and requires just 5 ingredients… 6 if you want to garnish it.
With only egg noodles, cabbage, onions, garlic, and bacon you’ve got Haluski Cabbage and Noodles, a traditional Hungarian peasant dish, that is fit for a king.
It should be noted, although I think of this as a Hungarian recipe, because of who shared it with me, Cabbage and Noodles is a VERY popular dish in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and most of Eastern Europe. The are many variations with various names as well.
Best Haluski Recipe
Haluski Cabbage and Noodles is a simple main dish you can serve on its own this holiday season, or as a hearty side dish to a meaty main course. This no-frills Haluski Cabbage and Noodles is richly bathed in bacon grease, so it is the perfect companion to a roasted bird, braised pork, or even a thick juicy steak.
Do you know who else is passionate about their heritage?
The DeLallo family of DeLallo Foods!
This holiday season, DeLallo encourages you to get into the #SpiritofNatale with cozy family dishes and memorable meals! (Natale means Christmas in Italian.)
What Ingredients You Will Need
This haluski and fried cabbage recipe takes just a few ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Thick Cut Bacon – chopped
- Sliced Green Cabbage – only need about half a cabbage
- Medium Onion – sliced
- Minced Garlic Cloves
- Package DeLallo Egg Noodles – I used Pappardelle
- Chopped Parsley for Garnish
How To Make Hungarian Haluski
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water for later use.
Meanwhile, cut the cabbage and onion into quarters. Sliced into strips. Remove the thickest white sections of the cabbage and keep the thinner white and green layers.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute until crisp. Then add the cabbage and onions.
Saute for 5 minutes, then salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.
Once the cabbage is tender, toss the pasta in the skillet. Stir to mix and add a little of the reserved pasta water to help blend the flavors.
Taste for salt and pepper, then garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Serve warm.
Get The Full (Printable) Hungarian Haluski Cabbage and Noodles Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is haluski?
Haluski is a Hungarian dish that is made of thick, dumpling like noodles made with fried cabbage for a hearty and comforting dish!
How Long Will Leftovers Last In The Fridge?
This cabbage mixture can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
Can I Store Leftovers In The Freezer?
If you store it properly, you can freeze this recipe for 2 to 3 months. If possible, suction the air out of the container to prevent freezer burn inside the airtight container.
Can I Add Other Meats?
Of course, you can! Chicken, Kielbasa Sausage, Beef, or even meaty dumplings would all be great additions to this recipe.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by DeLallo Foods. All opinions are my own.
Looking for More Dinner Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Smoked Meatloaf
- Chicken Manchurian
- Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops
- Spinach Pie Recipe
- Nana’s Epic Chicken and Rice
- Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions
- Smoked Pork Loin (+ Tenderloin) Recipe
- Best Burnt Ends (Brisket) Recipe
Hungarian Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles Recipe)
Video
Ingredients
- 5 ounces thick cut bacon chopped
- 5 cups sliced green cabbage about half a cabbage
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8.8 ounces package DeLallo Egg Noodles I used Pappardelle
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water for later use.
- Meanwhile, cut the cabbage and onion in quarters. Sliced into strips. Remove the thickest white sections of the cabbage and keep the thinner white and green layers. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute until crisp. Then add the cabbage and onions. Saute for 5 minutes, then salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the garlic and saute another 5 minutes.
- Once the cabbage is tender, toss the pasta in the skillet. Stir to mix and add a little of the reserved pasta water to help blend the flavors. Taste for salt and pepper, then garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by DeLallo Foods. All opinions are my own.
Actually to make this authentic you need to add BROWNED butter at the end. There is also a potato halushki recipe where you use raw grated potatoes with egg and flour to make a very thick dough. Spoon this in small chunks into boiling water to cook about 5 minutes. Toss with the cabbage and brown butter! the best!
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, vegetable
shortening, and salt. 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes until baked thru-out.
You probably have fond childhood memories,
where you enjoyed having snacks with your friends.
My family has made this for years. We call it NBC noodles bacon cabbage.
My grandmother was quite young when she married. 13! And my 14 year old grandfather worked in coal mines. They were not Hungarian but considering a Jewish miners wife taught her to make latkes maybe a Hungarian miners wife taught her this?
i make this great dish, but, never thought of adding bacon to it !
I’ve never heard of putting bacon in haluski. I ate it very frequently as a kid, but neither my mom nor my grandma ever used bacon.
This prize is AMAZING. Thank you again!
Just made this tonight and served as a side dish to baked pork chops. Super delicious and decadent! I ended up using the entire cup of reserved liquid and letting the whole dish simmer together while waiting for the pork chops to finish baking. We will definitely be eating this again!
I love bar be q turkey
We always have a venison roast for Christmas eve.
Love those prizes and the recipe. I’ll have to try it sometime.
Waldorf Salad with all of the fixings!
this year i will be making corned beef & cabbage