Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles

An enameled cast iron pan filled with a combination of egg noodles and sliced cabbage sautéed in butter and a wooden spoon on the counter.

5 from 2 votes

Our recipe for Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles (Káposztás Tészta) is a versatile comfort food side dish made by combining cabbage sautéed in butter with wide egg noodles.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Hungarian, Polish

Servings: servings

Author: Lynne Webb

Ingredients

12 ounces broad egg noodles
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 medium onion thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 head cabbage thinly sliced (6 to 8 cups)
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half-and-half (may substitute light cream)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large, shallow casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the egg noodles and prepare them according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While the egg noodles cook, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add about 1/3 of the sliced cabbage to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes.
Repeat this process two more times with the remaining cabbage, being sure to season to taste each time.
Once all the cabbage is wilted, continue cooking, stirring often, until lightly caramelized. The total cooking time on the cabbage should be about 25 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom, and taste once more for seasoning.
Stir in the half-and-half and cook for 1 minute longer, then combine the cabbage mixture with the cooked egg noodles and combine well. Taste one more time for seasoning, and add a few generous grinds of black pepper if desired.
Transfer the noodles to the prepared casserole. Cover tightly and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover the casserole and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, then serve.

Notes

Popular Recipe Variations: Give this recipe your unique spin by trying one of the following common ingredient additions:

Bacon: Cut a few strips of bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towels and reserve the bacon bits until you’re ready to combine the cabbage and noodles before baking. For added flavor, leave a little bacon fat in the pan when you begin sautéing the onion.
Smoked sausage: If you’d like some added garlic flavor, consider adding some diced smoked sausage. Polish kielbasa is a good choice. Just dice a single link, sauté until browned, add your butter, and proceed with sautéing the onion and cabbage according to the recipe.
Sour cream: If you’d like a creamier version of these cabbage noodles, try stirring in some warmed sour cream after baking. You might want to add a bit of sweet Hungarian paprika too.
Caramelized onions: If you’re a fan of the sweet flavor of caramelized onions (and who isn’t), triple the amount of onion called for in the recipe. Using half the butter called for, sauté them over medium-low heat until nicely caramelized. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon before adding the remaining butter and sautéing the cabbage. Combine all before baking.
Make it Italian-style: We’ve modified our recipe for Hungarian cabbage and noodles and made an Italian-inspired version that uses pasta (cavatappi, to be precise) instead of egg noodles, along with Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme, and a generous helping of garlic. Sound good? Check out our recipe for Parmesan Pasta With Cabbage and Thyme.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Leftover Tips

Hungarian cabbage noodles are one of those dishes that actually taste better reheated. You can make them up to the point of baking, refrigerate them for up to two days, then bake them before serving. You'll need to add about 10 minutes to the baking time to compensate for having been refrigerated.

Fully cooked, leftover cabbage noodles will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. They taste best when reheated in the oven, tightly covered at 325°F for 30 to 45 minutes (depending on the quantity), but the microwave does a perfectly acceptable job as well. We recommend using 70% power and stirring them often for even heating.

Nutrition