Homemade Haluski (Fried Cabbage and Noodles)
This dish of hearty, homemade haluski (or Fried Cabbage and Noodles) features pan-fried cabbage, egg noodles, and onions sautéed in butter, making it pure comfort food. It’s the type of simple homestyle fare that makes bellies full and happy. Serve it as a side dish or, as we often do in our house, as a full meal, by adding in some kielbasa slices. This is a budget-friendly dish that your family will love. (And if you love cabbage recipes, also check out my recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Soup.)
Where I grew up, in the mountains of the coal and steel region of southwestern Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, we call this haluski (pronounced hal-oosh-sky). And in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region, it’s a very popular dish. No fair, food truck or celebration is complete without it. It is a dish of central and eastern European origins, mainly Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, German, and/or Hungarian traditions (although my Polish husband would probably call this kluski z kapusta). But it’s also a common Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, referred to simply as Fried Cabbage and Noodles.
And while other cooks in other parts of the world sometimes make their versions of this recipe with potato dumplings, Pittsburgh-style haluski is typically made with homemade or store-bought egg noodles, along with cabbage, caramelized onions, and lots and lots of butter. It’s seasoned simply with just salt and pepper, and maybe a dash of paprika. Add in some kielbasa, and/or some bacon to make it an even heartier meal. Plain, simple, and oh-so-delicious.
What are the ingredients for Haluski?
Butter – Use your favorite salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. This is a very unfussy recipe, and you can adjust the amount of salt to your liking when seasoning the dish.
Oil – I like to add a tablespoon of oil just to keep the butter from getting dark and burning. You can skip the oil and use all butter – just be careful not to burn it. You can use any kind of neutral-flavored oil, like avocado, grapeseed, or canola oil. Olive oil is also acceptable, but it may add a slight olive-oil flavor.
Onions – I prefer a yellow onion, but use whatever onion you like and have on hand.
Cabbage – A small to medium-sized head of green cabbage is what I use. Savoy cabbage will work, too. I’m not precise in my measurements here because the recipe is flexible. If you love cabbage or want to reduce the carbs, use fewer noodles and more cabbage. If you are more interested in buttered noodles, use more noodles and less cabbage.
Egg Noodles – If I’m not using my homemade egg noodles, I like to use store-bought wide egg noodles. Use a hearty noodle with a firm texture so that it holds up well in frying.
Kielbasa or Smoked Sausage (Optional) – Kielbasa makes this a hearty, complete meal. For a vegetarian dish, simply leave it out.
Cook’s Tips from My Kitchen
- Easy does it on the noodles—boil ’em just until tender. They’ll finish cooking when they cozy up with the cabbage.
- Save a splash of pasta water! About 1/4 cup does the trick to loosen things up if the dish feels a bit dry.
- Feeling creative? Toss in a handful of finely-diced green bell pepper for a little extra flavor (not traditional, but mighty tasty).
- Want to add some meat? Bacon or kielbasa make a fine addition:
- For bacon: Cook it first and set it aside. Use that good bacon grease to fry up your onions and cabbage. Add a pat of butter if it needs a boost, then crumble the bacon back in at the end.
- For kielbasa: Slice it and add it in when you fry the noodles. Sauté until golden brown.
- Like it creamy? A little scoop of cottage cheese or sour cream stirred in at the end gives it a comforting twist.
A Few Final Thoughts
Whether you’re serving this as a side dish or a hearty main meal, Haluski is simple, hearty fare that is guaranteed to please. You just can’t go wrong with cabbage and noodles! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do around here!
If you try this recipe for homemade Haluski, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate the recipe. It helps others discover it too!
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Homemade Haluski Recipe (Fried Cabbage and Noodles)
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings
Description
This comforting Homemade Haluski recipe brings together tender egg noodles, buttery caramelized cabbage, and savory onions in one cozy skillet dish.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon canola or other neutral-flavored cooking oil
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 1 small head of cabbage, cored and sliced or shredded
- 10–12 ounces of kielbasa or smoked sausage, sliced (optional)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 8 ounces egg noodles, cooked al dente
- Salt and pepper
- Dash of sweet or smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat. To the pan, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions and cook for 8-10 minutes or until they begin to soften and become lightly golden brown.
- Add shredded cabbage to the onions and toss to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the pan, reduce to medium-low, and cover with a lid. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-12 minutes (or until cabbage is tender-crisp), stirring occasionally.
- Remove lid from pan, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then toss cooked egg noodles with onions and cabbage mixture. If using kielbasa, add that at this time, too. Turn heat up to medium and allow everything to cook together for 8-10 minutes, giving everything a toss frequently. Be sure to adjust the heat so that everything gets golden brown and slightly crispy in places, but so that it does not burn. If the pan seems a bit dry, you can add a few more tablespoons of butter or a splash of water.
- Remove pan from the heat and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Inactive Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
I just found this recipe … had a similar recipe as an easy way to make the homemade pierogi my grandmother used to make !!!! Will try your recipe in the near future and let you know how much I enjoy it … thanks in advance for a great recipe !!!
Please let me know how it turns out! ❤️
I just found this recipe … had a similar recipe as an easy way to make the homemade pierogi my grandmother used to make❤️!!!! Will try your recipe in the near future and let you know how much I enjoy it … thanks in advance for a great recipe!!!!
Pierogi is amazing with halushki. We just had pierogi last night for supper! As a Polish and PA Dutch kid I approve this recipe ☺️
Yum! We love pierogi in our house, too!
Hi ! I also am a coal miner’s daughter, grew up in a small coal mining town in Southwestern Pa. My Mother would make this all the time, she always added Bacon. I make it now and have been doing so for years, we love it. I call it my “Hunky” food LOL
I love it with bacon, too! And I grew up in Latrobe and some days I really miss those southwestern PA coal mining towns. My dad and other family members still live there. I can’t wait to go back for a visit when things get back to normal again.
Hello! My mom was Polish but she never made this for us growing up…. so busy working and raising two of us alone. I have made this many times before myself but add a red bell pepper and I do use the bacon and a touch of cayenne as well. One of the best comfort foods in all the world!! I use the really wide Penn. Dutch egg noodles . I urge anyone to try this wonderful comfort food. Thanks for a keeper.
Red bell pepper and bacon – you can’t go wrong with that! And I agree that Penn Dutch egg noodles are excellent.
This is a frequent meal at my house, either as a side or with kielbasa as a whole meal with a salad. I too am from south of Pittsburgh, a cola miner’s daughter so it is always interesting when others aren’t familiar with dishes such as this and pepperoni rolls! Lol!
Oh, I love pepperoni rolls! I am sure that no one here where I live now in NC would know what that is. I might have to put a recipe up on the blog soon. Thanks for the great idea!
I love pepperoni rolls cabbage and noodles and Isleys BBQ chipped Ham. I live in Eastern North Carolina between Fayetteville and Raleigh. I used to live in the Greensburg Blairsville area. I still have a lot of family up there.
I recently moved from Asheville, NC to Greenville, SC, but I was raised in the western PA area. I grew up right down the road from Greensburg in Latrobe and then went to college near Blairsville at IUP. And I love all of those yummy foods, too! I miss the pepperoni rolls there!
This is so good!! I cooked the cabbage, onion, diced red bell pepper and shredded carrot in bacon grease. Seasoned with garlic and lemon pepper. Added diced cooked bacon at the end.
I am so happy you like it! The carrot, garlic, and lemon pepper sound like great additions!
I have been making this for over 31 years, tasting it for the first time after moving to central PA from New York in 1989. It is a very versatile recipe, though we usually just make it with noodles, cabbage and onions. When I was working, we used to have a ‘carb’ night at the hospital I worked at and this is one dish we had alot! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Carb night – I love it! This is definitely not a recipe for anyone watching their carbs! LOL
Hey Melissa
I’m like so many other gals out there that follow you a huge cabbage lover……….especially fried cabbage. I have not ever heard of this recipe, but I will try this tonight. It sounds so delicious and I can’t wait to try it.
Thank you so much for all of your great, awesome, recipes. I love getting them
Have a very happy weekend.
Donna Pollock
I am definitely a huge cabbage lover, too! I really hope you enjoy this recipe and thank you so much for your kind words. I’ll be putting out some more recipes soon, so keep a lookout for them. Hope you have a great weekend.
Oh this dish is so delicious I am a cabbage kid.. at heart anyway…
But please beware Take your gas extra whatever you’re using for gas before you eat !!!! .. by the way I’ve had this recipe or similar to it for years My wife’s from a coal mines and stuff up in West Virginia…..
You know up there where they ask you how come there’s not a screen door on a submarine….lololol..
Yes, cabbage does tend to have that effect. LOL. But it so good, it’s worth it. 🙂
If you add a bit of caraway seed that issue is fixed.
This was a awersome recipe will make it again. Thank You Melissa for your great receipes and ideas.
Cabbage and noodles is one of my favorite sides to make. I did not know there was a recipe for it. Thanks for sharing. I also grew up in Pennsylvania.
I think it’s one of those recipes that is more of an idea than a recipe because every cook makes it a little differently. And we love it as a side, too! Hope you have a great weekend!