Pittsburgh Haluski (Buttery Fried Cabbage and Egg Noodles with Bacon)

Why you’ll love it

• Sweet, buttery cabbage: slow browning turns plain cabbage rich and caramelized.
• Budget-friendly: a head of cabbage, noodles, onion and bacon feed six for about $1.60 a serving.
• Side or supper: perfect next to pork or sausage, or as a meatless main without the bacon.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the haluski

• 12 oz (340 g) wide or extra-wide egg noodles
• 6 slices thick-cut bacon (about 6 oz / 170 g), chopped
• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg), cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces (about 12 cups)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more for the pasta water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika (optional)
• 1/4 tsp caraway seeds (optional)

For serving

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or dill
• Sour cream (optional)

Step-by-step method

1. Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking water, drain the noodles and toss them with 1 tablespoon of the butter so they do not stick.

2. Crisp the bacon. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer it with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan and discard the rest.

3. Cook the onion. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the onion to the drippings and cook, stirring often, until soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Fry the cabbage. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cabbage in two batches, letting the first batch wilt a little before adding the second, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes and letting the cabbage sit in between so it browns, until it is tender, sweet and golden at the edges.

5. Season. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the pepper and the paprika and caraway, if using, and stir until the butter melts.

6. Toss with the noodles. Add the noodles and half of the bacon and toss gently over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until hot. If it looks dry, add a splash of the reserved cooking water. Taste and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and more pepper as needed.

7. Serve. Transfer to a serving dish, top with the remaining bacon and the parsley and serve hot, with sour cream on the side if you like.

How to know it is done

The cabbage is ready when it has cooked down to about a third of its original volume, is soft and silky with no raw crunch, looks slightly translucent and has plenty of golden-brown edges. It should taste sweet, not sharp. The noodles should be hot, glossy with butter and evenly mixed with the cabbage, with a few lightly toasted bits from the pan.

Tips for the best result

• Do not rush the cabbage; the slow browning is where all the flavor comes from.
• Use your widest, deepest pan so the cabbage fries instead of steaming.
• Undercook the noodles slightly, because they finish cooking in the skillet.
• Season carefully at the end, since the bacon adds salt.
• Be generous with black pepper; it is the classic seasoning for haluski.

Variations and substitutions

• With kielbasa: brown 14 oz (400 g) sliced smoked kielbasa after the bacon and add it with the noodles for a hearty one-pan dinner.
• Vegetarian: skip the bacon, use 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter in total and add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.
• Traditional dumplings: use small homemade potato or flour dumplings (halušky) or frozen gnocchi instead of noodles.
• Cottage cheese style: fold in 1 cup (225 g) small-curd cottage cheese at the end, as many Polish and Slovak families do.
• Garlic lovers: add 3 minced garlic cloves with the last batch of cabbage.

Make ahead

You can cook the cabbage and onion mixture up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. When you are ready to serve, reheat it in a large skillet with a little butter, cook the noodles fresh and toss everything together with the bacon.

Storage and reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a small piece of butter or a splash of water, stirring, until hot (165°F / 74°C), or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts. Freezing is not recommended because the noodles turn mushy.