Cabbage and noodles is a traditional Hungarian dish picked up by Ashkenazi Jews living there. For many, this is the ultimate comfort food. It’s simple, but don’t skimp on the cooking time. The key to this dish is the slow cooking of the cabbage—you want it to really break down and caramelize.

I’ve made this a pareve version, but for many people this dish needs to have butter to be authentic. Just replace the oil with butter. If you use salted butter, you may not need any additional salt, so taste first.

Ingredients

  • 1 large Spanish onion (or 2 smaller brown onions)
  • 1 small head green cabbage (use ½ if your cabbage is larger)
  • 4 tbsp. oil (or butter)
  • 12 oz. (350 grams) wide egg noodles
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Directions

  1. Slice the onion into very thin half rounds.
  2. Core the cabbage and slice very thinly.
  3. Heat a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add in the onions and oil. Saute for 5-10 minutes, then add the cabbage. Keep at medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low, cover pan, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to make sure it doesn’t stick.
  4. Cook the egg noodles. Drain but don’t rinse. Immediately mix the cabbage through the noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Some people add sugar to this dish, but I feel that the cabbage has enough sweetness when it’s cooked down properly.

Serves: 4-6