Easy Polish Haluski (Fried Noodles and Cabbage)

Why We Love It

Super easy to throw together, Haluski is simply fried cabbage and noodles. I like to throw in some crispy bacon for added texture and flavor or a few slices of leftover kielbasa, or polish sausage, when we have it around. 

If you’re looking for a quick and inexpensive dinner to serve up your pickiest eaters, this is definitely what you need! It’s easy to modify and is even better when made with homemade egg noodles.

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Simple Ingredients To Get You Started

• Noodles – We prefer wide egg noodles when making haluski but you can use your favorite noodles, spaetzle or potato dumplings.
• Bacon – While I love bacon in my haluski recipe, you can leave it out for a vegetarian version. Substitute with olive oil or salted butter instead of bacon fat.
• Onion – A yellow onion or sweet onion will caramelize and add sweetness to this dish. You can omit the onion, if you prefer but it does give it a richer flavor.
• Cabbage – A head of cabbage looks like a lot but will cook down into a caramelized masterpiece. It’s an inexpensive way to bulk up dinner while sticking to your grocery budget.
• Seasoning – Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need but you can also add garlic powder, onion powder or even a bit of smoked paprika to level up the flavor profile.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

How To Make Haluski

A traditional Haluski recipe is made with homemade egg noodles but, to be honest, most times I just buy a bag to keep in the pantry for when my craving comes calling.

And if you want to skip the bacon, you can start the process for 3 tablespoons of butter.

1. To start your haluski, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions to al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the onion and cabbage to the skillet with the bacon grease, cooking until wilted over medium heat, approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add the cooked noodles and crisp bacon to the sautéed cabbage tossing to combine. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve immediately.

I like to sprinkle with a bit of garlic salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. If you want to level up your fried cabbage and noodles, stir in a cup of cottage cheese. You won’t regret it.

What is Polish Haluski?

Haluski is a regional dish originating in the Central and Eastern European territories. It’s a one pot dish of fried cabbage and noodles, which are usually broad or dumpling like, that are tossed butter.

They’re the national dish of Slovakia but this recipe leans more toward a Polish origin as it’s something my Polish family made a lot. 

This simple recipe is often served during the lenten season without bacon or kielbasa, or course, but we also enjoy it as a side dish for ham or other pork recipes.

How To Cut Cabbage for Haluski

1. To start, make sure you are using a very sharp knife. More kitchen accidents happen because of a dull knife.
2. First, set the cabbage core side down on a flat surface. Cut the cabbage in half through the core.
3. Lay one half of the cabbage, cut side down, on the cutting board and slice the cabbage into thin, ribbon like, slices starting from the top. 

I used the same method to slice my cabbage as I did for this fried cabbage recipe.

You can cut the cabbage up the day before and store in an airtight container refrigerated overnight to speed up the dinner process even more.

How To Store Leftovers

This Polish Haluski recipe makes a ton so leftover haluski is almost a certainty. You can store fried cabbage and noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze Haluski for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Press out all the air to avoid freezer burn.

What To Serve With Haluski

We love to serve our cabbage and noodles alongside a few kielbasa, it’s the perfect side dish! But it’s also amazing with our favorite Potato Pierogi recipe because it’s just a great way to enjoy a whole buffet from my childhood.

If you’re serving it as the main course, you can make some fresh sauteed green beans or Polish Potato Pancakes.

We also love it alongside this simple, yet flavor-filled, Baked Chicken Breast. It’s the fastest, easiest dinner ever and my little guy eats every single bite.

Tips for Making Haluski

• This recipe is best if made with green cabbage. Napa cabbage or other varieties of cabbage won’t hold up as well and may wilt down too much.
• Slice your cabbage thinly like ribbons for best results. This will also help your cabbage cook down more quickly.
• Be sure to use the butter called for in this recipe. Even though we’re using bacon, the butter adds to the true and authentic Haluski flavor.
• You can buy preshredded cabbage to make this recipe even faster but it will cook much more quickly because it’s sliced super thin for slaws and things like that.
• Want more flavor? Add some crushed garlic or ground sausage to pump it up a bit more.
• If you don’t have egg noodles, you can use any pasta you have on hand.