Cabbage & Noodles with Bacon - 🇩🇪 Krautfleckerl - Cheerful Cook (2024)

Krautfleckerl is a rich, hearty fried cabbage and bacon noodle dish with ham and bacon.

Experience the warmth and comfort of a traditional German dish with this delicious fried cabbage and noodle recipe: crispy bacon, savory ham, caramelized cabbage and onions, tender pasta, and a hint of nutty Parmesan cheese.

Fried Cabbage and Noodles is a popular recipe that is known all over Eastern Europe. You'll find German, Austrian, Polish, Hungarian, and many other Eastern European variations of this recipe.

In Germany, we call this dish Krautfleckerl ('crowd-f-lack-earl' ... say that three times fast!). My friend Krisztina who grew up in Hungary, calls this recipe (or a variation) a traditional haluski recipe.

And as recipes go, this one falls under the 'Hausmannkost'. What is Hausmannskost, you ask? Traditional, rustic comfort food.

Why This Recipe Works

NOODLE LOVIN'- The egg noodles serve as a soft and chewy base, deeply satisfying every bite.

MEATY GOODNESS - Bacon and ham bring a salty, savory depth that balances the sweetness of the cabbage.

QUICK AND EASY - This dish comes together in about half an hour.

ONE-PAN WONDER - Everything is cooked in a single skillet, saving you time and making cleanup a breeze.

FLAVOR BOMB - With the addition of Parmesan cheese, you get a rich, umami kick that takes this dish to the next level.

Ingredients

Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.

EGG NOODLES - As the name suggests, egg noodles are always made with eggs. While there are many types of egg noodles, the ones we are looking for here are wide egg noodles. The good news is that they are easy to find, and you'll find them in the pasta section of most American supermarkets.

BACON - Whenever possible, I opt for thick-cut bacon. But you can choose whichever bacon you like best.

HAM - Look for a boneless smoked uncured ham steak.

ONION - I like sweet onions best.

GREEN CABBAGE - Look for a cabbage that feels heavy and has relatively few unblemished outer leaves. The leaves should also still be compact and not separate from the steam. A smaller head will be more tender than a larger head of cabbage.

PARMESAN - This is a bit of a substitution. Typically in Germany, we would often use cheeses such as Emmental or Bergkäse (mountain cheese) but also sometimes Parmesan. While you can find Emmental in larger grocery stores, it's often very expensive, and Bergkäse is almost impossible to find.

Thus Parmesan is something we'd definitely use in Germany, too, and this is why I wrote the recipe this way. And you can find Parmesan at reasonable prices in every supermarket.

If possible, stay away from pre-shredded parmesan. It's full of fillers and preservatives. Also, a block of parmesan is going to be more cost-effective and taste a lot better!

How To Make Fried Cabbage and Noodles (Krautfleckerl)

Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

1. Cook egg noodles, reserving one cup of pasta water, and set aside.
2. Cook bacon and ham in a skillet until almost crispy, then set aside.
3. In the same skillet, sauté onions in olive oil until soft and brown.
4. Add cabbage until wilted, then toss in bacon, ham, Parmesan, and noodles.

EXPERT TIP: If you want to enhance the flavor of cabbage, soak your shredded cabbage for one hour before cooking. This will make it sweeter.

Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Cabbage

• Quality cabbage will have no discolored outer leaves and will be heavy.
• The head is compact, and the leaves are not separate from the head.
• Look for cabbages that are on the smaller side, about 2 pounds. They are more tender.
• Cut the cabbage and store it in an air-tight container instead of storing the whole head of the cabbage.

SHREDDING CABBAGE

• Turn the cabbage upside down. First, cut it in half and then cut the halves into quarters.
• Put each quarter on its side and use a sharp knife to slice out the core. Shred the quarters by thinly slicing crosswise.

Leftovers

STORE- Place any leftovers in an airtight container to keep them fresh. Store the container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FREEZE- If you're thinking ahead, you can freeze this dish. Just put it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to one month.

REHEAT - When you're ready to dive back into this comforting meal, you have two options: Use the microwave or reheat it on the stove. If it's looking a bit dry, add a splash of water or broth to loosen things up.

More Easy Comfort Food Ideas

SHRIMP CARBONARA - scrumptious pasta recipe made with eggs, parmesan cheese, and bacon

BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC'N CHEESE - a delicious spin on a classic recipe

CHICKEN PARMESAN - find out why our readers love this recipe

GROUND BEEF TACO CASSEROLE - an easy recipe that's perfect for a quick midweek dinner the entire family will love

Please take a moment torate our Krautfleckerl recipebelow!