Krautfleckerl is a rich and hearty fried cabbage and noodles dish with ham and bacon. This rustic German recipe has all the elements of great comfort food: crispy bacon, cubed ham, soft onions, cabbage, tender pasta, and a hint of nutty Parmesan cheese.
Krautfleckerl is also known as Haluski all over Eastern Europe. The two dishes are very similar. In Germany, this recipe is called Krautfleckerl ('crowd-f-lack-earl' ... say that three times fast!).
And as recipes go, this one falls under the 'Hausmannkost'. What is Hausmannskost, you ask? Traditional, rustic, and comforting family food.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Egg Noodles
- 6 pieces Bacon, sliced
- 1 cup Ham, diced
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 large Onion, sliced
- 4 cups Cabbage, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan, shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
How To Make It
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water.
- Cook bacon and ham until crispy. Remove the bacon and ham with a slotted spoon but keep bacon grease and add olive oil.
- Add the onions and cook until soft and brown in the bacon fat and olive oil.
- Add the cabbage to the onions and cook until wilted.
- Toss in bacon, ham, parmesan cheese, and cooked pasta. Toss until warm over medium heat. If the pasta looks a little dry, add a little of your reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper.
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 separating from the head.
- Look for cabbages that are on the smaller side, about 2 pounds. They are more tender.
- Cut the cabbage and store in an air-tight container instead of storing the whole head of 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 large knife to slice out the core. Shred the quarters by thinly slicing crosswise.
More Easy Comfort Food Ideas
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Mac 'n Cheese
- Ultra Cheese Chicken Parmesan
- Ground Beef Taco Casserole
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Krautfleckerl
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 6 slices bacon sliced
- 1 cup smoked ham diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 large onion thinly sliced
- 4 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- ½ cup parmesan grated
Instructions
- Cook and drain the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost crispy. Add the diced ham and cook until it begins to crisp. Use a slotted spoon and remove ham and bacon from the skillet. Set aside.
- Keep the bacon and ham fat in the skillet and add olive oil. Add onions into the skillet, stir occasionally, cover with a lid and sauté for 15 minutes on medium-low heat. The onions should be soft and brown.
- Add the cabbage and sauté until it wilts about 5-8 minutes.
- Add bacon, ham, parmesan cheese, and egg noodles. Toss over medium heat for one minute. If the pasta looks too dry, add a small amount of reserved pasta water. Serve and enjoy.
