Krautfleckerl is a traditional Austrian dish that features small square pasta noodles with caramelized cabbage and onions. The combination of tender pasta, flavorful sweet cabbage, and savory bacon creates a comforting and hearty dish that is family- and budget-friendly!
Ingredients
- White cabbage
- Noodles – traditionally short noodles called ‘Fleckerl’ are used in this dish but if you can’t get them where you live, you can use regular egg noodles, bowties, or orecchiette pasta (or any type of short noodles that you like).
- Onions and garlic
- Caraway seeds – there is not much seasoning in this dish and caraway seeds lend it a delicious and traditional flavor so try not to omit them.
- Sugar – we’re turning it into caramel to flavor the cabbage.
- Speck/bacon – this dish is usually vegetarian, with no meat added. Some Austrian recipes call for adding Speck (Austrian bacon) to this recipe and since I’ve tried that, it’s a must for me! But, you do you – you can keep this dish vegetarian if you wish!
- White wine – many Austrian recipes call for adding just water to the cabbage but I think adding wine is a much better idea. Wine has flavor and acidity that balances perfectly the richness of the dish and the sweetness of cabbage and onions. If you don’t have wine/don’t cook with wine, you can add just water or vegetable/chicken broth with a small amount of white wine vinegar (I’m not sure how much because I haven’t tested it, but I would start with 1 teaspoon and go from there).
- Parsley – adds flavor and a pop of color to this dish!
Krautfleckerl
What is the meaning of the name of this dish? Kraut means cabbage in German (Weißkraut is white cabbage) and Fleckerl is the name of the pasta used in this recipe and it means “small spots” (which resembles the shape of the pasta – take a look at the photo above).
You can also try a Polish version of this recipe – łazanki. They are made with sauteed cabbage, onions, pan-fried kielbasa sausage, and sauerkraut!
How to make it step-by-step
STEP 1: Prepare the ingredients: dice the bacon, dice the onion, and finely chop the garlic. Remove the core from the cabbage, remove a couple of outer leaves, then remove the thick stems of the outer leaves. Cut the cabbage into thin strips, then cut the strips into 1-inch (3cm) chunks (you can cut the cabbage into larger pieces but then it will cook longer).
(12 ounces (340g) thick-cut bacon, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 small head white cabbage, 2.2 lbs or 1 kg)
STEP 2: Cook the bacon: In a large pot (preferably thick-bottomed such as a Dutch oven), heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add bacon and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until browned. Transfer bacon to a plate.
(12 ounces (340g) thick-cut bacon)
STEP 3: Cook onions, garlic, and caraway seeds: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Add the onion and cook for 5-10 minutes or until very soft. Add garlic and caraway seeds, and cook for a minute. Transfer the onions with garlic to a plate.
(1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds)
STEP 4: Make caramel and add cabbage: Add sugar to the pot, and let cook undisturbed, over medium-low heat, until melted and golden in color. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. If the caramel breaks at any point, don’t worry, it will melt later while it cooks, just make sure to not burn it. Add the cabbage.
(3 tablespoons granulated sugar)
STEP 5+6: Cook the cabbage: Cook the cabbage over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until everything is well combined.
Add the white wine. Add the onions with garlic back to the pot. I’m reserving the bacon as a garnish because I like it crispy.
(1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine)
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. Check the cabbage every 5-10 minutes, stir it, and make sure it’s not burning. If it looks too dry add some water to the pot.
STEP 7: Cook pasta: While the cabbage is cooking, cook the pasta according to package instructions, until al dente (it should be soft but still has a bite to it). Drain the pasta and set aside.
(18 ounces (500g) small-sized pasta)
After 30 minutes the cabbage should be soft, if it’s not, cook it a little bit longer. If there is some liquid in the pot, cook it uncovered, stirring from time to time, until excess liquid is evaporated.
STEP 8: Assemble: Add the pasta, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and chopped parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until everything is warmed up.
(3 tablespoons chopped parsley)
Serve with crispy bacon bits on top.
Enjoy!
Storage
This dish stores very well. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in a pot until warm. You can store bacon separately and reheat it in the oven. You can store bacon together with pasta and reheat it together.
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Krautfleckerl (Austrian Noodles and Cabbage)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons frying oil divided
- 12 ounces (340g) thick-cut bacon or Speck if you can get it
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 small head white cabbage 2.2 lbs or 1 kg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine*
- 18 ounces (500g) small-sized pasta "Fleckerl" or egg noodles/bowties/orecchiette
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: dice the bacon, dice the onion, and finely chop the garlic. Remove the core from the cabbage, remove a couple of outer leaves, then remove the thick stems of the outer leaves. Cut the cabbage into thin strips, then cut the strips into 1-inch (3cm) chunks (you can cut the cabbage into larger pieces but then it will cook longer).12 ounces (340g) thick-cut bacon, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 small head white cabbage
- In a large pot (preferably thick-bottomed such as a Dutch oven), heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add bacon and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until browned. Transfer bacon to a plate.3 tablespoons frying oil
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Add the onion and cook for 5-10 minutes or until very soft. Add garlic and caraway seeds, cook for a minute. Transfer the onions with garlic to a plate.1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- Make caramel: Add sugar to the pot, and let cook undisturbed, over medium-low heat, until melted and golden in color. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the cabbage and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until everything is well combined. If the caramel breaks at any point, don't worry, it will melt later while it cooks, just make sure to not burn it.3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons butter
- Add the white wine. Add the onions with garlic back to the pot. I'm reserving the bacon as a garnish because I like it crispy.1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine*
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. Check the cabbage every 5-10 minutes, stir it, and make sure it's not burning. If it looks too dry add some water to the pot.
- While the cabbage is cooking, cook the pasta according to package instructions, until al dente (it should be soft but still has a bite to it). Drain the pasta and set aside.18 ounces (500g) small-sized pasta
- After 30 minutes the cabbage should be soft, if it's not, cook it a little bit longer. If there is some liquid in the pot, cook it uncovered, stirring from time to time, until excess liquid is evaporated.
- Add the pasta, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and chopped parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until everything is warmed up.3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Serve with crispy bacon bits on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Calories = 1 serving (1/4 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
- White wine – many Austrian recipes call for adding just water to the cabbage but I think adding wine is a much better idea. Wine has flavor and acidity that balances perfectly the richness of the dish and the sweetness of cabbage and onions. If you don’t have wine/don’t cook with wine, you can add just water or vegetable/chicken broth with a small amount of white wine vinegar.
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