Łazanki – Polish noodles with cabbage, kiełbasa, and mushrooms

Łazanki is a Polish dish consisting of noodles, sauerkraut, sauteed cabbage, mushrooms, and kiełbasa (Polish sausage). It’s comforting, filling, and flavorful!

Polish Łazanki

Łazanki is the name of this dish and also the name of this particular type of noodles. You can hear here how it is pronounced.

Łazanki vs haluski

This dish is often called haluski, halusky, or halushki – it’s Slovak name of a similar dish. The Polish name is one and only “łazanki”.

While researching this recipe I found out that there are many ways to make it:

1. When googling the recipe in Polish, most recipes call for sauerkraut, kielbasa, and mushrooms (no fresh cabbage).
2. When googling the recipe in English, many recipes call for sauteed white cabbage.
3. A mix of sauerkraut and fresh white cabbage
4. Some people make it even with young fresh white cabbage.
5. Vegetarian version: with sauerkraut and mushrooms (it’s served for Christmas).
6. Vegetarian version with fresh white cabbage and mushrooms (some people that I talked to were even surprised with adding kielbasa to this dish).

Kielbasa and mushrooms were pretty constant in most recipes, though.

I must admit I don’t remember this dish very fondly from my childhood so I went on a quest to find the best possible recipe. I’ve made three batches of lazanki and tested them side by side because that’s truly the only way to test which version of a dish is the best.

I’ve made one batch with just sauerkraut, another with just sauteed white cabbage, and a third version with sauerkraut and fresh cabbage. All three versions had mushrooms, kielbasa, onions, and noodles.

The version with a mix of both types of cabbage was hands down – THE BEST. The combo of sweet sauteed caramelized cabbage and sour sauerkraut, crunchy mushrooms, sweet onions, spices, and noodles is simply IRRESISTIBLE.

You can also check out the Austrian version of this dish – Krautfleckerl. This dish is also made with pasta, caramelized fresh cabbage, and onions. It’s served with crispy Speck (Austrian bacon).

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this delicious dish:

• Lazanki noodles or other small pasta type such as small shells or bow ties. Lazanki noodles are small flat noodles made from egg pasta dough.
• Meat – smoked Polish sausage (kiełbasa) is most often used. But sometimes thick-cut smoked bacon, smoked pork ribs or any kind of leftover meats are being added.
• Fresh white cabbage.
• Sauerkraut (or kapusta kiszona in Polish) which is fermented white cabbage. Try to buy sauerkraut that is naturally fermented, not mixed with vinegar. The list of the ingredients should include only sauerkraut and salt. It tastes SO MUCH better than the one with vinegar. For more recipes with sauerkraut, see this recipe for sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi. Sauerkraut is being cooked to soften with allspice berries, bay leaves and caraway seeds but you can omit them if you don’t have them on hand.
• Onions sauteed with marjoram, oregano, paprika, and fresh garlic.
• Mushrooms – button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms are most often used. For Christmas, wild mushrooms are often used.

Step by step instructions

STEP 1: Squeeze out excess liquid from the sauerkraut. You should have now 1/2 lb (225g) sauerkraut. Place the sauerkraut in a medium pot, add bay leaves, allspice berries, caraway seeds, and enough water to cover it (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes over low heat. Drain on a sieve and chop into smaller pieces. Discard bay leaves and allspice berries.

Cook the pasta al dente (it should have a bite to it and not be completely soft). Drain and set aside.

STEP 2: Chop all the other ingredients: Cut the cabbage into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) cubes, mushrooms into 1/4-inch (5mm slices), kielbasa into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) cubes, dice the onion, finely chop garlic cloves.

STEP 3: Add the chopped cabbage into a medium pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and set aside.

STEP 4: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. Add the kielbasa and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

STEP 5: Add the mushrooms to the pan, cook them for a couple of minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

STEP 6: Add the onion and 2 tablespoons of oil, cook over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic, marjoram, oregano, and paprika. Cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.

STEP 7: Add the drained white cabbage and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook for a couple of minutes until the cabbage is soft and lightly browned.

STEP 8: Add all the other ingredients back to the pan (cooked pasta, sauerkraut, onions, mushrooms, and kielbasa). Toss everything together, season with salt and pepper to taste (generously with pepper). Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

Storage

This dish reheats very well. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

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!!