Hungarian Cabbage Noodles (Káposztás Tészta) 🇭🇺

Káposztás Tészta, or Hungarian Cabbage Noodles, is a wonderfully simple comfort food made with tender cabbage, onions, egg noodles, butter or oil, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. It is a classic example of Hungarian home cooking: inexpensive ingredients transformed into a deeply satisfying meal.

The cabbage is slowly cooked until soft and lightly caramelized, then combined with tender noodles to create a dish that is savory, slightly sweet, and wonderfully rustic.

Ingredients

For the Cabbage

• 1 medium head green cabbage, about 2 lb (900 g)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1–2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar, optional

For the Noodles

• 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles
• Salt, for the cooking water
• 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil, optional