Łazanki

Łazanki z Kapustą i Grzybami (Polish Pasta with Cabbage and Mushrooms)

A traditional Polish peasant dish of wide, square egg noodles tossed with sweet sauerkraut, dried wild mushrooms, and crispy bits of smoked bacon. Hearty, earthy, and deeply comforting — especially on a cold day.

Prep

25 min

Cook

45 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) dried Polish łazanki pasta, wide square egg noodles; see substitute note
• •30 g (1 oz) dried wild mushrooms (porcini or mixed), reconstituted
• •300 g (10½ oz) fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained if very sour
• •200 g (7 oz) fresh white cabbage, shredded fine
• •1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• •150 g (5 oz) smoked bacon (boczek), diced; traditional speck works too
• •2 tbsp clarified butter or pork lard
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •5 whole allspice berries
• •1 tsp caraway seeds, optional but recommended
• •1 tsp ground sweet paprika
• •fine salt and black pepper, to taste
• •2 L (8 cups) water, for boiling pasta
• •1 tbsp fine salt, for pasta water

Steps

1. 1 Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 500 ml (2 cups) of hot water. Soak for at least 20 minutes until softened. Lift the mushrooms out and chop finely; strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or fine cloth and reserve.
2. 2 Render the diced bacon in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy and the fat has melted, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
3. 3 Add the lard or butter to the pot along with the diced onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is translucent and starting to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes.
4. 4 Stir in the shredded fresh cabbage and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage wilts and turns glossy, about 6–8 minutes.
5. 5 Add the rinsed sauerkraut, the chopped rehydrated mushrooms, the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, the bay leaves, allspice berries, and caraway seeds if using. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cabbage is completely tender and the mixture is fragrant.
6. 6 Meanwhile, bring 2 L of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt, then drop in the łazanki pasta. Stir immediately and cook according to the package time, usually 8–11 minutes, until the noodles are tender but still have a slight bite (al dente).
7. 7 Drain the pasta well and transfer it directly into the pot with the cabbage-mushroom mixture. Sprinkle the paprika over the top, then fold everything together gently so the noodles are evenly coated in the juices.
8. 8 Stir the reserved crispy bacon bits back in, season generously with black pepper and additional salt to taste, and remove the bay leaves and allspice berries. Cook together for 2 more minutes so the pasta soaks up the flavor.
9. 9 Serve hot in shallow bowls. Łazanki is at its best when piping hot, with a side of sliced rye bread and, if you like, a spoonful of sour cream on top.
10. 10 INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTE / SCARCITY NOTE: Authentic łazanki are wide, square, egg-enriched wheat noodles made by hand or bought dried in Polish markets. If unavailable abroad, the closest substitute is a good-quality fresh pappardelle broken into 4–5 cm squares, or wide egg noodles (the German Bandnudeln style). Do not use small pasta shapes — the wide ribbon is essential to the dish's texture.