I posted this recipe many years ago, and while I would not say it took the nation by storm, I've received friendly emails from people who have been kind enough to let me know it's a family favorite at their house. I love taking credit of course, but Hungarian Noodle Casserole is really from the Junior League of Palo Alto, and I thank them for this dish. It's super flavorful and incredibly versatile. We eat it as a side dish, but you can bump up the protein in different ways and serve it as a main dish.
The Junior League version is double this and made to serve a crowd, so if you're feeding a lot of people you can make the dish in two 9x13 inch pans. I have never made the batch as large as the original version and I put my usual size in the recipe card. I've also included a lot of notes on changes I've made.
Hungarian Noodle Casserole
8 ounces of broad egg noodles (or fine) plus salt for water
½ chop chopped onions
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 cups low fat or full fat cottage cheese
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 dashes of hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds OR Nigella seeds
Paprika for dusting top
Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
Cook noodles al-dente in salted water using directions on bag. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub a 13x9 inch glass casserole dish with butter or spray with cooking spray. If halving the recipe, use an 8 inch square dish.
In a big bowl, stir together the onions, garlic, cottage cheese, sour cream Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper and hot pepper sauce.
Stir the noodles in and toss to evenly coat. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Pour the mixture into the casserole. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle top with paprika. If you like, sprinkle on some good Parmesan (I skipped this).
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Things I've Done to Hungarian Noodle Casserole
This dish is good as written, but I've had to improvise a time or two or three and here are some things that have worked.
- I've left out the onions. They're a good addition, but the noodles are still great without them.
- Have also left out the garlic and instead, tossed the noodles in a little garlic flavored oil. This is a good trick for people sensitive to garlic because garlic oil isn't high in fodmaps like regular garlic.
- Low fat cottage cheese works just fine, or at least when partnered with regular sour cream. I haven't tried using low fat everything with this, but it can be lightened "a little" for sure. I've used as low as 1%.
- I never use the Parmesan cheese.
- My family is weirdly into different types of hot paprika so I've used this as a base for testing out different brands and levels of spiciness. I made the last batch with the hottest level of Tres Hermanas which still wasn't very spicy. Husband likes it with the extra spicy Hungarian paprika.
- You can bake this in one dish or divide it in smaller casserole dishes so that everyone gets their own individual serving, just shave about 5 minute off the bake time.
- I always use Nigella seens in place of poppyseeds because they are so much more flavorful.
Low Carb or Almost Keto Version
- Use low carb noodles in place of the egg noodles. I really like Carbe Diem brand, but unfortunately they don't have an egg noodle so you'd have to use a different shape. Broken up Carba Nada fettuccini might work, but I've never tried that brand.
Recipe
Hungarian Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of broad or fine egg noodles
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
- 2 cups low fat or full fat cottage cheese
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 dashes of hot pepper sauce e.g. Tabasco
- 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds or Nigella seeds
- Paprika for dusting top
- Shredded parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Cook noodles al-dente in salted water using directions on bag. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub a 13x9 inch glass casserole dish with butter or spray with cooking spray. If halving the recipe, use an 8 inch square dish.
- In a big bowl, stir together the onions, garlic, cottage cheese, sour cream Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper and hot pepper sauce.
- Stir the noodles in and toss to evenly coat. Stir in the poppy seeds.
- Pour the mixture into the casserole. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle top with paprika. If you like, sprinkle on some good Parmesan (I skipped this).
Ashley says
This sounds delicious! I'm so glad you shared it.
Susan says
This reminds me I need to make my Hungarian mother in law's wonderful recipe for Kugel, a similar sweet version of this one. This savory casserole does sound great! I'll have to give it a try soon.
Tina from PA says
Ilove cream cheese brownies! Yours look great! I have a question, on the right ,your list of Fall Favorites, what is the candy under the Pumpkin cheesecake muffins? When I click the picture I get the muffin post,which I'm so gonna make , but this candy looks great too! Thank You in advance.
Anna says
Maggie, that recipe is from my friend Janice's husband, Larry. I'll email it to you!
maggie says
this looks yummy! would love the recipe for the quesadilla's mentioned by "d" but can't seem to find the recipe.
meecee says
I am Hungarian and never ever heard of or ate such a dish :-O looks good though 🙂
d says
I LOVE when you post your savory dishes. One of our favorites is your quesadilla that calls for swiss cheese, chicken and apricot jam. Reminds me I need to make that again. Thanks. I'll try this one also.
Debbi says
This sounds delicious! Our family has eaten noodles and cottage cheese for years, I think it has something to do with our Serbian roots. I've never added sour cream, but I can imagine it would only make the dish better. I usually just mix good quality egg noodles with browned butter (!!) and cottage cheese....SO GOOD!