Krautfleckerl – Austrian Noodles With Cabbage

… and how are Krautfleckerl made?

The preparation is very simple. Basically, for Krautfleckerl, chopped onion is caramelized with a little sugar in the pan, then the cabbage is added, which has to simmer for a while before mixing in the cooked fleckerl.

In addition, Krautfleckerl must contain caraway seeds – whether you like it or not. I don’t count myself among the big caraway lovers. But in my opinion, it can’t be left out, as it’s important for the Krautfleckerl taste and just goes so well with the cabbage.

In addition to sugar and caraway seeds, you also need salt, pepper, some parsley, vinegar and, that’s how I like to make them, a little (homemade, I’ll share the recipe here one day, I promise!) vegetable stock powde to season your Krautfleckerl.

We can possibly discuss whether the vegetable stock powder is part of the original recipe (there isn’t even the one original recipe like from a “Sachertorte”). Or you simply leave it out.

Origin

Actually, Krautfleckerl have always been something typically Austrian for me. But, as is so often the case with recipes from Austria, they come from Bohemian or Hungarian cuisine. Krautfleckerl were probably very popular in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, because I even came across Croatian, Italian or Romanian versions during my research. What I was also able to find out is that Hungarian Krautfleckerl are usually seasoned with paprika powder. This must taste good too!

Vegan home cooking

There are some Krautfleckerl recipes that have bacon, sausage, minced meat, ham or any other form of an animal as an ingredient. Please do not! I’ve never seen Krautfleckerl like this, at least not in the Viennese version. Krautfleckerl are one of the few dishes that can be classified as home cooking and are vegan.

Perhaps lard was used as fat in the past, in the old Viennese way, as is so often the case. It’s not really common anymore, but it’s not entirely unusual either, as you can still find piggies fat on supermarket shelves. In Viennese and Austrian cuisine, for example, beef soup is often used, even for potato salad. Therefore, I would ask the restaurant to be sure whether the Krautfleckerl are vegan. Or back to the topic: just cook this Vienna pasta recipe yourself.

Good to know …

Which kind of cabbage for Krautfleckerl?Usually, at least in Austria, Krautfleckerl are prepared with white cabbage. From the white cabbage the outer leaves will be removed, the stalk cut out, and the cabbage will be cut into fine strips. But there are also Krautfleckerl versions with, for example, sauerkraut or red cabbage. I’m sure it tastes great too, it’s just something else than Viennese or Austrian Krautfleckerl.

What goes well with Krautfleckerl?Krautfleckerl are an independent dish and not a side dish or need a side dish. But: They are often served with a salad, which goes quite well. Preferably something simple, like a leaf salad. What I also sometimes do, is eating Krautfleckerl with white yogurt or vegan sour cream, a delicious combo! Then there is paprika vegan butter: some paprika powder roasted in vegan butter, inspired by the Turkish pasta dish “Kayseri Manti”.

If you like it heartier and want to spice things up a bit, you could mix in fried smoked tofu. This is how protein gets into the food.

According to the German Wikipedia page, Krautfleckerl are often eaten with bread. I’ve never seen that before.How do Krautfleckerl turn brown?Krautfleckerl should be nice and lightly browned, which is achieved in two ways, namely with the caramelized onion and by sautéing the cabbage in the pan for a long time (up to an hour).

Did you try this recipe?

I would love to see the result. Please do not forget to tag me on Instagram: @plantbased.redhead.cooks