Vegan Haluski – Cabbage and Noodles

Haluski is a traditional Polish cabbage and noodle dish.  A savory, buttery, meal that the whole family will love!  With a few simple adjustments, you can make healthy vegan Haluski that’s dairy-free, egg-free, and can easily be made gluten-free as well.  This will be your new favorite way to eat cabbage!

You will love this cabbage and noodle dish because it’s…

• inexpensive to make!
• quick and easy!
• vegan and gluten-free!
• great for parties, picnics, and pot lucks!
• a 1 pot meal that can be made in about 25 minutes!
• simply delicious!

Soon after moving to Pittsburgh about 12 years ago, I noticed this dish at family events and potlucks.  (Apparently, it’s a Pittsburgh thing).  Being vegan, there is usually very little that I can eat at these events, so a pot of cabbage and noodles caught my attention.  I quickly found out that it is doused in butter and the noodles are traditionally egg noodles. 

After seeing Haluski at nearly every event, I decided that it could be easily be made vegan, and even a little healthier with some added carrots and tofu.  It came out amazing!  I couldn’t believe what I had been missing out on all these years!

What you need to make vegan Haluski…

• Onions – for flavor. Cut into long thin strips. (optional, but recommended).
• Oil – canola oil or other neutral-flavored oil for frying onions.
• Carrots – for color, sweetness, and added nutrients (optional).
• Cabbage – a whole small head cut into thin strips.
• Noodles – For a traditional Haluski, use egg-free egg noodles ( you can find them by the egg noodles in most grocery stores). For gluten-free noodles, I like to use bean thread noodles.  These have a firm texture and hold up well when stir-fried.  (You can find them at any Asian market, and most grocery stores in the Asian section).
• Vegan Butter – I use my homemade vegan butter for the recipe.  I think that it is key to making it taste like a traditional Haluski made with real butter. You can use Earth Balance or any other vegan margarine, but you will not regret using my butter recipe in this dish!  
• Tofu – This adds protein and makes it a more filling meal if you are going to use it as a main dish. (optional)
• Salt – for flavor
• Garlic Powder – for flavor.
• Turmeric – for anti-inflammatory health benefits and a little color.
• Pepper – Lots of fresh ground pepper makes this dish simply delicious!

How do I make cabbage and noodles?

1. Boil your noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse.
2. Slice onion in long thin slices.
3. Put oil in the bottom of a large pot and add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook on low for about 8 minutes until the onion starts to look translucent.
4. Cut the cabbage into long skinny pieces about 1/8 of an inch wide, while the onions are cooking.
5. Shred the carrots into small pieces with a grater or food processor.
6. Add the cabbage and carrots, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and turn up the heat to medium.
7. Add tofu if desired. Drain, press and crumble a pound of tofu into the pot.
8. Add the garlic powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper and let it all cook for about 10 minutes stirring frequently until cabbage wilts down and loses its bright color.
9. Rinse the noodles again to make them wet and avoid sticking to each other.
10. Add the noodles and butter to the pot and mix well and cook for another minute or 2 until all the butter has melted and is coating the noodles and veggies.
11. Turn off the heat and add additional salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Notes:  The first few times that I made it, I just used onions, cabbage, and noodles.  I then put in some shredded carrots for some sweetness and nutrients.  Finally, I decided that a block of crumbled tofu would work well to add a little eggy flavor and protein to make it more of a complete meal.  I also add turmeric and lots of black pepper to mine.   Turmeric has lots of health benefits and the pepper increases the bioavailability of the turmeric, and of course, just because it tastes good.  Feel free to omit this from yours if you don’t like those flavors. 

Vegan Haluski, is now in our permanent dinner rotation and everyone cheers when they see me making it for dinner! Cabbage and noodles are inexpensive yet filling, so it is a great meal to fill up a hungry crowd.  I usually make a large batch so there are leftovers for lunch the next day, but to be honest, it is hard to stop yourself from getting seconds or thirds. 

How can I make a low carb Haluski?

You can make this dish low carb by omitting the noodles completely or by adding 1/4 of the noodles suggested in the recipe.  I cut the cabbage, onions, and carrots in long noodle-like stips, so it still has a noodle-like appearance.  If you want more great low carb vegan dishes, check out my vegan cauliflower risotto with spinach or my easy cauliflower stuffing.

What noodles should I use in my Haluski?

Traditional Haluski calls for egg noodles, but you can substitute any cooked noodle that you like.  They sell eggless egg noodles in most grocery stores next to the egg noodles.  Since my husband and son need to be gluten-free, I started using bean thread noodles.  They work great for this recipe!  I usually buy them at my local Asian market, but you can find them at most major grocery stores as well.

This is one of my family’s favorite meals and I love it because it’s quick, easy, and inexpensive!

Some of my other quick and easy go-to weekday meals are:

• Vegan Pasta Primavera
• Easy Ratatouille Recipe – Baked on a Sheet Pan
• Alfredo Sauce with Coconut Milk
• Easy Vegetarian Fajitas
• Red Thai Curry with Vegetables
• Teriyaki Tofu with vegetables served over rice

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Vegan Haluski - Cabbage and Noodles

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Cabbage and noodles with added carrots and tofu cooked with vegan butter and sprinkled with pepper.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: gluten free, Polish, vegan

Keyword: gluten free haluski, healthy haluski, vegan haluski

Servings: 8

Calories: 344 kcal

Author: Monica | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp canola oil or vegan butter or light oil
• 1 large sweet onion
• 2 medium carrots peeled and shredded
• 6 cups shredded cabbage (about 1 small head)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 lbs tofu optional
• 16 oz noodles (pasta, egg-less egg noodles, or bean thread noodles)
• 1/4 cup vegan butter or vegan margarine

Instructions

1. Boil your noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse.
2. Slice onion in long thin slices.
3. Put oil in the bottom of a large pot and add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook on low for about 8 minutes until the onion starts to look translucent.
4. Cut the cabbage into long skinny pieces about 1/8 of an inch wide, while the onions are cooking.
5. Shred the carrots into small pieces with a grater or food processor.
6. Add the cabbage and carrots, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and turn up the heat to medium.
7. Add tofu if desired. Drain, press and crumble a pound of tofu into the pot.
8. Add the garlic powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper and let it all cook for about 10 minutes stirring frequently until cabbage wilts down and loses its bright color.
9. Rinse the noodles again to make them wet and avoid sticking to each other.
10. Add the noodles and butter to the pot and mix well and cook for another minute or 2 until all the butter has melted and is coating the noodles and veggies.
11. Turn off the heat and add additional salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Recipe Notes

• Use a large skillet or pot to make this dish.
• It seems like a ton of cabbage, but it will cook down, so don't worry.
• You can adjust the butter, and salt to suit your taste and dietary needs.
• My family likes the tofu and has more protein with it added, but feel free to omit it. 
• Nutritional facts are for Haluski made with tofu.

 

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Haluski - Cabbage and Noodles

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 344 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 206mg9%

Potassium 215mg6%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 365IU7%

Vitamin C 19.2mg23%

Calcium 104mg10%

Iron 1.7mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.