Slovak Strapačky Halušky (Sauerkraut and Bacon)
Slovak strapačky (or strapatchki) are halušky potato dumplings served with sauerkraut, caramelized onions and smoky bacon. This dish is a staple of Slovak cuisine and is known for its hearty and comforting qualities. Here’s an authentic, traditional, and delicious recipe for strapačky halušky from my Slovak mother-in-law.
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Halušky is quintessential Slovak peasant comfort and survival food. Halusky are potato-flour-egg dumplings that are like a cross between German spaetzle and Italian gnocchi.
This version is strapačky halušky which combines the dumplings with sauerkraut and then tops them off with a delicious mixture of caramelized onions and crisped bacon.
Cooking mellows the flavor of the sauerkraut.
Try my authentic Slovak Bryndzové Halušky recipe for a cheesy version. Or try American Haluski, which uses egg noodles and fresh cabbage. German Käsespätzle is a similar, cheesy recipe you might also love made of speatzle noodles smothered in cheese and caramelized onions with (optional) bacon.
Love Slovak food? You need to make Segedínský Guláš, a stew of pork shoulder and sauerkraut and liver dumpling soup, both are recipes straight from my Slovak mother-in-law, just like this one.
If you love traditional European dumplings, try my Russian pelmeni, German kartoffelklöße potato dumpling, and semmelknödel bread dumpling recipes.
Equipment
My MIL uses an old frying pan with holes drilled into it by her husband decades ago.
You will probably want to buy or use a traditional German spaetzle maker; that link takes you to the one I use most frequently, but I also have this one and it’s even cheaper. They’re both under $20.
You will need a slotted spoon to take the halusky dumplings out of the boiling water.
Ingredient Notes, Variations & Substitutions
You can find the exact ingredient quantities in the printable recipe card at the end.
Bryndzové Halušky: Make cheesy halušky instead. The caramelized onion and bacon topping remains the same, but instead of sauerkraut, you use a creamy cheese. Get my recipe for Slovak Bryndzové Halušky (Potato Dumplings with Cheese & Bacon).
American Haluski: Egg noodles with sauteed fresh cabbage, caramelized onions, and bacon. This dish seems to have been brought over to America by Slavic women and is especially known in Pittsburgh. American haluski is delicious, and I love to make it with homemade egg noodles.
Egg-Free: To make Halušky without egg, omit the egg from the recipe. The water content may need to be adjusted slightly; you’ll want enough liquid to form a cohesive but still sticky dough. Egg-free Halušky might be a bit less rich but can still be delicious and hold together well, especially with the grated potato acting as a binder.
Instructions & Process Photos
Step 1: Get your ingredients prepped and ready, dice the onions and bacon, finely grate the potato, and reserve any liquid from it; measure your flour. Get a large pot of water ready for boiling the halusky dumplings. Drain your sauerkraut, if you find sauerkraut too sour you may rinse it too but I don’t find this necessary for my tastes.
Step 2: Your potatoes should be grated as finely as possible with the liquid reserved if any comes out. If possible, I would aim to grate them even finer than in my photo above—it makes a difference.
As you prepare the halusky dough/batter, cook your sauerkraut. In a small covered pot or pan, warm the sauerkraut over medium heat. Cook it for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through and slightly reduced. Add a bit of water or a splash of apple cider vinegar to adjust the taste and moisture level.
Step 3: Mix the flour, grated potato, salt, and egg in a large bowl. Gradually add water until a thick, wet, sticky dough/batter forms. Adjust the water or flour as necessary.
Step 4: As the sauerkraut cooks, prepare your topping. In a separate pan, add some butter and fry your onions until they become translucent — 5-8 minutes. Add the diced bacon and fry on medium-low heat until the onion is lightly caramelized and the bacon is crisped — 15-20 minutes.
Step 5: Do not overfill your spaetzle maker basket. Press the dough through a halušky/spaetzle maker or colander, or use a teaspoon to form small dumplings. Let them drop below into the boiling, salted water. Cook until they float to the top, then cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Step 6: Remove with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water, drain, and add a bit of butter to the warm haluski.
Final Steps: Mix the cooked haluškydumplings with the warm sauerkraut in a large pan or bowl. Ladle the mixture into bowls and top with the bacon and onion mixture, including the rendered fat for flavor. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chives or green onions if you like.
Serve warm as a hearty and comforting meal.
Above (right) is the finished sauerkraut strapačky halušky next to a bowl of creamy, cheesy bryndzové halušky (left) — I usually make both versions at the same time so we don’t have to choose!
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Equipment
- Spaetzle or Halusky Maker
Ingredients
Ingredients for Halušky:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour About 312 grams.
- 1 large egg
- 1 large potato Finely grated, water reserved. About 1 cup once grated.
- ¾ cup water 180 grams. You may need more or less, adjust as needed.
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 lbs sauerkraut 454 grams. Drained, rinsed if too sour for your taste.
Ingredients for Topping:
- 1 cup bacon Diced. About 200 grams.
- 2 large onions Diced.
- 1 tablespoon oil or fat I prefer butter.
Instructions
- Prepare the Halušky Batter: Mix the flour, grated potato, salt, and egg in a large bowl. Gradually add water until a thick, sticky, wet dough forms. Adjust the water or flour as necessary.
- Cook the Halušky: Boil a pot of salted water. Press the dough through a halušky maker, colander, or use a teaspoon to form small dumplings. Cook until they float to the top, then continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water, and drain.
- Prepare the Sauerkraut: In a pan, warm the sauerkraut over medium heat. If it's very sour, you might want to rinse it first and squeeze out the excess water. Cook it for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's heated through and slightly reduced. If you like, you can add a bit of water or a splash of apple cider vinegar to adjust the taste and moisture level.
- Cook the Bacon and Onion: In a separate pan, add some butter and fry your onions until they become translucent — 5-8 minutes. Add the diced bacon and fry on medium-low heat until the onion is lightly caramelized and the bacon is crisped — 15-20 minutes.
- Final Steps: Mix the cooked halušky dumplings with the warm sauerkraut in a large pan or bowl. Ladle the mixture into bowls and top with the bacon and onion mixture, including the rendered fat for flavor. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chives or green onions if you like.