Túrós Csusza: Savor the Creamy Comfort of Hungarian Mac and Cheese with Crispy Bacon

Túrós Csusza, often affectionately dubbed Hungary’s answer to mac and cheese, is the quintessential comfort food. This beloved Hungarian dish takes simple ingredients – tender pasta, rich cottage cheese, tangy sour cream, and crispy fried bacon – and transforms them into an incredibly satisfying meal. It’s a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that captivates the palate, making it an irresistible staple in Hungarian homes. Imagine silky pasta intertwined with warm, melting pockets of cheese and a vibrant kick from the bacon; it’s pure indulgence.

Embark on a culinary journey with us this month as we delve into the heart of Hungary (Magyarország) for our Eat the World recipe challenge. Nestled in the heart of Central Europe, this enchanting country boasts a rich and complex history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes. From majestic, ancient castles that whisper tales of bygone eras to charming, onion-domed churches and picturesque, colorful villages, Hungary offers a feast for the eyes. Visitors are often captivated by sweeping vistas, serene ancient forests, the rejuvenating natural thermal baths, and the dynamic, pulsing nightlife of its capital city, Budapest. These are just a few of the many highlights that make Hungary a truly unforgettable destination.

And then, there’s the food. Hungarian cuisine is celebrated globally for its rich, bold flavors, with onions, paprika, and sour cream forming the triumvirate of its distinct taste profile. My own visit to Hungary eight years ago remains a vivid and cherished memory. I recall the awe-inspiring Parliament Building, a grand architectural marvel reminiscent of its British counterpart, the charmingly rickety old subway trains, and the serene beauty of the Danube River flowing through the city. An afternoon spent indulging in the sprawling, elegant thermal baths was a deeply relaxing experience, contrasting with the bustling energy of the fabulous Great Market Hall, a sensory overload of sights and smells. The opulent Hungarian State Opera House, along with countless other beautiful old buildings, silently speak of the country’s grand heyday during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, its poignant decline under communist rule, and its valiant rebirth in the decades since. It’s a country with a profound and complicated story etched into every cobblestone and façade.

During that trip, Andreas and I explored the city’s paths, streets, and parks on foot, soaking in its atmosphere. A particular highlight was a wonderful market tour and cooking class led by the delightful Agnes in her home. There, we learned to prepare classic Hungarian dishes: a refreshing cold cherry soup, the iconic chicken paprika, tender nokedli dumplings, a crisp cucumber salad, and sweet, cottage cheese-filled crepes. Each dish was a revelation, perfectly complemented by her father’s fiery homemade fruit liquor. It was, without a doubt, a meal to remember, deeply rooted in Hungarian culinary tradition.

When selecting a Hungarian recipe to feature, my thoughts consistently returned to the humble, yet utterly satisfying, Túrós Csusza. This beloved pasta dish, made with cottage cheese, bacon, and sour cream, embodies the true spirit of Hungarian home cooking and offered a delicious way to revisit those cherished memories.

Like its Western counterpart, mac & cheese, Túrós Csusza is a dish found throughout Hungary, cherished by all generations. It represents the ultimate comfort food – a quick, satisfying meal for a busy weeknight, prepared by everyone from solitary grandpas to college students in their small dorm kitchens. Its simplicity is part of its charm: boil some egg noodles, crisp up a bit of bacon, then stir in generous dollops of cottage cheese and sour cream. That’s essentially the magic behind it. For those who yearn for the deeply traditional approach, making fresh pasta from scratch and tearing it into ragged, irregular pieces truly connects you to how the Magyars (Hungarians) prepared this dish before the convenience of modern dried pasta. However, using readily available egg noodles or even broken dried pasta is now incredibly common and yields a dish that is just as absolutely comforting and creamy.

One of the defining characteristics of Túrós Csusza, and what makes it so uniquely appealing, is the delightful interplay of temperatures and textures. You get the warmth of the freshly cooked pasta and hot bacon, the creamy pockets of cottage cheese starting to melt into the pasta, and the cool, refreshing sour cream creating a beautiful contrast. This is often enhanced by an extra helping of cool cottage cheese and crunchy bacon bits piled on top as a garnish. This simple yet ingenious combination creates a dish that is not only satisfying in the moment but also beckons you to crave it again and again.

Crafting the Perfect Túrós Csusza: Your Guide to Hungarian Mac & Cheese

Preparing Túrós Csusza is delightfully straightforward, allowing for variations based on preference and time. The pasta component is key, and you have a few options to choose from:

1. **Traditional Homemade Pasta:** For the purists, making pasta from scratch and tearing it into irregular, bite-sized pieces is the most authentic method. This labor of love results in a unique texture that truly embodies Hungarian tradition.
2. **Convenient Egg Noodles:** Many Hungarians today opt for the convenience of store-bought wide egg noodles. They cook quickly and absorb the creamy sauce beautifully, making them an excellent choice for a speedy weeknight meal.
3. **The Easy Lasagna Noodle Hack:** An ingenious and widely loved shortcut involves simply breaking up lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces. This method mimics the irregular shape of hand-torn pasta, offering a fantastic texture with minimal effort.

I’ve personally found that lasagna noodles are an exceptional stand-in for the traditional hand-torn homemade pasta. For those requiring a gluten-free option, the gluten-free lasagna noodles work particularly well. A helpful tip: choose lasagna noodles with frilled edges, as the flat sheets tend to stick together more during cooking, whereas the frilled edges help keep them separate and create a more authentic texture.

The cooking process itself is incredibly simple and rewarding. Begin by frying your bacon until it’s perfectly crisp and golden, filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. Once cooked, set aside the bacon bits and leave the rendered fat in the pan – this flavorful foundation is crucial for the pasta. Next, boil your chosen pasta until al dente. Drain it and add it directly to the skillet with the bacon fat, allowing the pasta to absorb that wonderful savory essence. Then, toss the pasta with a generous dollop of creamy cottage cheese and a good blob of tangy sour cream. The warmth of the pasta will gently melt the cheese, creating a luscious, velvety sauce. To finish, pile the glorious mixture onto a serving platter and top it with the reserved crispy bacon bits, additional fresh cottage cheese for that cool contrast, and perhaps a sprinkle of vibrant paprika or fresh chives for color and extra flavor. And just like that, you have a delicious pile of Túrós Csusza ready to dive into.

Oh, yum. Grab a creamy forkful of this delightful dish. The combination of textures and temperatures is simply divine – from the tender, silky noodles coated in the creamy, tangy, and subtly cheesy sauce, to the irresistible salty crunch of the bacon. It’s a symphony of flavors that guarantees you won’t be able to stop at just one bite.

Indeed, I bet you can’t stop at just one bite. There’s something inherently comforting about those silky noodles embracing that rich, creamy, and tangy cheesy sauce. And of course, the bacon! How could any dish not be fantastic when it features the glorious addition of crispy bacon? This dish truly proves that simple ingredients, when combined with care and tradition, can create something profoundly delicious and soul-satisfying.

Come on, dive in! Since someone’s already started us off, we might as well finish off the rest. Yu-um. It’s truly a dish that embodies warmth, satisfaction, and the simple joys of home cooking.

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Kitchen Frau Notes: The beauty of Túrós Csusza lies in its flexibility. The ingredient amounts provided in this recipe are truly just a guideline. The authentic Hungarian way is to cook with intuition and taste. Feel free to adjust to your personal preference – cook up some pasta, fry a few slices of bacon, add the pasta to the bacon fat, and then pile on generous, heaped spoonfuls of cottage cheese and sour cream. Stir it all together, taste, and adjust until it’s perfect for you. Don’t stress about precise measurements; simply enjoy the process of making it your own.

For an even quicker weeknight meal, consider a clever time-saving hack: chop batches of 4 slices of bacon and portion them into small sandwich baggies. Spread the bacon bits out flat in each bag, remove the air, seal them, and then place all the small bags into a larger freezer bag for storage. This way, you can easily pull out one baggie of pre-chopped bacon whenever the craving for Túrós Csusza strikes, turning this delicious Hungarian classic into a truly fast and convenient homemade meal.

Túrós Csusza (Hungarian Pasta with Cottage Cheese)

A cherished Hungarian comfort food, simple to make and bursting with creamy, tangy, and savory flavors.

• 4 slices (150 g) bacon
• 12 lasagna noodles (1 box/280 g), gluten-free if necessary (Tinkyada brown rice pasta is a good option), or 10 oz. (280 g) wide egg noodles or other pasta
• 1 cup (250 g) or more cottage cheese (or 1½ cups dry curd cottage cheese), divided
• ½ to ¾ cup (120 – 180 g) sour cream (you’ll need about 1 cup/240 g of sour cream if using dry curd cottage cheese)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A pinch of paprika – optional, for color and a hint of spice
• Sliced green onion or chives – optional, for freshness and garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pasta Water: Set a large pot of salted water on to boil. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt for flavoring the pasta.
2. Cook the Bacon: Stack the bacon slices on top of each other, then cut them in half lengthwise. Next, cut them crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) dice. Cook the diced bacon in a large skillet (ensure it’s big enough to hold all the ingredients later) over medium heat until it turns golden-brown and becomes deliciously crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon bits to a plate and set them aside. Leave the flavorful bacon fat in the skillet and turn off the heat for now.
3. Break the Pasta: Break the lasagna noodles into irregular, bite-sized chunks, roughly 1 to 2 inches in diameter. If using egg noodles, skip this step.
4. Cook the Pasta: Once the salted water reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta shards (or egg noodles), stirring continuously while adding them to prevent sticking. Continue to stir for a minute or two until the water returns to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, stirring occasionally. If you’re using gluten-free noodles, stir more frequently as they tend to stick together more readily.
5. Combine with Bacon Fat: Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly and add it directly to the skillet containing the bacon fat. Turn the heat under the skillet back on to medium. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste, stirring gently to coat the noodles.
6. Mix in Dairy and Bacon: Add half of the cottage cheese, ½ cup of the sour cream, and half of the crispy bacon bits to the pasta. (If using dry curd cottage cheese, you’ll need about 1 cup of sour cream in this step.) Toss all the ingredients together until well combined. Continue to cook the pasta mixture until it is heated through and some of the cottage cheese curds begin to gently melt, creating a creamy texture. If the pasta appears a bit dry, add the remaining ¼ cup of sour cream.
7. Serve: Pile the warm and creamy Túrós Csusza onto a serving platter. Generously top with the remaining ½ cup of cottage cheese and the rest of the crispy bacon bits. For an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal, sprinkle with a bit of paprika and a handful of sliced green onions or chives, if desired.

Túrós Csusza serves 4 people as a hearty side dish, or 2 to 3 as a satisfying main course.

Jó étvágyat! (Enjoy your meal!)

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We invite you to explore the diverse and delicious world of Hungarian cuisine by checking out all the wonderful dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members. Share your culinary adventures with the hashtag #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join our global culinary journey and have fun exploring a new country’s cuisine each month with us!

• Sneha’s Recipe: Hungarian Beef Goulash
• Magical Ingredients: Langos – Hungarian Potato Fry Bread
• Sugarlovespices: Hungarian Gerbeaud Cake
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Lamb Soup With Sour Cream (Palócleves)
• Making Miracles: Beef Goulash
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Hungarian Short Ribs
• Pandemonium Noshery: Rakott Krumpli – Hungarian Potato Casserole
• Kitchen Frau: Túrós Csusza (Pasta with Cottage Cheese)
• CulturEatz: Borleves | A Hungarian Christmas Wine Soup
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Hungarian Braised Short Ribs

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