Hungarian Cottage Cheese Pasta — known in Hungary as “Túrós Csusza” — is a classic, comforting dish made with simple ingredients: pasta, cottage cheese, sour cream, and crispy bacon. It’s savory, rich, and incredibly easy to make.
🇭🇺 Túrós Csusza (Hungarian Cottage Cheese Pasta)
🧄 Ingredients:
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Pasta: 250g (about 9 oz) of wide egg noodles or homemade-style pasta
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Cottage cheese: 200–250g (7–9 oz) — traditionally “juhtúró” (a sheep’s milk cheese), but regular or dry cottage cheese works
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Sour cream: 100–150g (3.5–5 oz) — for richness and tang
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Bacon: 100–150g (3.5–5 oz), diced and fried until crispy
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Salt: To taste
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Optional: Black pepper or a sprinkle of paprika for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions:
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Cook the pasta:
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Boil in salted water until al dente, then drain well.
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Prepare the bacon:
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Dice and fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside but keep the rendered fat.
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Assemble:
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In a bowl or pot, mix the hot noodles with cottage cheese and sour cream.
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Add a bit of the reserved bacon fat for extra flavor (optional but authentic).
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Stir in most of the crispy bacon, saving a bit for garnish.
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Serve:
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Plate the noodles, top with the remaining bacon.
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Add a spoonful of sour cream or a dash of paprika, if desired.
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🧀 Tips & Variations:
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Dry cottage cheese (the kind without much liquid) is ideal; if using wet cottage cheese, drain it a bit.
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For vegetarians, skip the bacon or substitute with sautéed onions or smoked tofu.
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It’s sometimes baked briefly to melt and meld everything, but many serve it as-is.