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Túrós csusza is a comforting Hungarian plate that feels both simple and indulgent. Think warm noodles tossed with curd cheese, then finished with sour cream and crisp bacon. It is the sort of meal that disappears fast once it hits the table.
If you like pasta that leans savoury but still has a gentle dairy sweetness, this one will make sense straight away. The textures do the work. Soft ribbons of pasta, creamy curds, and salty, crackly bits on top keep every forkful interesting.
What Is Túrós Csusza?
It is cooked pasta mixed with túró, a fresh curd cheese common across Hungary. It is not a baked casserole in the usual sense, though some cooks briefly warm it in the oven. It arrives glossy with sour cream, then gets crowned with bacon.
The pasta is often csusza, a wide noodle or rough-cut square, made to hold onto creamy bits. When it is done well, you see little pockets of curd clinging to the noodles rather than melting into one smooth sauce, so it tastes lively rather than heavy.
People serve it as a main meal, yet it can also turn up as a hearty side with roasted meats. In many homes it sits in the weeknight rotation because it uses everyday ingredients, but it still feels like a treat, especially when the bacon is properly crisp.
Ingredients and Taste
The key ingredient is túró, which is mildly tangy and pleasantly milky. If you cannot find it, farmer cheese or well drained cottage cheese can stand in, though the flavour shifts slightly. Sour cream brings a cool richness that loosens the curds into a creamy coating.
Bacon is traditional, often diced and fried until crisp, with a little of the rendered fat stirred through for depth. Some cooks add a pinch of salt and black pepper only, letting the dairy and pork speak. Others add chives or dill for a fresh lift.
The taste is comforting without being bland. You get gentle tang from the curd, soft acidity from sour cream, and a salty punch from bacon. The contrast is what keeps it exciting. Creamy and sharp, tender and crisp, it eats like a warm hug with edges.
Regional and family variations exist. Some prefer a sweeter touch, adding a light dusting of sugar, especially when bacon is omitted. Others go fully savoury and lean on smoked bacon or lardons. Either way, the dish stays grounded in that curd and noodle partnership.
A Taste of History
Hungarian cooking has long made smart use of fresh dairy, and túró is a staple that fits both sweet and savoury dishes. Túrós csusza likely grew from practical home cooking, where pasta and curd were affordable and filling, then bacon turned it into something special.
You will also hear it linked to rural kitchens and farm life, where curd cheeses were made regularly and used quickly. Pasta could be rolled at home or bought, and sour cream was always nearby. It is a dish built from what was on hand, not from showy technique.
Over time, it moved from family tables into restaurants and csárda style inns, often served in generous portions. Today it still reads as traditional, yet it is not stuck in the past. People cook it for comfort, for nostalgia, or simply because it tastes right on a cold day.
How to Make Túrós Csusza
Túrós Csusza is a deeply comforting Hungarian pasta dish built on soft egg noodles, fresh curd cheese and golden bacon, brought together with sour cream and baked until lightly crisp at the edges. It is simple food with honest flavour, and balance is everything. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
- 400 g Hungarian csusza pasta or wide egg noodles
- 250 g full fat túró or well drained cottage cheese
- 150 g smoked streaky bacon, diced
- 200 ml full fat sour cream
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt, plus extra for pasta water
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp goose fat or sunflower oil for greasing
- Extra 2 tbsp sour cream for topping
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oven and pasta water
Preheat your oven to 190°C fan 170°C. Bring a large pot of well salted water to the boil. Use enough water so the pasta moves freely, which prevents sticking. While waiting for the boil, lightly grease a baking dish with goose fat and set aside before moving to the next step.
Step 2: Cook the pasta
Add the csusza or egg noodles to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so avoid softness at this stage. Drain thoroughly but do not rinse, then proceed immediately.
Step 3: Crisp the bacon
Place the diced bacon into a cold frying pan and slowly bring to medium heat. This allows the fat to render gently and creates crisp golden pieces without burning. Once browned, remove from heat and keep the rendered fat in the pan for added flavour.
Step 4: Prepare the cheese mixture
In a large bowl, combine the túró, half of the sour cream, salt and black pepper. If using cottage cheese, mash lightly with a fork to reduce large curds and drain excess liquid beforehand. The texture should remain slightly coarse rather than smooth.
Step 5: Combine pasta and bacon
Add the hot drained pasta into the pan with the bacon fat and toss gently so each piece is coated. Stir in half of the crispy bacon pieces. This layering of flavour is essential before assembling.
Step 6: Fold in the curd cheese
Transfer the warm pasta to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Fold carefully so the curd remains visible and does not dissolve into the pasta. The warmth will slightly soften the cheese. Move directly to assembling.
Step 7: Assemble for baking
Spread half the pasta mixture into the greased baking dish. Dot with small pieces of butter and spoon over a little sour cream. Add the remaining pasta on top and finish with the rest of the bacon and sour cream. This layering keeps the interior moist while the top turns lightly golden.
Step 8: Bake until golden
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top begins to take on colour and the edges bubble gently. Avoid overbaking, as túró should remain creamy rather than dry.
Step 9: Rest before serving
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This brief pause allows the structure to settle and makes serving easier.
Step 10: Serve in traditional style
Serve warm with an extra spoon of sour cream on top. In Hungary it is often enjoyed as a hearty main course, sometimes followed by a light soup. Present it in generous squares to show the layers and crisp edges.
Variations and Substitutions
- If túró is unavailable, use well drained full fat cottage cheese pressed through a sieve.
- Ricotta can be used in an emergency, though it is milder and softer in texture.
- For a sweeter traditional variation, omit bacon and increase sour cream slightly.
- Smoked pancetta may replace Hungarian bacon if needed.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Túrós Csusza
- Always salt pasta water generously for proper seasoning.
- Drain cottage cheese well to prevent excess moisture in the bake.
- Keep the curd texture intact for authenticity.
- Do not overbake, as the dish should remain creamy inside.
- Resting after baking improves slicing and flavour balance.
How to Store and Reheat
Cooling and packing
Let the pasta cool until it is just warm, then pack it in a shallow container. Keeping it shallow helps it chill quickly and stay fresher. If possible, store bacon separately so it stays crisp, then add it after reheating.
Refrigerating
In the fridge, it keeps well for about two days. The curd can firm up as it chills, so expect a thicker texture. A small spoon of sour cream stirred in before reheating brings back the creamy feel without making it watery.
Freezing
Freezing is possible, though the dairy may change texture and become a little grainier. If you freeze it, do so in tight containers and thaw overnight in the fridge. For better results, freeze the pasta and curd mixture, then add fresh sour cream and bacon later.
Reheating on the hob
Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of milk or a little water. Stir slowly so the curds warm through without drying out. Once hot, take it off the heat and fold in sour cream, then top with bacon to keep the crunch.
Microwave reheating
Microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one. Add a teaspoon of sour cream or a splash of milk if it looks dry. Finish with fresh bacon and a twist of pepper. It will not be quite as lively as freshly made, but it will still be satisfying.
Túrós Csusza (Curd Cheese Pasta)
Ingredients
- 400 g Hungarian csusza pasta or wide egg noodles
- 250 g full fat túró or well drained cottage cheese
- 150 g smoked streaky bacon diced
- 200 ml full fat sour cream
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt plus extra for pasta water
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp goose fat or sunflower oil for greasing
- Extra 2 tbsp sour cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C fan 170°C. Bring a large pot of well salted water to the boil. Use enough water so the pasta moves freely, which prevents sticking. While waiting for the boil, lightly grease a baking dish with goose fat and set aside before moving to the next step.
- Add the csusza or egg noodles to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so avoid softness at this stage. Drain thoroughly but do not rinse, then proceed immediately.
- Place the diced bacon into a cold frying pan and slowly bring to medium heat. This allows the fat to render gently and creates crisp golden pieces without burning. Once browned, remove from heat and keep the rendered fat in the pan for added flavour.
- In a large bowl, combine the túró, half of the sour cream, salt and black pepper. If using cottage cheese, mash lightly with a fork to reduce large curds and drain excess liquid beforehand. The texture should remain slightly coarse rather than smooth.
- Add the hot drained pasta into the pan with the bacon fat and toss gently so each piece is coated. Stir in half of the crispy bacon pieces. This layering of flavour is essential before assembling.
- Transfer the warm pasta to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Fold carefully so the curd remains visible and does not dissolve into the pasta. The warmth will slightly soften the cheese. Move directly to assembling.
- Spread half the pasta mixture into the greased baking dish. Dot with small pieces of butter and spoon over a little sour cream. Add the remaining pasta on top and finish with the rest of the bacon and sour cream. This layering keeps the interior moist while the top turns lightly golden.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top begins to take on colour and the edges bubble gently. Avoid overbaking, as túró should remain creamy rather than dry.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This brief pause allows the structure to settle and makes serving easier.
- Serve warm with an extra spoon of sour cream on top. In Hungary it is often enjoyed as a hearty main course, sometimes followed by a light soup. Present it in generous squares to show the layers and crisp edges.
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