Hungarian Egg Drop Noodles
Soft, pillowy egg noodles dropped directly into boiling water—a rustic Hungarian comfort staple. Ready in minutes, perfect alongside stews, goulash, or rich sauces.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 9g
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 whole large eggs
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Measure 2 cups of all-purpose flour into a medium mixing bowl. Create a wide well in the center of the flour with the back of a spoon — think of it like a volcano crater. This will catch the eggs and make mixing easier.
- 2
Crack 3 large eggs directly into the well. Add 0.75 teaspoon of salt and pour in 0.25 cup of whole milk. Using a fork, beat the eggs, salt, and milk together gently, just as if you were making scrambled eggs.
- 3
Slowly incorporate the flour from the sides of the well into the wet ingredients, stirring with the fork as you go. Once the mixture becomes too thick to stir with a fork, switch to your hands and knead gently until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough — it should feel softer than bread dough but hold its shape. The dough is ready when it stops sticking to your fingers.
- 4
Fill a large pot (at least 4 quarts) with water and set it over high heat. Add enough salt so the water tastes like the sea — about 2 tablespoons. Bring it to a rolling boil; you should see vigorous, aggressive bubbling across the entire surface.
- 5
Place a colander or large-holed slotted spoon over the pot of boiling water. Working in batches, push small dollops of dough through the holes directly into the boiling water — use a small spoon or your thumb to gently press walnut-sized pieces through. The noodles will fall into the water and initially sink. Don't overcrowd the pot; work in three batches if needed, leaving a few inches of space between noodles so they have room to expand.
- 6
As you finish pushing all the dough through, gently stir the water with a wooden spoon to prevent any noodles from sticking to the bottom. They will bob and float to the surface as they cook — this takes about 1-2 minutes after they float. Once they're all floating and have been there for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, they're done. Taste one to confirm it's tender throughout with no raw dough taste.
- 7
Set a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a bowl and carefully pour the noodles through to drain them, shaking gently to remove excess water. Do not rinse them — the starch helps them absorb butter and any sauce you'll serve them with.
- 8
Transfer the drained nokedli to a warm serving bowl. Cut 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter into small pats and scatter them over the warm noodles. Toss gently with two forks until the butter melts and coats every noodle evenly. Season with 0.25 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper and taste for salt — add a pinch more if needed.
- 9
Serve the nokedli immediately while still warm in shallow bowls or as a bed for Hungarian goulash, beef stew, paprikash, or any rich sauce. The soft noodles will soak up the flavors beautifully. You can also sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley or crispy breadcrumbs if you like.
Tools you’ll need
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- large pot (4+ quarts)
- wooden spoon
- slotted spoon or colander
- fine-mesh strainer
- serving bowl
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