Hungarian Pasta

Traditional Hungarian Pasta & Noodles

Pasta is an integral part of Hungarian cuisine, with different shapes traditionally used for soups, stews, side dishes and sweet or savoury pasta recipes.

Rather than relying on a small number of universal shapes, Hungarian cooking has developed a wide variety of noodles designed for particular dishes. From tiny pinched csipetke for goulash to tarhonya served beside rich stews, these traditional forms remain an important part of everyday home cooking.

Our collection began with these authentic Hungarian pasta shapes and has gradually expanded to include gourmet egg pasta and carefully selected Central European noodles that complement the same cooking style.

Hungarian Pasta Shapes for Traditional Recipes

Many Hungarian pasta shapes are closely connected with particular dishes, and choosing the right one can make a noticeable difference to the finished meal.

• Csipetke is a small pinched egg pasta traditionally added to goulash, vegetable soups and rich broths, helping turn simple soups into filling meals.
• Tarhonya, often described as Hungarian egg barley, is a classic side dish for pörkölt, stews and chicken paprikash, and can be used as an alternative to rice or potatoes.
• Lebbencs tészta is a broad, irregular pasta traditionally used in soups and rustic dishes and is also well suited to cottage cheese pasta recipes.
• Csigatészta is a decorative twisted egg pasta traditionally served in clear soups and festive broths.
• Gyufatészta is a fine matchstick-style noodle particularly suited to soups and light broths.

Made for Authentic Hungarian Cooking

Our traditional Hungarian pasta shapes are produced by Hungaro Pasta, which has more than two decades of experience making Hungarian noodles from wheat flour and locally sourced eggs.

The range is designed around the shapes traditionally used in Hungarian home cooking, making it easier to prepare dishes such as goulash, chicken paprikash and pörkölt with the type of noodle normally served with them.

For founder Monika Gyenes, these pasta shapes are closely connected with the food she grew up eating in Hungary. They were among the first pantry products she wanted Best of Hungary to offer because they are essential ingredients for recreating familiar Hungarian recipes properly.

Gourmet Free-Range Egg Pasta

Our collection also includes a more indulgent range of Hungarian egg pasta made with fresh eggs from Ildikó Heppenheimer’s family farm in Márok, in southern Hungary.

Monika first visited the farm to learn more about its approach to egg production and was impressed by the family’s enthusiasm, attention to detail and close connection between farming and food production. Over time, Ildikó and her family became family friends, and their eggs now form the basis of several gourmet pastas in the Monika’s Kitchen range.

The Heppenheimer hens are free-ranging and spend time outdoors among fruit trees, where they can forage for green plants, fallen fruit and insects. Their feed is based principally on corn, wheat and sunflower, with flaxseed and hemp seed also included.

The eggs are valued for their naturally rich flavour and seasonal yolk colour, which varies according to the hens’ diet and outdoor environment. Since 2018, Heppenheimer eggs have carried the Aranyszalag quality mark of the Hungarian Gastronomic Association.

Truffle, Porcini & Quail Egg Pasta

The gourmet side of the range includes black truffle pasta and porcini pasta, made to bring more distinctive flavours to simple pasta dishes.

The egg pasta is produced in small rural pasta workshops using fresh free-range eggs and carefully selected flour. The recipe follows the tradition of rich Hungarian eight-egg pasta: the producers use as much fresh egg as the dough requires, without adding water, before drying the pasta in stages appropriate to each shape.

We also selected quail egg pasta for its gourmet character and distinctive richness, giving the collection an option beyond traditional chicken-egg noodles.

Central European Pasta & Noodles

As Best of Hungary gradually expands its range to include a small number of premium and popular foods from the wider Central European region, pasta is one of the most natural areas to do so.

We have therefore added traditional Spaetzle, Knöpfle and Kluski noodles from ALB-GOLD, a family-owned German pasta producer based in Baden-Württemberg, in the traditional home region of Swabian spaetzle.

Spaetzle and Knöpfle sit particularly naturally alongside Hungarian food because they work beautifully with many of the same rich stews and sauces. Spaetzle is also closely related in style and use to Hungarian nokedli, while Polish Kluski noodles work well in broths and comforting home-style dishes and have a similar role to several traditional Hungarian fine egg noodles.

For the full range of traditional German shapes, explore our German pasta collection.

How to Choose the Right Pasta

• For goulash and hearty soups: choose csipetke or other small soup noodles.
• For chicken paprikash and rich stews: serve tarhonya, Spaetzle or Knöpfle as a substantial side.
• For clear chicken or beef broth: choose csigatészta, gyufatészta or fine Kluski noodles.
• For simple gourmet dishes: truffle, porcini or quail egg pasta needs little more than butter, cream, Parmesan or fresh herbs.
• For children: alphabet pasta makes soups and simple meals more appealing.

Buy Hungarian & Central European Pasta Online in the UK

Explore our range of Hungarian pasta and Central European noodles, from traditional csipetke, tarhonya and csigatészta to gourmet truffle pasta, quail egg pasta, Spaetzle, Knöpfle and Kluski.

Whether you are recreating an authentic Hungarian recipe or looking for a distinctive pasta for everyday cooking, the collection brings together traditional shapes and quality ingredients.