Stíriai Metélt – Hungarian Baked Cottage Cheese Noodles
- artisanistshop
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
If you grew up in Hungary, Stíriai metélt might be one of those dishes that instantly brings back memories.
It’s an old-fashioned Hungarian favorite made with homemade túró noodles that are cooked first, then folded into a light, creamy egg mixture and baked until beautifully golden. A generous dusting of powdered sugar finishes it off.
The result is soft and creamy inside, slightly crisp and golden on top, and somewhere between a sweet noodle dish and a baked cottage cheese pudding.
And yes, in Hungary we absolutely eat sweet dishes like this as a main course — especially after a good bowl of soup!
What Is Stíriai Metélt?
Stíriai metélt is a traditional Hungarian sweet noodle dish with an interesting twist: instead of using ordinary pasta, the noodles are made from túró, flour, egg and sour cream.
The dough is rolled out, cut into thick noodles and briefly cooked in boiling water.
But we’re not finished yet!
The cooked noodles are mixed with a creamy mixture made with milk, butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Everything goes into a baking dish and is baked until the top becomes beautifully golden.
Serve it warm with plenty of powdered sugar.
It’s simple, comforting and incredibly good.
A Note About Túró
Hungarian túró isn't exactly the same as the cottage cheese commonly sold in North America.
Túró is relatively dry, crumbly and mild. If you can't find Hungarian-style túró, look for dry cottage cheese, farmer cheese or pressed cottage cheese.
Regular wet cottage cheese contains much more liquid and can change the consistency of the dough, so I don't recommend substituting it cup-for-cup without draining it very thoroughly first.
Ingredients
For the Túró Noodles
450 g túró or dry cottage cheese
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
For the Creamy Filling
80 g butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
250 ml milk
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons sour cream
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons raisins, optional
4 large eggs, separated
For Serving
Powdered sugar
How to Make Stíriai Metélt
1. Make the túró dough
Place the túró in a large bowl and add the flour, egg, sour cream, powdered sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt.
Mix and knead just until you have a soft dough.
The exact amount of flour can vary slightly depending on how moist your túró is. The dough should be soft enough to roll but shouldn't be extremely sticky.
2. Roll and cut the noodles
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough.
Cut it into thick, short noodle-like strips. Don't worry about making every piece identical — this is homemade Hungarian comfort food!
3. Cook the noodles
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add the noodles and cook until they rise and are cooked through. Drain carefully and set aside.
4. Prepare the creamy base
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour, then gradually add the milk while stirring until smooth and slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
5. Prepare the egg mixture
Separate the eggs.
Mix the egg yolks with the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon zest, sour cream and a pinch of salt.
Stir in the cooled milk mixture.
If you're using raisins, add them now.
6. Whip the egg whites
Beat the egg whites until they form a light, fluffy foam with stiff peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the creamy mixture. Try not to knock out all that air — this is what helps give Stíriai metélt its wonderfully light texture.
7. Add the noodles
Carefully fold the cooked túró noodles into the creamy mixture until everything is evenly distributed.
8. Bake
Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish.
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top is puffed and beautifully golden brown.
The baking time can vary slightly depending on your oven and the depth of your baking dish.
9. Let it rest
This part is worth waiting for!
Allow the Stíriai metélt to rest for about 10–15 minutes after removing it from the oven. It may settle slightly as it cools, which is completely normal.
Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
How to Serve Stíriai Metélt
Serve it warm, generously dusted with powdered sugar.
You can certainly enjoy it as a dessert, but there's another very Hungarian way to serve it:
Soup first, Stíriai metélt second.
A hearty soup followed by a sweet pasta or túró dish is completely normal in Hungarian home cooking. That's exactly the kind of meal that makes this recipe feel so nostalgic to me.
Tips for the Best Stíriai Metélt
Use dry túró.Too much moisture can make the noodle dough sticky and heavy.
Don't overwork the dough.Mix it only until everything comes together.
Let the milk mixture cool before adding it to the eggs.You don't want the hot mixture to cook your egg yolks.
Fold the egg whites gently.Those whipped egg whites help create the wonderfully light, almost soufflé-like texture.
Don't worry if it sinks slightly.It will puff beautifully in the oven and may settle as it cools. That's normal.
Give it a few minutes before cutting.Letting it rest for 10–15 minutes makes it easier to serve and gives you beautiful pieces.
Can I Make Stíriai Metélt Without Raisins?
Absolutely.
Raisins are traditional in many versions, but if you're not a fan, simply leave them out. The lemon, vanilla and túró give the dish plenty of flavor on their own.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Stíriai metélt is at its best when freshly baked and still slightly warm.
However, leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container. Reheat individual portions gently before serving and add fresh powdered sugar afterward.
Before You Go…
If this Stíriai metélt brought back memories of a Hungarian kitchen — or introduced you to something completely new — I hope you'll give it a try. There is something so special about rediscovering these old-fashioned recipes and keeping them alive for another generation. 🇭🇺❤️
And if you love traditional Hungarian comfort food, don't stop here! There are plenty more recipes waiting for you in From My Hungarian Kitchen.
Try Another Hungarian Favorite
If you're in the mood for something sweet, try my Kakaós Csiga (Hungarian Chocolate Rolls) or a classic Rizskoch (Hungarian Baked Rice Pudding).
For another recipe featuring túró, my Túrós Batyu (Hungarian Cottage Cheese Pastries) is always a wonderful choice.
And if you'd rather make something savory, browse my Hungarian Recipes collection for soups, breads, main dishes, pickles, pastries and more recipes from the kitchen I grew up with.
Stay Connected ❤️
I share much more than what makes it onto the blog!
Follow From My Hungarian Kitchen on Instagram and TikTok for step-by-step recipe videos, everyday cooking and plenty of Hungarian food nostalgia.
You can also find my recipe videos on YouTube, and don't forget to follow me on Pinterest so you can save your favorite recipes for later.
Save This Recipe
If you're not making Stíriai metélt today, save or pin this recipe for later so you can easily find it again.
And if you make it, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment below or tag From My Hungarian Kitchenwhen you share it on social media. Seeing these Hungarian recipes being made in kitchens around the world is one of my favorite parts of sharing them. ❤️
Until the next recipe…
Jó étvágyat! 🇭🇺
— AnitaFrom My Hungarian Kitchen
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