World Flavors Cookbook

Hungary Recipes

Hungarian cuisine is a soul-warming tradition defined by the bold use of paprika, thick stews, and rich sour cream. From the iconic Goulash to the crispy Lángos, it is a cuisine that celebrates hearty flavors and centuries of rural tradition.

Recipes from Hungary

• Gulyásleves (Goulash Soup)

  The iconic soul of Hungary—a rich, paprika-scented beef soup with tender vegetables and small hand-pinched dumplings.

• Lángos

  The ultimate Hungarian street food—deep-fried dough rubbed with garlic and piled high with sour cream and cheese.

• Pörkölt (Beef Stew)

  A thick, dark, and intensely flavored paprika stew, the foundation of Hungarian "stew culture."

• Pogácsa (Savory Biscuits)

  Small, savory scones made with cheese, bacon, or sour cream, a mandatory snack for any gathering.

• Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikash)

  Tender chicken pieces simmered in a silky, creamy paprika sauce, finished with plenty of sour cream.

• Lecsó (Hungarian Ratatouille)

  A vibrant summer stew of thick-walled peppers, tomatoes, and onions, often enriched with smoked sausage.

• Dobos Torte

  A world-famous five-layer sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream and topped with hard caramel wedges.

• Halászlé (Fisherman's Soup)

  A fiery, ruby-red river fish soup made with carp and a massive amount of hot paprika.

• Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake)

  A hollow, cylindrical yeast cake with a caramelized sugar crust, often coated in walnuts or cinnamon.

• Hortobágyi Palacsinta

  Savory crepes filled with minced meat stew, topped with a creamy paprika and sour cream sauce.

• Töltött Káposzta (Stuffed Cabbage)

  Sour cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of pork, rice, and paprika, slow-cooked with smoked meats.

• Somlói Galuska (Trifle)

  Hungary's favorite dessert—a decadent trifle of three types of sponge cake, rum, raisins, walnuts, and chocolate sauce.

• Főzelék (Vegetable Cream Stew)

  A unique Hungarian category of dish—thickened vegetable stews that are neither a soup nor a typical stew.

• Túrós Csusza (Cheese Pasta)

  Wide noodles tossed with hot lard, cottage cheese, and crispy bacon, topped with sour cream.

• Madártej (Bird's Milk)

  Poached meringue clouds floating on a pool of rich, vanilla-scented custard.

• Hungarian Palacsinta (Crepes)

  Paper-thin crepes rolled with apricot jam, sweetened cocoa, or walnut cream.

• Túrógombóc (Cheese Dumplings)

  Light, airy dumplings made from cottage cheese and semolina, rolled in toasted breadcrumbs.

• Gesztenyepüré (Chestnut Purée)

  Sweetened chestnut purée flavored with rum, pressed through a ricer and topped with whipped cream.

• Székelykáposzta (Transylvanian Cabbage)

  A hearty blend of pork pörkölt and sour cabbage, finished with lots of sour cream.

• Hideg Meggyleves (Cold Cherry Soup)

  A refreshing, sweet and tart cold soup made from sour cherries, cream, and cloves.

• Túrós Batyu (Cheese Bundles)

  Soft yeast dough pillows filled with a sweet lemon-scented cottage cheese mixture.

• Szilvás Gombóc (Plum Dumplings)

  Potato dough dumplings stuffed with whole plums, rolled in cinnamon-toasted breadcrumbs.

• Körözött (Liptauer Spread)

  A colorful, spicy cheese spread made with cottage cheese, paprika, onions, and caraway.

• Bejgli (Nut or Poppy Seed Roll)

  Dense, festive rolls with a thin dough and a massive amount of walnut or poppy seed filling.

• Brassói Aprópecsenye

  Small cubes of pork and potatoes fried with an intense amount of garlic and black pepper.

• Krémes (Vanilla Cream Pastry)

  Two layers of flaky puff pastry sandwiching a massive, wobbly height of light vanilla custard.

• Rakott Krumpli (Layered Potatoes)

  A comforting bake of layered potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, smoked sausage, and thick sour cream.

• Vargabéles (Cheese Noodle Cake)

  A unique dessert of wide noodles mixed with sweet cottage cheese and raisins, baked inside a thin phyllo crust.

• Tökfőzelék (Squash Stew)

  Shredded squash cooked with dill and sour cream, a refreshing summer staple.

• Rigó Jancsi

  A square-shaped chocolate sponge and mousse cake with a thin apricot jam glaze and dark chocolate top.

• Krumplis Tészta (Potato Pasta)

  A humble but beloved meal of square noodles tossed with paprika-sautéed onions and mashed potatoes.

• Zserbó (Gerbeaud Cake)

  A layered shortbread cake with walnut and apricot jam filling, topped with a smooth chocolate glaze.

• Sült Libacomb (Roast Goose Leg)

  Crispy-skinned roast goose leg served with red cabbage and onion-mashed potatoes.

• Szalonnasütés (Bacon Roasting)

  A summer social ritual—roasting thick smoked slab bacon over a campfire and dripping the hot fat onto fresh bread.

• Flódni

  A rich Jewish-Hungarian layered cake with four different fillings: poppy seed, walnut, apple, and plum jam.

• Hungarian Lángos (Fried Dough)

  Hungarian street food classic; eaten plain or loaded with garlic, sour cream, and cheese.

• Rakott Kelkáposzta (Layered Savoy Cabbage)

  A comforting casserole of layered savoy cabbage, seasoned ground meat, rice, and plenty of Hungarian sour cream.

• Sólet (Hungarian Jewish Bean Stew)

  A slow-cooked bean stew with barley, onions, and smoked meat, traditionally prepared for the Jewish Sabbath.

• Kifli (Crescent Rolls)

  Traditional crescent-shaped yeast rolls, soft on the inside with a slightly crisp crust, often topped with salt or caraway seeds.

• Húsleves (Hungarian Chicken Soup)

  A slow-cooked, crystal-clear chicken or beef broth with root vegetables and thin noodles, a Sunday staple.

• Újházi Tyúkhúsleves (Rich Festive Chicken Soup)

  A legendary, extra-rich chicken soup named after a famous 19th-century actor, filled with meat, vegetables, and mushrooms.

• Rakott Káposzta (Layered Cabbage)

  A hearty baked dish featuring layers of sauerkraut, cooked rice, seasoned ground meat, and plenty of sour cream.

• Krumplifőzelék (Creamy Potato Stew)

  A simple, comforting thick potato stew seasoned with bay leaves and sour cream.

• Stefánia Szelet (Meatloaf with Eggs)

  A classic Hungarian meatloaf with whole hard-boiled eggs hidden inside, making a beautiful pattern when sliced.

• Gulyás (Hungarian Goulash)

  Hungary's iconic paprika-spiced beef and potato stew — a rich, russet-red soup-stew that is the soul of Magyar cuisine.