20 Classic Hungarian Recipes You Need to Try (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

20 Classic Hungarian Recipes You Need to Try (1)Grace MannonUpdated: May 01, 2023

    Hungarian cuisine uses native ingredients in delicious ways. Here are the best-loved Hungarian recipes that would make any nagyanya (grandma) proud!

    1/20

    Hungarian Goulash

    Talk about your heirloom recipes! My grandmother made this Hungarian goulash recipe for my mother when she was a child, and then Mom made it for us to enjoy. Paprika and caraway add wonderful flavor, and sour cream gives it a creamy richness. It’s simply scrumptious! —Marcia Doyle, Pompano, Florida

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    2/20

    Taste of Home

    Chicken Paprikash

    Some recipes for chicken paprikash include vegetables like bell peppers and celery, but not my Grandmother Alta’s. Hers was a simple combination of chicken, onions, garlic, paprika and sour cream. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

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    3/20

    Taste of Home

    New World Stuffed Cabbage

    European immigrants brought their favorite stuffed cabbage recipes to the New World in the late 19th century. Here's my take on tradition. —Katherine Stefanovich, Desert Hot Springs, California

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    4/20

    Taste of Home

    Hungarian Nut Rolls

    It isn't officially the holidays until I've made this treasured nut roll recipe from my husband's grandmother. The apple-walnut filling is moist, subtly sweet and flavorful. —Donna Bardocz, Howell, Michigan

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    5/20

    Sour Cream Cucumbers

    It’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when the cucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio

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    6/20

    Taste of Home

    Succulent Strawberry Soup

    This creamy fruit soup makes a perfect summertime treat for family and friends. The strawberry base with a hint of orange appeals to all palates! —Paula Pelis, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania

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    7/20

    Apple Strudel

    This gorgeous strudel has just what you crave this time of year: thin layers of flaky crust and lots of juicy apples. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

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    8/20

    Hungarian Short Ribs

    This is a special meal in our house—as soon as I get ribs, I know which dish my family will ask me to make. My husband and I have three children, so I've learned to be a versatile cook! —Joanne ShewChuk, St. Benedict, Saskatchewan

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    9/20

    Taste of Home

    Hungarian-Style Green Beans

    A vacation to Hungary inspired this flavorful side of green beans with paprika and mushrooms. Being a vegetarian, I welcome these tasty ideas. —Sherry Johnston, Green Cove Springs, Florida

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    10/20

    Taste of Home

    Hungarian Walnut Cookies

    As a child, I always looked forward to eating these goodies at Christmastime. Now I make them for my own family. —Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus, Pennsylvania

    11/20

    Beef Paprikash with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

    Beef paprikash, a Hungarian dish, makes a marvelous Sunday dinner. We prefer it with kluski egg noodles, or try mashed potatoes. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois

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    12/20

    Taste of Home

    Horseradish Deviled Eggs

    People say "Wow!" when they taste these flavorful, tangy horseradish deviled eggs. The bold combination of ground mustard, dill and horseradish is so appealing. The plate is always emptied when I serve these eggs. —Ruth Roth, Linville, North Carolina

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    13/20

    Taste of Home

    Cardamom-Blackberry Linzer Cookies

    Deeply spiced cardamom is the perfect match for the jam of your choice in this family-favorite sweet treat. — Christianna Gozzi, Astoria, New York

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    14/20

    Taste of Home

    Grandma Schwartz's Rouladen

    This was one of my Grandma Schwartz's recipes. Grandpa Schwartz was a German butcher and this was one of his (and our) favorite meals. It's an extra-special beef entree when served with mashed potatoes made with butter and sour cream. —Lynda Sharai, Summer Lake, Oregon

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    15/20

    Pickled Sweet Peppers

    I love to can my homegrown produce. I call this recipe Summer in a Jar. The peppers have a nice combination of tart and spicy flavors. —Edna Clemens, West Branch, Michigan

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    16/20

    Rum Balls

    Rum flavor comes through nicely in these traditional, no-bake rum balls. I like to make a few dozen at a time and give them to my neighbors for Christmas—Audrey Larson, Bloomington, Minnesota

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    17/20

    Butternut Goulash

    We make this treasured family goulash recipe using squash from our own backyard. The chili powder and cayenne really warm you up! —Allison Wilmarth, Forest City, Pennsylvania

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    18/20

    Walnut-Filled Pillows

    These tender cookie pillows, filled with a delicious walnut mixture, are my husband's favorite. He says it wouldn't be Christmas without them. —Nancy Kostrej, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

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    19/20

    Taste of Home

    Cookie Crust Deep-Dish Apple Pie

    One of my favorite make-and-take desserts, this deep-dish pie is based on an old Hungarian recipe that's popular in this part of Ohio. The easy cookie crust is the best part. —Diane Shipley, Mentor, Ohio

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    20/20

    This recipe is special to me because it’s an easy one-pot meal that tastes like you spent the whole day in the kitchen. My family loves it. —Lynn Bowen, Geraldine, Alabama

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    Originally Published: August 29, 2018

    20 Classic Hungarian Recipes You Need to Try (22)

    Grace Mannon

    Grace learned a ton about the nitty-gritty of food and nutrition while earning her master’s degree in food science. She worked for a well-known baby food company and a company responsible for many favorite snack foods before transitioning to being a stay-at-home mom. She loves writing about complicated food science concepts in an understandable way and as a Taste of Home contributor, Grace covers a little bit of everything, from vintage recipes to must-have holiday foods and treats.

    20 Classic Hungarian Recipes You Need to Try (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the most famous Hungarian dish? ›

    Goulash (gulyás in Hungarian): This is perhaps the most well-known Hungarian dish, a beef stew seasoned with paprika, onions, and other spices. It is often served with potatoes, dumplings or bread.

    What Hungarian food to try? ›

    Expat Explore has put together a list of must-try Hungarian dishes:
    • Goulash. Ok, we know we just said Hungarian cuisine is more than goulash but we still had to mention this hearty, beloved stew! ...
    • Lángos. ...
    • Somlói Galuska. ...
    • Chicken Paprikash. ...
    • Bukta. ...
    • Fisherman's Soup. ...
    • Hortobagyi Palacsinta (meat crêpes) ...
    • Dobos Torta.
    Mar 3, 2023

    What is Hungary's national dish? ›

    Hungary's national dish

    Gulyás, known to English speakers as goulash, is a spicy meat stew containing lots of paprika pepper. Originally, it was eaten by the country's cattle herders and stockmen.

    Do Hungarians eat healthy? ›

    Compared to 2022, more Hungarians are paying attention to health-conscious eating, with 60% of them including a meat-free day in their week, motivated not only by saving money but also by healthy living, according to Nestlé Hungária's second major national “Veganuary” survey.

    What is the national drink of Hungary? ›

    The inky, amber-tinted liquid inside is called Unicum, and with roots that delve back to the late 18th century, it's one of the most revered national drinks in Hungary. Like that other boozy Hungarian favorite, the fruit brandy pálinka, Unicum is largely savored as an aperitif or a digestif in shot form.

    What do Hungarians eat for breakfast? ›

    In Hungary, a typical breakfast may consist of fresh bread, cold sausage type minced meat products (such as kolbász or szalámi), some vegetables or jam. Lunch is the main meal of the day, usually consisting of three courses: soup is followed by a main dish and a dessert.

    What is a typical Hungarian lunch? ›

    Lunch in Hungary usually begins with a soup. Unike in many Eastern European countries, few soups have a characteristically sour taste. At the top of the soup hierarchy sits the flavorful húsleves, literally meat soup, usually made from long-simmered beef or poultry. No wedding reception is complete without it.

    What is the main dish in Budapest? ›

    While Hungarian cuisine has a number of outstanding dishes, the most famous dish in Budapest is goulash, which is a beef stew with paprika, onions, peppers, etc.

    What is the classic food in Budapest? ›

    There's more than a hundred dishes on the long menu, mainly variations on the classics: goulash, pörkölt, paprikash, schnitzel. Round out your meal with the sweet-tart cottage cheese dumplings (túrógombóc), or the Gundel palacsinta, crepes blanketed in chocolate sauce and filled with ground walnuts.

    What is the most popular drink in Hungary? ›

    The national drink of Hungary is Pálinka and Unicum. What is a Hungarian Pálinka? Pálinka is a very strong traditional spirit made of many different types of fruit.

    What animal is Hungary known for? ›

    The Turul is a mythological bird of prey , mostly depicted as a hawk or falcon , in Hungarian tradition and a national symbol of Hungarians .

    What did ancient Hungarians eat? ›

    The first written records of Hungarian gastronomy also date back to the 15th century. According to King Matthias' chronicles, the most popular dishes were pork, beef, venison, lamb, and game. Every food was served with gravies made from the juices of the meat. People dunked their bread in these savory sauces.

    How often do Hungarians shower? ›

    The vast majority of the studied population bathed or showered on a daily basis (91%) and a small proportion (6%) bathed approximately every other day (3-4 times per week). A minority (3%) bathed less frequently (1-2 times a week or less frequent) (tab.

    Do Hungarians eat eggs? ›

    TRADITIONAL EATING PATTERNS

    The family gathers around the table for dinner around 7 p.m. It is usually a warm meal: home- made stew (porkolt) or soup, ham and eggs.

    Is obesity a problem in Hungary? ›

    26.8% of adult (aged 18 years and over) women and 31.3% of adult men are living with obesity. Hungary's obesity prevalence is higher than the regional average of 25.3% for women and 24.9% for men. At the same time, diabetes is estimated to affect 7.3% of adult women and 10.0% of adult men.

    Which food is most commonly eaten in Budapest? ›

    While Hungarian cuisine has a number of outstanding dishes, the most famous dish in Budapest is goulash, which is a beef stew with paprika, onions, peppers, etc.

    What is the most famous Hungarian pastry? ›

    Dobos torte

    First baked in the 1800s and named after its inventor József C Dobos, this layered pastry is among the best-known Hungarian cakes, acclaimed for its polished appearance.

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