Hungarian cuisine or Hungarian national cuisine special in that its dishes are very hearty, and portions are traditionally served quite large. Hungarians are cooked using a large amount of fat and invariably flavored with paprika of various flavors, perhaps the only exception in this case will be desserts. The most common dishes are meat, and, in particular, pork. This includes a variety of soups and main courses.

Going to a restaurant of Hungarian cuisine, to get acquainted with it, please note that portions of dishes are traditionally very large... This also applies to snacks. Therefore, do not order many dishes at once!

A classic Hungarian lunch starts with an appetizer. It can be pancakes with a filling, usually meat or cottage cheese, fried goose liver, stuffed paprika pepper (the filling can be very diverse). This is followed by soup. In the first place, of course, is the classic goulash soup or bograch, which consists of meat, usually pork, and dumplings. The basis of this dish is tomato. Halasle fish soup enjoys almost the same popularity. It is prepared on the basis of various types of fish. Some of them are boiled until mashed and ground through a sieve. Then, large pieces of other varieties of fish are added to such a mass. This dish is very original, but most importantly delicious! Also popular is a soup called "Jokai bableves", which is cooked on a fat pork knuckle or on a very fat sausage with the addition of beans. By the way, an extremely thick consistency is characteristic of Hungarian soups, which is completely unusual for us.

Having eaten a portion of the soup, the Hungarian will in no way refuse the second course. It can be absolutely anything. Most often, as we said earlier, Hungarians prefer pork, subject to any type of culinary processing in combination with any food products (vegetables, cereals, pasta). So, the most popular is the dish called "Porkolt". In our understanding, these are ordinary goulash - pieces of pork with onions and paprika, stewed in tomato sauce. Meat "a la Budapest modra" is also a fairly frequent guest on the table. These are ordinary cutlets made from ground beef, veal or pork, which are fried with mushrooms and generously sprinkled with yellow cheese. In addition, in Hungarian cuisine there is such a dish as roast pork, which is served along with stewed potatoes. However, not all second courses of Hungarian national cuisine are meat dishes. So, for example, you can order only Lecho vegetable dish. It consists of sweet bell peppers (paprika) and onions, stewed with tomatoes or in tomato sauce. Csusza or baked sweet pasta can also be an example of a "non-meat second course". They are usually supplemented with cottage cheese, walnuts or poppy seeds.

Among the recipes of Hungarian cuisine, you will find many desserts. Most of them are represented by cakes that bear female names. This is due to the fact that culinary authorship in this country is jealously guarded, and therefore confectionery novelties bear the names of their "inventors". In addition, Vegyes Retes, or simply a roll, is a fairly well-known and widespread dessert. It can be filled with cottage cheese, fruit or poppy seeds. Somloi galuska is no less famous. This work of confectionery art is represented by small pieces of biscuit dough with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

In general, Hungarian cuisine is very diverse, despite the uniformity of ingredients used in different recipes. You will definitely like it, because it contains dishes for every taste! By the way, preparing Hungarian food at home will not be difficult at all, as you can see by studying the step-by-step recipes with photos given here!

Improve your culinary talent and surprise your loved ones with new delicious dishes!

Many people associate the national cuisine of Hungary with goulash, paprika, salami and Tokaj wine. But believe me, the real Hungarian menu is much more interesting and richer. Some experts put this cuisine in third place in the world, after France and Italy. Thanks to its great variety, excellent taste, nourishing dishes and the skillful use of various seasonings, Hungarian cuisine has become famous far beyond the borders of the country. Therefore, if you happen to visit Hungary, avoid chisburgers, hamburgers and other fast foods, and be sure to try real Hungarian dishes. And now, in a little more detail, about the most famous delights of Hungarian cuisine.

By far the most popular dish is the famous hungarian goulash... For its excellent taste, sometimes, this dish is called - "peasant royal soup". In the city of Gyula, there is even a whole restaurant with an intriguing name - "Goulash Academy". Here you will be offered over 30 recipes for this famous dish. Moreover, the main secret is that it is cooked in this open-air restaurant in a picturesque garden. This is done so that the goulash absorbs not only the amazing harmony of spices, but also the exquisite aroma of the Hungarian air. Despite the fact that goulash is far from a dietary dish, locals believe that it cures many diseases and relieves stress.

By itself, goulash is a cross between a meat stew and a thick soup, therefore, it can be used both as the first and as the second. The dish was invented by Hungarian shepherds and the name comes from the Hungarian word "guyash", which means "shepherd". And in the city of Szolnok, an annual "goulash festival" is held, to which the best chefs of the country come and compete in the preparation of this amazing dish.

I present to your attention a few more dishes, Hungarian cuisine, which are worth trying in this hospitable country:

• « chicken paprikash« - made from white chicken meat, with the addition of sour cream, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, garlic, dry white wine and red paprika.
• « venison goulash soup« - served in a pot made of freshly baked bread.
• « turosh chusa « - boiled noodles with sour cream, cottage cheese and cracklings.
• « Hungarian lecho « - made from tomatoes, paprika, onions, smoked pork sausage and served with dumplings.
• « halasle « - Hungarian fish soup.
• « phaselek « - Hungarian stewed vegetable stew.
• « kerezet « - Sheep cheese pate with spices.
• « Transylvanian cabbage rolls« - in which, in addition to minced meat, add fried brisket, smoked meat and sausages.
• « virgin roast« - suckling pig stuffed with minced pork ham.
• « tocan in Heran"- a dish of stewed pork kidneys, meat, mushrooms, bacon, onions, paprika, flour, sour cream and marjoram.
• "Palazzinta" - pancakes with various fillings.
• "Toltott paprika" - large red peppers stuffed with minced meat and rice, stewed in tomato sauce.

It is impossible to imagine Hungarian cuisine without paprika. It is a capsicum red pepper that was introduced to the country by the Turks in the 16th century. Unripe, green, pods are used to prepare side dishes and salads. Seasonings are made from ripe red ones. There are many flavors of Hungarian paprika - savory, sweet, fiery, pink and others. In the south of the country, there is the city of Kalocha, which is considered the world capital of paprika. There is a paprika museum popular among tourists. Many hundreds of pomegranate-ruby pods hang on medieval beams, the fragrance of which is impossible to forget.

Hungarian cuisine will offer many pleasant surprises for dessert. Already, a kind of brand of the country, has become “ hungarian strudel« , stuffed with nuts, cherries, poppy seeds, apples, pears. The main feature is the preparation of dough from a special flour with a high gluten content. The shops even sell special "strudel flour". In addition, it is worth trying such sweet dishes as:

• « pancakes a la Gundel"- with sour cream and dried fruits, plentifully poured with chocolate.
• « Shomloi dumplings"And" dobosh "- national Hungarian cakes.
• "Rigo janchi" and "esterhazy" are delicious Hungarian pastries.
• "Kyurtskalach" - traditional cylindrical baked goods.

Another famous brand of Hungarian cuisine is Tokay wine. Hungarians are very proud of their amber-golden wine, with a unique spicy flavor. Experts believe that Tokay wine has a unique rich taste, with a touch of fire. At one time, Peter Ι bought several vineyards in Hungary, from which wine was supplied to his royal table. In addition, you should try the famous Hungarian apricot vodka, the unique Badacsony wine (“ Keknelyu "and" Auvergne "), herbal balsam "Unicum", wonderful Balaton wine from the vineyards "Shomlo" and white wines from Kecskemet (" Kechkemeti Leanka" and " Wilds of Harslevel«).
Welcome to hospitable Hungary and bon appetit to everyone!

Many people associate Hungarian cuisine primarily with Tokaj wine, salami, paprika and goulash. But believe me, Hungarian gastronomy is much broader, richer and more interesting. Even if you are not a big fan of gastronomic tourism, then acquaintance with Hungarian cuisine is still worth including in your travel program with this amazing country.

Hungarian cuisine is characterized by a large number of products used, excellent taste, skillful use of various spices. Many experts speak of it as one of the best cuisines in the world.

The most popular Hungarian dish is goulash... This is a very satisfying and delicious dish. In the town of Gyula, there is a restaurant called "Goulash Academy", where guests are offered more than three dozen different versions of this dish. The highlight of the restaurant is that dishes are prepared not in the kitchen, but in a picturesque garden, right in the open air.

Chicken paprikash Is another famous Hungarian dish. It is prepared exclusively from poultry, veal, lamb or fish. It is generously soaked in sour cream sauce and generously seasoned with paprika.

Turosh chusa- an original dish that you will not taste anywhere except in Hungary. This is a combination of the incompatible: noodles, cottage cheese, cracklings and sour cream. It sounds strange, but in fact it is very tasty!

Rethesh- so called "Hungarian strudel". Usually it is a sweet strudel with poppy seeds, nuts, honey, cherries or apples. There are also varieties of retesh with mushrooms, meat, fish and cabbage. A special type of flour is used for the preparation of retesh, which is labeled in Hungarian stores as “strudel flour”.

Hungarian lecho- a dish of tomatoes, paprika, chicken paprikash, dumplings and onions. Usually served with pork sausages and rice.

Halasle- ear in Hungarian. It is prepared like an ordinary fish soup, but in accordance with local gastronomic traditions it is generously seasoned with paprika, black pepper and tomatoes. It goes very well with Tokaj wine.

Fazelek- a rather original dish of stewed vegetables, which are cut into small pieces, stewed in water, and then potatoes and sour cream with flour sautéing are added. One of the most popular phaselek varieties in Hungary - with spinach, cabbage, lentils and zucchini.

Chicken breast and foie gras- along with goulash, the hallmarks of Hungarian cuisine. Arriving in Hungary, you should definitely try these dishes and you will be completely delighted.

Those with a sweet tooth in Hungary will also love it. Hungary often hosts fairs where you can taste rolls of dough, biscuits with chocolate, Dobosh cake, and, of course, delicious pancakes with all kinds of fillings.

Don't forget to sample some delicious Hungarian cuisine during your trip to Budapest. Hungarian cuisine is sure to please you. After all, her cuisine consists mainly of hearty soups, stews, game dishes, simple but tasty casseroles, juicy pies and pastries.

Here are some tips on what dishes to try while in Budapest.

Some ingredients and a certain way of cooking make Hungarian dishes hearty and spicy. The main ingredient is paprika powder, which gives a unique taste and bright orange color to typical Hungarian dishes. But do not be mistaken that red pepper dishes are too hot.

For the most part, sweet paprika is placed in stews, goulash, chicken with paprika, and hot peppers are usually placed to the side.

The main stage in creating a real Hungarian stew, goulash, is stewing onions in hot lard with the addition of paprika. Sour cream is also another important ingredient in Hungarian recipes. It is added to soups, pastas, casseroles and desserts.

There are also other main ingredients such as onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper and various herbs including parsley, bay leaf, wormwood, celery, thyme, savory.

Although most Hungarian dishes require lard, nowadays restaurant owners and housewives use vegetable oil instead of lard.

Hungarian soups

It is the nation that consumes soup the most in its diet. A full three course meal always starts with soup. It can be hearty meat soup, world famous goulash or sweetish vegetable soup.

Each part of Hungary has its own way of making goulash. Green beans are added to dishes called "Palócgulyás" goulash and "Alfoldi" goulash, and then cooked along with potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Hearty bean soups are very popular in Hungary.

In restaurants you can find in the menu "Jókai" - bean soup. A must In Hungary, try the famous "fish soup".

Also, you will find another Hungarian soup on the menu of restaurants - "Újházy", that is, chicken broth.

The price varies depending on the order, approximately 400-1000 HUF.

Hungarian main dishes

The soup is usually followed by a meat platter with potatoes, pasta, or rice garnishes. Also, meat dishes can be served with pickles or salad from seasonal vegetables.

The most popular meat dishes are Pörkölt and paprikás. "Pörkölt" is a stew made with pork, beef, lamb or chicken with onions and paprika powder, the main Hungarian spice.

"Paprikás" is prepared in the same way as "pörkölt". The only difference is that sour cream is mixed with red paprika and onion sauce. This is necessary to give the dish a creamy appearance.

Fried goose liver ("Libamáj") and game dishes are considered Hungarian delicacies.

Cabbage rolls ("Töltött Káposzta") are a traditional Hungarian dish that tastes great. It is prepared for holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

Hungarian cuisine is characterized by pasta dishes. There are a number of such dishes: "Turos csusza" - pasta with cottage cheese, "káposztás tészta" - egg squares with stewed cabbage and, of course, savory pasta.

Sweet pasta dishes: "túrógombóc" - dumplings, cheese cakes, "szilvásgombóc" - plum dumplings and "palacsinta" - pancakes.

If you are a vegetarian, try "Főzeléks", which are vegetables stewed in water in a thick form. Try also "tökfőzelék" - a brain with dill and sour cream, or "finomfőzelék" - a mixture of vegetables with a white sauce.

Pork chops or scrambled eggs are usually served in restaurants. It depends on which "Főzelék" vegetable mix you have chosen. For the preparation of some "Főzeléks", for example, for "Babfőzelék", to which beans are added, smoked meat or sausage is essential.

If you are a vegetarian who adheres to the rules, then before ordering "főzelék" you can ask the waiter if meat, or even broth, was used during its preparation.

The price of such dishes is between 1200-3000 HUF, depending on the restaurant. Some restaurants may even inflate prices for tourists.

Hungarian pastries, cakes, snacks

For lovers of sweets, it is impossible not to ignore Hungarian sweets: juicy cakes, delicious pastries. The best places to try these sweet treats are coffee shops and cafes. Take your time with the selection of cream-filled cakes and pies, which are displayed side by side behind the store counter. Here are some desserts you can try:

"Dobos Torta" is a multi-layered cake with thick chocolate cream topped with crispy caramel.

"Eszeteházy Torta" - multi-layered cake with nut cream.

"Krémes" is a light vanilla cream that is used between two layers of a crispy flaky cake.

"Rigó Jancsi" is a chocolate sponge cake filled with airy chocolate mousse and covered with chocolate.

"Rákóczi Turos" is a curd cake.

Buns - "Retes" - puff pastry with various fillings (cottage cheese, apple, poppy seeds and cherries and others). For Hungarians, these dishes are favorites.

Typically, at festivals and outdoor events, "Kürtős kalács", a cylindrical hollow dough covered with powdered sugar, cinnamon or walnuts, are sold.

"Gesztenye püré" - chestnut puree or "Somlói galuska" - puff pastry sponge cake with chocolate sauce, rum and whipped cream are typical hearty Hungarian desserts.

For a quick morning snack, try fresh baked goods from the bakery, such as Turos taška, a biscuit filled with cottage cheese, or Kakos Csiga, a coconut snail, a ball-shaped dough filled with chocolate. In grocery stores in vegetable markets, you can buy "Langos" - deep-fried round dough.

Another option for a quick bite is "Pogácsa", a salty biscuit with various flavors (cracklings, cheese, cabbage).

The price of these dishes: pastries and snacks cost about 150-200 forints, a piece of pie - between 200-400 forints (they are more expensive in cafes for tourists).