Ah yes 😍 Hungarian Beef Paprikash — the rich, comforting cousin of chicken paprikash, slow-simmered with paprika and onions until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Perfect with egg noodles, dumplings, or mashed potatoes.
Here’s a classic recipe:
🥘 Hungarian Beef Paprikash (Marhapaprikás)
Ingredients (4 servings)
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2 lbs (900g) beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 1–2 inch cubes
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2 tbsp lard, butter, or oil
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2 large onions, finely chopped
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3 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (divided)
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1–2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
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1 medium tomato, chopped (or ½ cup canned)
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2 cups beef stock or water
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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1 bay leaf
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½ cup sour cream (for finishing)
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1–2 tsp flour (optional, to thicken sauce)
Instructions
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Sauté onions: Heat fat in a heavy pot. Cook onions over medium heat until translucent and lightly golden.
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Add paprika: Remove the pot from heat briefly and stir in 2 tbsp paprika (burning it makes it bitter!).
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Brown beef: Add beef cubes, season with salt & pepper, and sear lightly for flavor.
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Add vegetables: Stir in garlic, bell pepper, and tomato.
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Simmer: Add stock and bay leaf. Cover and simmer 1.5–2 hours over low heat, until beef is fork-tender.
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Finish sauce: Mix sour cream with remaining 1 tbsp paprika (and flour if using). Temper with a bit of hot sauce from the pot, then stir into paprikash. Heat gently — do not boil.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
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Over egg noodles, spaetzle/nokedli, or mashed potatoes
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Sprinkle with fresh parsley
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Serve with pickled cucumbers or cabbage salad for acidity
🇭🇺 Tips for Authentic Flavor
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Hungarian sweet paprika is essential — it’s the soul of the dish
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Never let paprika fry too long — it turns bitter
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Low and slow cooking = tender beef & rich sauce
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Sour cream should be added at the end, off heat, for silky texture
If you like, I can also make a pressure cooker / Instant Pot version that’s ready in under an hour and just as tender