Creamy, savory layers of potatoes, eggs, sausage, and sour cream baked until golden.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
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2½ lb (1.1 kg) potatoes
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6 large eggs
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10–12 oz Hungarian sausage (kolbász), sliced
(kielbasa or smoked sausage works if unavailable) -
2 cups full-fat sour cream
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2 tbsp butter (for greasing and dotting)
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Salt, to taste
Optional (but traditional upgrades)
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½ tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
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½ cup shredded cheese (not traditional, but common)
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Breadcrumbs or extra sour cream for the top
Instructions
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Prepare potatoes & eggs
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Boil potatoes in their skins until just tender. Cool, peel, and slice into rounds.
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Hard-boil eggs, peel, and slice.
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Prepare sausage
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Slice sausage into thin rounds.
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Lightly pan-fry until just starting to brown (optional but adds flavor).
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Assemble the casserole
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Butter a baking dish.
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Layer in this order:
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Potatoes (season lightly with salt)
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Eggs
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Sausage
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Sour cream (dollops spread gently)
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Repeat layers until ingredients are used, finishing with sour cream on top.
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Finish the top
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Dot with butter.
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Sprinkle paprika and/or breadcrumbs if using.
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Bake
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Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
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Uncover and bake another 15–20 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden.
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Rest & serve
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Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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Serving Suggestions
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Traditionally served with pickles, cucumber salad, or green salad
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Great alongside crusty bread
Tips
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The flavor improves if assembled a few hours ahead.
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Authentic versions rely on sour cream, not béchamel.
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Smoked paprika adds depth but sweet Hungarian paprika is classic.
If you want, I can share a modern creamy-cheese version, a vegetarian adaptation, or the most authentic rural Hungarian method passed down through generations.