Hungarian cuisine is so much more than goulash, but the dish has become the country’s best-known meal.
Strangely, though, there is still some confusion about what goulash is. Say “goulash”, and many visitors expect a stew. Perhaps for that reason, what we call pörkölt, a delicious slow-cooked Hungarian stew, gets lumped in the same category. The foundation is the same, onions and top-quality Hungarian pepper (paprika), but you can be certain that goulash, which we call gulyás is a soup. Literally, the name translates to cattle herder’s soup. Accordingly, it is made with meat, vegetables, potatoes and sometimes even with dumplings. It can be the perfect starter to lunch, but given how rich the dish is, it can also serve as a meal on its own.
Paprika also plays an important role in halászlé, or fisherman’s soup, made from local sweet water fish. The various regions each have their own interpretations. In Szeged, fish meat is blended into the soup, giving it a thick, saucy quality, whereas in Baja, they make the stock with the fish and serve the soup with noodles. You should try both varieties, but before taking sides on which is better, know that many Hungarians take their halászlé very seriously indeed, and are convinced that their version is the only correct take.
The most common starter to any family lunch on the weekend is húsleves, simple meat soup with vegetables. Every Hungarian loves it, the way to making it is simple and generally known, yet no two households will serve identical tasting soups. Húsleves typically comes with noodles, most commonly vermicelli or cérnametélt, and Hungarians will often add some erős pista, the country’s best-known hot paprika sauce.
For the main dish you might try Székelykáposzta, a tasty cabbage dish served with bits of pork and bacon. Paprikás krumpli, a potato stew made in the paprikás style, often served with sausage. The simplest and likewise most common dish at the family table is rántott hús, breaded and deep-fried meat. As side dish, Hungarians like to eat potatoes, or nokedli, a kind of dumpling. Given how hearty some of these courses are, you should try some of the many pickled compliments, like cucumbers, cabbage, or a mixture called csalamádé. Producing pickled vegetable is another deep Hungarian tradition; visit a market and you’ll will find several stalls selling nothing but a variety of pickled goods.
If your second stomach for sweets is craving once you finished your main course, try one of Hungary’s many signature cakes. Zserbó, Dobos, Szatmári or Eszterházy cakes are all well-beloved by Hungarians and are served at the best restaurants and cafés. You will surely enjoy the light and fluffy crème in a krémes, or the stimulating rummy tastes of a somlói galuska.
Needless to say, any meal should be enjoyed with one of the many excellent wines produced in one of Hungary’s traditional winemaking regions. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice if you’re unsure which type goes best with your meal. For your digestion try a glass of fine Hungarian pálinka, a true delicacy made of pure fruit. For an even more intense experience, treat your full stomach to a shot of Hungary’s favorite herbal spirit, Unicum. The bitter is an acquired taste, but trying it is definitely a memorable experience.