No trip is complete without immersing yourself in the local culinary tradition. And if you are planning a trip to Hungary, its typical cuisine will amaze you! It is a cuisine made of poor but nutrient-rich ingredients. There is a great use of spices in the dishes, especially pepper and paprika. The best-known dish is definitely goulash, while among the desserts, Dobos cake and kurtos are a must. Among drinks, you will certainly be familiar with palinka, but not everyone knows that Hungary has an important wine tradition!
Ready to set off with us on a journey of tastes and traditions? Here's what you can eat in Hungary: typical dishes, tips and interesting facts about Hungarian cuisine,
10 typical Hungarian dishes
1 - Gulyás
This is the Hungarian name for what we know as goulash, surely one of the most famous and best known Hungarian dishes in the world, replicated in other countries as well. The real name is Gulyás-leves, which literally means'herdsman's soup'.
We could define it as a beef stew, but today other types of meat are also used. The preparation takes several hours, as the meat is slow-cooked with lard, sautéed onions and carrots, potatoes and the ever-present paprika, the queen of Hungarian cuisine. A rich and hearty dish, especially for cold winter days.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €7.00
Main ingredients: meat, lard, sautéed onions and carrots, potatoes, paprika
2 - Lángos
Photo by Kobako. Another very famous and popular recipe is Lángos, a kind of fried pancake made of simple ingredients, namely flour, yeast, water and salt. Various ingredients are then added on top, which can be customised as you like. Of course, there are many variations: for instance, yoghurt, sour cream or potatoes can also be added to the dough.
This is a very old recipe, whose first official written source dates back to 1700, but which has been prepared since the 14th century. It is in fact a single dish, very hearty and easy to prepare. Today it is considered a street food, great to eat while walking.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €4.00
Main ingredients: flour, yeast, water, salt
3 - Töltött káposzta
The original name of this dish is Töltött káposzta, almost impossible for us to pronounce. But as complex as the name is, so simple is the recipe: these are cabbage rolls, also more simply called golubcy.
Preparing it is simple, requires little time and, above all, ingredients that are not wasteful, but give a lot of energy. Cabbage leaves are filled with minced meat, onion and rice. Everything is then cooked and usually served with sauerkraut.
Recommended: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €7.00
Main ingredients: cabbage, minced meat, onion
4 - Halászlé
Photo by User:Themightyquill. Hungary is a landlocked country, but it is crossed by the Danube and other rivers and has several lakes, including the famous Lake Balaton. So you can also find excellent fish dishes here, such as Halászlé, or fisherman's broth.
This is a soup made from fish, usually catfish, carp, catfish and pike. First, onions are sautéed with lard, to which paprika (inevitable) and catfish are added. Then the other fish are added, cut into pieces. It is then served with white bread. This is a traditional dish served on Christmas Eve, and every fisherman has his own recipe that he passes down from generation to generation.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €10.00
Main ingredients: fish, paprika, onion, white bread
5 - Paprikás csirke
Photo by Sumit Surai. Another traditional dish, another paprika-rich dish. Because paprika is really present everywhere, and it plays a key role here. Paprikás csirke is in fact paprika chicken, one of the Hungarians' favourite paprika recipes.
Again, this is a simple recipe with few but substantial ingredients: you fry the chicken, add onion, chopped peppers and parika. With the latter go ahead!
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €10.00
Main ingredients: chicken, onion, paprika
6 - Pörkölt
Here is another meat dish. It is a meat stew very similar to goulash, the difference being that the latter is more of a soup, whereas Pörkölt is more like a stew.
The meat used is beef, which is served with a sauce of onions, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. Of course, paprika is inevitable, as well as other spices, and it is also flavoured with a little white wine.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €15.00
Main ingredients: beef, onions, peppers, potatoes, paprika
7 - Lecsó
It can be called the Hungarian peperonata, the main ingredient being of course the pepper. It is a recipe that is prepared especially in the summertime, when fruit and vegetable stalls and shops sell excellent seasonal produce.
The main ingredients are always the same, i.e. peppers, paprika, onions and tomatoes, but every family has its own secret recipe, which is handed down from generation to generation. Definitely a good and nutritious dish, a must try!
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €7.00
Main ingredients: peppers, paprika, onions, tomatoes
8 - Gombapaprikás
Photo by stu_spivack. If you are a vegetarian, you can also find traditional recipes without the use of meat. One of them, which always involves the use of paprika (as the name suggests), is Gombapaprikás, a second course. It is a stew of mushrooms, onion and paprika.
It is a very simple dish to prepare, which can perhaps also be accompanied by other meat-based main courses. Despite its simplicity, it is a hearty dish, and every family has its own recipe. In fact, in some variants, it is
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €8.00
Main ingredients: mushrooms, onion, paprika
9 - Galuska
If you find yourself in a restaurant and are looking for a typical first course, we recommend you try galuska, or typical Hungarian dumplings. But that's not all: they can also be used to accompany meat dishes such as goulash or pörkölt.
They are very easy to prepare: all you need is flour, milk, egg and butter. For the seasoning, everyone follows their own taste! As well as being a side dish for meat, you can season them with cream, meat sauce or plain butter.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €8.00
Main ingredients: flour, milk, egg and butter
10 - Szalami
Here is the Hungarian salami, the typical and beloved sausage of Hungary! It is a sausage made of one third lean pork (Mangalica species), one third fat and one third lean beef. In its preparation, salt, ground pepper and the ever-present paprika are added.
Really good to eat on any occasion: as an appetiser at lunch or dinner, or as a snack between two slices of good bread. But we are sure you already know it!
Recommended: lunch, dinner, snack
Average cost: approx. €20.00/kg
Main ingredients: lean pork, fat, lean beef, paprika, salt, pepper
Typical Hungarian desserts
Maybe not everyone knows this, but Hungarian pastries are among the best known in the world! Between delicious cakes and simpler desserts, you cannot be in Hungary without entering a pastry shop or bakery at least once, you will be amazed.
Here are the most popular cakes:
1 - Dobos cake
Photo by Savannah Grandfather. Perhaps the best-known Hungarian cake. It is a delicious cake that consists of no less than 6 layers of sponge cake. Between these layers is buttercream and chocolate, and the top layer is then covered with caramel. It is not a light cake, but a slice is a must during a trip to Hungary.
Created by pastry chef Jòzsef Dobos, there is an interesting story surrounding this cake: it is said to have been the favourite dessert of Princess Sissi, who fell in love with it when she first tasted it at the Budapest World Fair.
Average cost: €5.00
Main ingredients: eggs, flour, butter, vanilla, buttercream, chocolate, caramel
2 - Kürtőskalács
This is a very famous and popular Hungarian cake, also known more simply as Kurtos. It is among the oldest cakes in the whole country, its origins dating back to the 15th century. It is also a very simple cake, but one that conquers precisely with its simplicity.
It is a cylindrical-shaped cake made of brioche dough, which is brushed with butter and baked. Once ready, cinnamon sugar or poppy seeds are sprinkled on top, but today you can also find different variations, such as peanut or chocolate. It is the street food cake par excellence, as you can eat it while walking through the streets of Hungarian cities.
Average cost: €4.00
Main ingredients: brioche dough, cinnamon sugar
3 - Palacsinta
They can be described as the Hungarian version of French crepes. The preparation of this cake is also very similar to the French version, except that sparkling water is added to the dough. Certainly, it is a simple dessert that appeals to everyone, young and old.
In Hungary, you can find them in different versions, both sweet and savoury: the ones filled with jam or Nutella are perfect for a good breakfast or afternoon snack, while the savoury ones with all kinds of fillings are great for a quick but tasty lunch break!
Average cost: €2.50
Main ingredients: flour, eggs, sparkling water, milk
4 - Gerbeaud
Photo by Illustratedjc. Also called Zserbo Szelet, it is a layer cake, much loved by Hungarians. It is a typical festive cake, especially for Christmas, whose recipe has been handed down in families for generations, but whose inventor is the confectioner Emil Gerbeaud, an internationally renowned Swiss confectioner who moved to Budapest in 1884.
The cake consists of a base of shortcrust pastry, apricot jam, chocolate and chopped nuts, all of which are then covered in chocolate icing. Perhaps the name of this cake is not new to you? That's because one of the most famous pastry shops in Hungary is the Gerbaud Patisserie, located in the heart of Budapest. Stopping here is not just a breakfast or snack break, but a real experience!
Average cost: €5.00
Main ingredients: short pastry, apricot jam, chocolate, chopped nuts
Drinks and liqueurs: what to drink in Hungary
1 - Palinka
It is, without a shadow of a doubt, theessence of Hungarian culture! It is a drink that everyone loves and everyone drinks. If someone offers you a shot of palinka never refuse it, it would be taken as a very rude and impolite gesture!
But what is it? It is a liqueur made from different fruits, the most popular ones being plum, pear, apricot and peach. It has a very strong alcohol content, varying between 37.5% and 86%.
Average cost: from €10.00 bottle
Main ingredients: liqueur with alcohol, fruit or herbs grown exclusively in Hungary and Romania
2 - Unicum
Photo by toyohara. It is a popular Hungarian bitter, drunk both as a digestive and as an aperitif. It is a distillate with over 40 types of herbs and spices, which come from all 5 continents. During preparation they are crushed by hand, following the traditional recipe.
The history behind it is very interesting; it is in fact one of the oldest spirits in Europe! In 1790, doctor Zwack was the court physician to Emperor Joseph II of Hungary. He gave this herbal digestive to the Emperor, who, after sipping it, said 'das ist ein unikum', or'this is unique'. This exclamation gave rise to the name of the bitter.
Average cost: from €15.00 per bottle
Main ingredients: 40 types of spices and herbs from around the world
3 - Wine
Not everyone knows that Hungary boasts a respectable wine tradition! In fact, excellent wines are produced here. One of the best known regions is the Tokaji region of Hungary, where the sweet Tokaji wine is produced. But there are no less than 22 wine regions, all waiting to be discovered!
The best way to taste delicious Hungarian wines is to accompany them during a meal with typical dishes, or by visiting wine cellars around the country. If you are in Hungary, we definitely recommend taking part in a wine tour to discover all its wine secrets!
Average cost: from €2.50 per glass, from €10.00 per bottle depending on the type of wine
Main ingredients: selected Hungarian grapes
Tips and trivia: where to eat and what to avoid
As you have been able to discover with us, Hungarian cuisine is based on poor but nutrient-rich ingredients. Traditional dishes are hearty, and there are several unique dishes that combine several ingredients for an exceptional result. Traditional desserts, on the other hand, are more sophisticated and more complex to prepare. Instead, the most popular street foods include lángos and kurtos.
When travelling, especially in big cities like Budapest, we advise you to beware of classic tourist-catcher restaurants, but to look for authentic places where real, traditional Hungarian dishes are served! Here you will have a real all-round experience. Don't forget to also visit traditional markets, such as the Nagycsarnok in Budapest, the largest and oldest in the city.
