Ohhh yes! 🇭🇺🍅✨ This is a true Hungarian comfort food classic — Fasírt Gombóc Paradicsommártásban (Hungarian meatballs in tomato sauce). It’s simple, homestyle, and full of nostalgic flavors, often served with rice or mashed potatoes.
Hungarian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Fasírt Gombóc Paradicsommártásban)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground pork (or pork + beef mix)
- ½ cup (60 g) breadcrumbs (soaked in a little milk)
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil or butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 ½ cups (600 ml) tomato purée (passata)
- 2 cups (500 ml) water or light broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sugar (to balance acidity)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Make the Meatballs
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well and shape into golf-ball-sized meatballs.
2. Cook the Meatballs
- Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil.
- Drop in the meatballs and simmer until they float and are cooked through (about 10–12 minutes).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Make the Tomato Sauce
- In a saucepan, heat oil or butter. Stir in the flour to make a light roux.
- Slowly whisk in tomato purée and water until smooth.
- Add bay leaf, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Combine & Serve
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer another 5 minutes so flavors meld.
- Serve warm with rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.
✨ Tips the Hungarian way:
- Some cooks add a little celery root and carrot to the tomato sauce for extra depth.
- A pinch of Hungarian paprika in the sauce makes it richer.
Would you like me to also share the authentic school-canteen version (iskolai menza style) that so many Hungarians grew up eating, or just keep it with this more homestyle version?
