Excellent choice, Ashley! 🇭🇺❤️
Hungarian Pork Goulash (Sertéspörkölt) is a true national treasure — hearty, smoky, and deeply comforting. It’s a rich stew made with tender pork, onions, and Hungarian paprika, slowly simmered until everything melts together into a flavorful masterpiece.
Unlike soupier versions, this is the thick goulash-style stew (pörkölt), often served with nokedli (Hungarian dumplings) or boiled potatoes.
🇭🇺 Hungarian Pork Goulash (Sertéspörkölt)
🥩 Ingredients:
- 2 lbs (900 g) boneless pork (shoulder, leg, or loin), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp lard or oil (traditional is lard for rich flavor)
- 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (the star of the dish!)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tomato, chopped (or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional, for extra sweetness)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water or broth (as needed)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: a pinch of caraway seeds
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley
👩🍳 Instructions:
- Sauté the onions:
- In a large pot, heat lard or oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook slowly until golden and soft — this forms the flavor base (about 10 minutes).
- Add the paprika:
- Remove the pot briefly from the heat (to prevent burning) and stir in the paprika.
- Mix well until the onions are evenly coated and deep red.
- Add the meat:
- Stir in the pork cubes, coating them with the paprika-onion mixture.
- Return to the heat and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add vegetables and seasoning:
- Stir in the garlic, tomato, bell pepper, salt, pepper, and caraway seeds if using.
- Mix well and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Simmer:
- Pour in just enough water or broth to cover the meat halfway.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add a splash of water if it thickens too much.
- Finish:
- When the pork is tender and the sauce is thick and rich, taste and adjust seasoning.
🍽️ Serving:
Serve your Hungarian Pork Goulash with:
- Nokedli (Hungarian dumplings)
- Boiled or mashed potatoes
- Or simply with a slice of crusty bread
And don’t forget a spoonful of sour cream on top — it adds that authentic Hungarian creaminess!
💡 Tips:
- The secret to authentic flavor is quality paprika — Hungarian sweet paprika gives the stew its beautiful red color and deep aroma.
- You can also add a bit of spicy paprika for heat if you like it bolder.
Would you like me to include the homemade Nokedli (Hungarian spaetzle) recipe that’s traditionally served with pork goulash?
