Pörkölt is a Hungarian stew of boneless meat, onion and sweet paprika, simmered in very little liquid and served with nokedli, tarhonya or boiled potatoes.

Pörkölt is a stew that evolved from the gulyás of the Great Plain herdsmen, and in the 19th century it became a widespread dish among peasants there. It is made from meat, onion and sweet paprika powder: the onions are fried first in lard or oil, the paprika goes in off the heat, and flour is never used to thicken it. Beef, pork, lamb and chicken are common, and variants include pacalpörkölt with tripe and gombapörkölt with mushrooms. The goulash known abroad is closer to pörkölt.

Where to eat Pörkölt in Budapest

5 editor picks for Pörkölt in Budapest, ranked by editorial score. All Budapest signature dishes · Pörkölt across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 42 hr 30 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 800g beef chuck or pork shoulder, cubed in 3cm pieces
  • 3 large onions, finely diced
  • 80g lard or pork fat
  • 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • Salt and black pepper
  • For nokedli: 300g plain flour, 3 eggs, 100ml water, 1 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Melt the lard in a heavy casserole. Soften the onions over very low heat for 20 minutes until deep golden and completely broken down. This is the foundation of the dish.
  2. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the paprika; it must not burn. Add 3 tablespoons water immediately to dissolve the paprika into the onions.
  3. Add the cubed meat, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Return to low heat. Add the bell pepper, tomato, garlic, bay leaf and caraway.
  4. Cover tightly and simmer over the lowest heat for 90 to 120 minutes. The meat releases its juices and the dish self-cooks; check after 60 minutes and add only a splash of water if it threatens to catch.
  5. For the nokedli: whisk flour, eggs, water and salt to a sticky batter. Rest 10 minutes.
  6. Bring a wide pot of salted water to a boil. Push the batter through a nokedli press or holes of a colander directly into the water. Cook 2 minutes after they rise to the surface, drain.
  7. Plate the nokedli, ladle the pörkölt generously on top, finish with a small pickle on the side.

Editor tip. Fry the onions in lard first, add the paprika off the heat and simmer in very little liquid.

Common allergens: Egg (in the nokedli), Gluten (in the nokedli).