Before I visited Hungary, I met with some Hungarian friends. They insisted on giving me a list of fantastic dishes that they though best represented Hungarian cuisine. Of course, the iconic goulash (Gulyásleves) was on that list.
There were plenty of other dishes too, and I loved them. That’s why I always ordered marhapörkölt whenever I visited the Made in Hungary restaurant. Other popular items I frequently enjoyed included Halászlé or fisherman’s soup, nokedli (egg noddle dumplings), and turós csusza (cottage cheese noodles).
Of course, I discovered lángos (they’re everywhere) and the palacsinta. They’re not exactly hard to find, and they were on the list as well.
But maybe my friends were frazzled when they made the list, because they sure had some crucial omissions. Here are some Hungarian dishes I tried out, which somehow weren’t on the list. If they were forgotten because they weren’t as famous, then these dishes need more publicity!
Rántott Sajt
This is essentially fried cheese, and I loved them the moment I first tried them. I was mentally scolding my friends for not putting this on the list, but then maybe they kept it out because it’s not exactly healthy.
Still, they sure taste great. You have squares or triangles of cheese (usually etyekl trappista) that have been breaded, and then they’re deep-fried until they’re crispy. It’s served warm and gooey on the inside, and you can use mayo or tartar sauce for dipping.
Meggyleves
This is soup served chilled, made with tart cherries, sour cream, and sugar. Usually, it also includes spices like cinnamon and clove.
This can be very hard to find in Hungary, during the fall and winter months, and that’s because the cherries are only in season during the summer.
If you visit the country in the summer, then you may be served this sour cherry soup if you visit a local home there. But you’ll have to share with the kids, as this sweet soup is very popular with children.
Uborkasaláta
Perhaps my Hungarian friends neglected to mention this dish because it’s just plain cucumber salad. It’s merely an appetizer or a side dish for the main meat dish.
But I like this cucumber salad. They have thin slices of cucumber, which have been marinated in white vinegar. Then they serve it with fresh dill with a dollop of sour cream. It’s an easy (and quite tasty) way of adding some greens in your Hungarian diet.
Pörkölt
This is actually quite popular in Hungary, although it’s considered an alternative to the famous goulash. It’s a beef stew that uses bite-sized pieces of boneless pork or beef. What makes this dish special is that it involves slowly simmering the meat for hours, in a sauce made with paprika (of course) and onions.
You can enjoy this with rice or potatoes, and with the ubiquitous nokedli.
Schnitzel (Rántott Hús)
Yes, this originated in German-restaurants so perhaps that’s why it wasn’t listed by my Hungarian friends. God forbid I might eat anything non-Hungarian in Hungary. Yet I saw this dish listed on lots of menus whenever I entered a local restaurant, so I just had to try it.
The thing is, different restaurants will have different versions of this. But the basics remain the same. You have chicken breast that’s been pounded flat and then breaded. It’s then fried until it’s crispy. But some versions are great, such as the one I tried that was coated with sesame seeds and mushroom gravy.
Gesztenyepüré
I’m not sure why this chestnut puree isn’t as popular as the famed palacsinta or the celebrated dobos torta (chocolate sponge cake). But I met plenty of adult Hungarians who remember this as a favorite dessert when they were kids.
This is made by pureeing the chestnuts to the same consistency as cookie dough. You run that through a potato ricer, so you end up with little noodles. You top all that with humungous amounts of whipped cream, and you’re good.
Pogácsa
You might call these cheese biscuits or scones. Basically, you have flaky, savory baked balls that are topped with cheese. Some variants may include potatoes and pork cracklings as well.
I first encountered the pogácsa at Hungarian parties, as they’re very popular as appetizers. But you can also find them at Hungarian bakeries. They’re fantastic when they’re fresh out of the oven, so you may as well enjoy them there instead of taking them home.
Final Words
I’m sure I’ve made stupid omissions of my own with this list. Hungarian cuisine is vast and wide-ranging, so if you’re ever in the country, you have to try as many fantastic local dishes as you can!