Top 10 culinary specialities in Budapest

When you think of Budapest, the Hungarian capital, the first thing that springs to mind is the magnificent Parliament building overlooking the famous Danube River, which once separated the city from Buda and Pest. But there’s so much more to discover, and as we’re all a bit curious and greedy, we mustn’t forget traditional Hungarian cuisine.

Somewhat unknown to the general public, Hungarian specialities deserve more exposure. You’re bound to find something to your taste, whether sweet or savoury! And if you like spices… You’ve come to the right place! Paprika is very well known in Central Europe, and is a key ingredient in Hungarian cuisine. As a spice, vegetable or sauce, it’s impossible to leave Budapest without having eaten paprika at least once. It is used in a huge number of recipes.

Hungarian cuisine is very generous, and is reputed to be fatty, so plan to diet for a few days on your return.

1- Goulash soup

Let’s start with one of the most famous dishes, Goulash soup. As mentioned earlier, paprika can be found in the vast majority of dishes, and Goulash soup is no exception. Made with meat, usually beef, potatoes, beans, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes and, of course, paprika. This soup can be used as a main course, although it is usually served as a starter.

2- Hortobágyi palacsinta

Not necessarily the easiest to pronounce, hortobágyi palascinsta is a must-try Hungarian dish. It consists of a pancake, stuffed with minced meat or traditional Hungarian sausage, all swimming in a pool of sauce made with… paprika, of course! As a rule, Hungarians eat these pancakes with a traditional wine.

3- Chicken paprikash

Paprika here, paprika there, it’s getting to be a lot, but how can we ignore this recipe? Chicken paprikash is a classic Hungarian dish. Served with egg noodles, more commonly known as nokedli, or potatoes, the pieces of

chicken pieces are covered with a delicious sour cream and paprika. A very simple dish that everyone will agree with.

4- Lángos

Lángos is a popular dish with locals and tourists alike. The best way to get your hands on it is to wander the streets until you come across a kiosk selling it. It’s the most common street food in the country. But what is it? It’s deep-fried Hungarian bread with a variety of toppings. The most popular fillings include sour cream and grated cheese, or liptauer (a spread made from sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, quark or ricotta), ham or sausage. You can also find it untopped, just rubbed with garlic, or with garlic butter.

5- Kurtoskalács

Still on the theme of Hungarian street food. But this time it’s a sweet speciality. Kurtoskalács is an unmissable delicacy. It takes the form of a brioche baked on a spit, giving it the appearance of a chimney. The dough is flavoured with cinnamon and then coated with caramelised sugar. This is how it was originally made, but some people complete the recipe by filling the hole with chocolate buttercream, whipped cream or fruit.

6- The Kolbász

Hungary’s most popular smoked sausage! You’ll find it in restaurants and street food shops. After all, street food is very widespread in Hungary, and is an integral part of the country’s gastronomy. As well as being delicious, you’ll be served in record time. This sausage is made from pork, with paprika, pepper and garlic.

7- Pálinka

Budapest is a city renowned for its festive side. So we had to include one of the country’s best-known spirits in this top list. Palinka is a brandy distilled twice. It can be made from a variety of fruits, including apple, plum, quince, apricot, cherry and pear. It goes very well with a typical Hungarian dish, lescó.

8- Lescó

Considered to be the Hungarian ratatouille, lescó is a rather thick soup made from a stew of onions, a mixture of several varieties of pepper, paprika and tomato. This very popular dish can be served as an aperitif, but can also be a good winter dish to warm the belly.

9- Gyumolcsleves

Hungarian cuisine can sometimes be surprising, as long as it’s original. Gyumolcsleves is proof of that. This typical dish is a cold soup made from cooked fruit. It includes berries, cherries, apple, milk, sugar and cinnamon. But no paprika! No paprika for this recipe, we’ll spare you that this time. You’re more likely to find it when the heat is on.

10- Hungarian foie gras

Who would have thought that Hungarian foie gras would feature in this ranking? Hungary is the world’s third largest producer of foie gras. Admittedly, France is by far the nation that produces the most of this delicious dish, but Hungary is still on the podium. However, Hungarians eat it in a very special way that is totally different from our own. Contrary to our habits, Hungarians eat it fried or pan-fried. To this must be added the paprika sauce that the locals love so much. What would Hungarian cuisine be without paprika?