5 must-try Hungarian dishes for tourists: A mouth-watering culinary journey
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Trying the local cuisine is always an unmissable and crucial part of our journeys wherever we travel. Eating traditional dishes equals a deeper insight into a given culture. While there is pretty much an endless list of traditional Hungarian dishes, some may make your skin crawl just by thinking about them. Here we have collected some Hungarian delicacies that are *relatively* safe choices and foreigners tend to like them!
Goulash
Goulash is one of the most iconic traditional Hungarian dishes. This hearty soup combines tender beef chunks with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, all simmered in a savoury broth seasoned with paprika. The rich, smoky flavour of the paprika gives the dish its distinctive red colour and warmth. Goulash is typically served with fresh bread, perfect for dipping and soaking up the delicious broth. This soup is the perfect comfort food on a chilly winter evening. If you do not believe us, just watch IShowSpeed’s reaction to Goulash, who did a backflip after just one taste!
Stew
If you enjoy meaty delicacies, you cannot go wrong with a good old Hungarian stew, or pörkölt, as we call it. Pörkölt is similar to Gulyás but typically thicker and more robust. It’s made with slow-cooked meats such as beef, pork, or chicken, and flavoured with onions, bell peppers, and paprika. The dish is served with nokedli, a type of Hungarian dumpling similar to German spätzle, which soaks up the rich, flavourful sauce.
Lángosh
Lángosh is a popular street food that you’ll find in markets and food stalls across Hungary, especially near beaches. This deep-fried dough is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, often topped with a variety of ingredients. The classic version is simply brushed with garlic, but it can also be covered with sour cream, cheese, or whatever you like. Lángosh is a comforting snack that provides a perfect blend of savoury and indulgent flavours. You cannot miss out on this Hungarian dish if you are visiting Lake Balaton!
Well now, how can we talk about porkolt in the same breath as the kurtoskalacs!?
The former is nothing short of a work of art; the latter is glorified bread crust (although I’m intrigued by the ice cream one – haven’t seen it anywhere, sadly).