5 must-try Hungarian dishes for tourists: A mouth-watering culinary journey
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!
Chimney cake
Craving something sweet? Chimney cake, or kürtőskalács, is a traditional Hungarian pastry that’s both visually pleasing and delicious. The dough is wrapped around a cylindrical spit, rolled in sugar, and then baked over an open flame. As it cooks, the sugar caramelises, creating a crispy outer layer. The cake can be coated with a variety of toppings, such as cinnamon, nuts, or cocoa powder. In some places, you can even find chimney cake coated with Nutella or filled with ice cream. Yummy! Luckily, this Hungarian dish is sold pretty much everywhere and anywhere. While you can easily find it in the city centre of Budapest, you should pay attention to the price.
Dobos cake
Continuing the list with yet another sweet treat, the unpaired Dobos cake. No list of tasty Hungarian dishes would be complete without this fabulous dessert. Dobos cake, a multi-layered sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream, is a beloved Hungarian classic. The cake is topped with a layer of caramel glaze, adding a delightful crunch. This Hungarian dish, named after its creator József C. Dobos (a renowned pastry chef from Budapest) is perfect for those with a sweet tooth and a love for rich, decadent flavours.
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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).