Though our country may be little, our food is fierce.
1. Lángos (fried dough)
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What it is: A plate-sized sheet of fried dough that is usually smothered with sour cream and cheese. Other possible toppings include garlic sauce or ketchup.
Why it's awesome: Did you miss the part where I wrote "fried dough"?!
Get a recipe [here].
2. Gulyás (goulash)
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What it is: Known to most as "goulash," this popular soup is a Hungarian original. It contains chunks of beef, potatoes, and vegetables, plus plenty of paprika and spices.
Why it's awesome: Originally made by cattle herdsman, gulyás is pure comfort food: hearty, homey, and hot.
Get a recipe [here].
3. Palacsinta (crépes)
Flickr: sztanko /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 49502975894@N01
What it is: The Hungarian version of crépes. Popular types include Hortobágyi, filled with ground meat, fried onion, and topped with a sour cream/paprika sauce, and Gundel, filled with ground walnuts, raisins, and rum and topped with dark chocolate sauce. Yep.
Why it's awesome: Slightly thicker than its French counterpart, palacsinta is less prone to tear when containing richer fillings (see above). More to eat = more to love!
Get a recipe [here].
4. Pörkölt (meat stew)
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What it is: A pastoral stew made of meat (often beef or chicken gizzards), tomato, paprika, and onions, usually served with a side of Hungarian noodles called nokedli.
Why it's awesome: Pörkölt is often cooked outside, over fire in a bogrács, which is a traditional —and heavy— Hungarian metal pot. Throw in a few friends, a loaf of great bread, and some wine, and it's the anchor for one great garden party.
Get a recipe [here].
5. Gesztenyepüré (chestnut purée)
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What it is: A purée of chestnuts, sugar, and rum, usually served with whipped cream.
Why it's awesome: This sweet, creamy dessert proves that chestnuts are for much more than just roasting.
Get a recipe [here].
6. Halászlé (fisherman's soup)
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What it is: A traditional Hungarian soup of paprika-spiced broth and thick cuts of river fish.
Why it's awesome: Though it may look fairly simple, fisherman's soup is traditionally made outside, over a fire, through a several-hour process that includes preparing a fish broth from scratch. Plus, the fish is usually locally sourced from the Tisza and Danube rivers.
Get a recipe [here].
7. Kürtőskalács (chimney cake)
Flickr: mor10 /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 34492094@N02
What it is: A Transylvanian sweet spiral pull-apart bread that is baked rotisserie-style outdoors over charcoal.
Why it's awesome: Often rolled in cinammon, sugar, cocoa, nuts, or coconut flakes, chimney cake is hot, fresh, sweet deliciousness. It's the only type of downward spiral you'd never want to end.
Get a recipe [here].
8. Dobostorta (Dobos cake)
What it is: A chocolate buttercream-layered sponge cake, topped with crystallized caramel and covered on the edges with nuts.
Why it's awesome: The namesake creation of Hungarian confectioner József Dobos, dobostorta is a true Hungarian original and remains enormously popular in confectionaries around the country.
Get a recipe [here].
9. Töltött Káposzta (stuffed cabbage)
Flickr: jopeattie /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 76812925@N00
What it is: Large leaves of cabbage, stuffed with meat and rice, which are cooked and then smothered with sour cream.
Why it's awesome: It's straight-up Hungarian comfort food. Plus, the cabbage in Hungary is often pickled, offering a deliciously tangy component to this rich, savory dish.
Get a recipe [here].
10. Meggyleves (sour cherry soup)
What it is: A chilled, sweet soup made of sour cherries, sour cream, and sugar.
Why it's awesome: Though you might be tempted to eat it as dessert, meggyleves is a great meal in its own right — fresh, tart, creamy, and an awesome alternative to standard meat-and-starch fare.
Get a recipe [here].
11. Rétes (Hungarian strudel)
What it is: A strudel-like log of pastry, stuffed to the max with fillings such as apple, cherry, or poppyseed and topped with powdered sugar.
Why it's awesome: There's no skimping on ingredients here. One thick slice of good rétes and a cup of Hungarian coffee and you're set for at least an afternoon.
Get a recipe [here].
12. Tokaji Aszú (Aszu wine from Tokaj)
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What it is: Sweet, dessert wine from Hungary's famous wine region (and World Heritage Site), Tokaj.
Why it's awesome: While it is only one of several types of wine produced in Tokaj, Aszú remains unique as its penultimate variation, Aszú Eszencia, is one of the sweetest and most exclusive wines in the world.
13. Paprikás Csirke (chicken paprikash)
Flickr: johnnystiletto /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 65428595@N00
What it is: Perhaps one of Hungary's most recognizable dishes (thank you, When Harry Met Sally), paprikás csirke is chicken in a creamy, paprika sauce, often served with (surprise!) sour cream.
Why it's awesome: It's hot, spicy, meaty goodness, and is generally accompanied by a delicious side of dumplings or pasta.
Get a recipe [here].
14. Töltött Paprika (stuffed pepper)
What it is: Whole peppers stuffed with rice, meat, and vegetables and cooked in sauce.
Why it's awesome: Hollowed-out peppers actually make surprisingly sturdy containers for yummy fillings. Plus, who doesn't love being able to eat EVERY part of their meal? Waste not, want not.
Get a recipe [here].
Correction: A previous version of this article said that stuffed peppers are baked.
15. Túrós Csusza (cheese noodles)
Flickr: kake_pugh /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 67669458@N00
What it is: Flat, wide noodles mixed with Hungarian túró cheese (think: a cross between cottage cheese and ricotta) and often topped with pieces of fatty bacon called szalonna.
Why it's awesome: Do you like noodles? Do you like cheese? Well, there you go. If you're a carnivore, the szalonna is a pretty nice bonus.
Get a recipe [here].
16. Kifli (crescent bread)
Flickr: kaja_a /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 8222958@N03
What it is: A crescent-shaped bread, often eaten simply with butter or sliced in half and topped with cheese, meat, and/or peppers for a sandwich.
Why it's awesome: Though it may resemble a croissant, kifli is actually made using traditional yeast dough, making it a more dense and satisfying snack.
Get a recipe [here].
17. Pogácsa (biscuits)
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What they are: Small, bite-sized biscuits, dense and doughy in the center and often topped with cheese.
Why they are awesome: Usually one of the first things to be served at dinner parties and get-togethers, pogácsa are a delicious and simple snack food of which it is impossible to eat just one.
Get a recipe [here].
18. Körözött (cheese spread)
What it is: A spread made of túró cheese, spices (often paprika), and vegetables.
Why it's awesome: It's like the hummus of Hungary.
Get a recipe [here].
19. Bejgli (spiral strudel)
Flickr: juditk /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 37230837@N04
What it is: A spiral-shaped log roll containing a sweet walnut or poppyseed filling.
Why it's awesome: Traditionally served at Christmas, bejgli is the perfect treat to cozy up and share with friends and family.
Get a recipe [here].
20. Madártej (bird's milk)
What it is: Though birds can actually produce milk (seriously), madártej is not a product of our feathered friends, but rather a dessert of fluffy meringue floating on vanilla custard.
Why it's awesome: The texture of meringue combined with sweet, creamy custard is, to put it lightly, da bomb.
Similar recipe [here].
21. Flódni (layered pastry)
Flickr: kcomandich /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 22671828@N00
What it is: A Hungarian-Jewish pastry, traditionally made of four layers: walnut, apple, poppyseed, and jam.
Why it's awesome: Why choose a filling when you can have them all in one dessert?!
Get a recipe [here].
22. Rántott Sajt (fried cheese)
23. Túrógombóc (sweet cheese dumplings)
Flickr: brian_kimball /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 86307064@N00
What it is: Orbs of sweetened túró cheese boiled, rolled in toasted bread crumbs, and generally served with vanilla sauce or sour cream and sugar.
Why it's awesome: Túrógombóc are incredibly filling, which can easily mean DESSERT FOR DINNER!
Get a recipe [here].
24. Túró Rudi (sweet cheese-filled chocolate bar)
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What it is: A dark chocolate bar filled with sweetened túró cheese, available flavored or with jam fillings as well.
Why it's awesome: The name of the most popular brand of túró rudi in Hungary, Pöttyös, translates to "dotty" and is wrapped in adorable polka-dot paper.
25. Rakott Krumpli (layered potatoes)
Flickr: z_b /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 18675021@N00
26. Somlói Galuska (Somloi trifle)
Flickr: jopeattie /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 76812925@N00
What it is: A dessert made of three different types of sponge cake (plain, walnut, and chocolate), raisins, and walnuts, drizzled with dark chocolate rum sauce and topped with whipped cream.
Why it's awesome: Much chocolate. Very cake.
Get a recipe [here].
27. Kakaós Csiga (chocolate snail)
Flickr: jopeattie /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: jopeattie
What it is: A breakfast-type pastry of spiral-shaped dough swirled with chocolate.
Why it's awesome: It's like a cinnamon roll, but chocolate. And better.
Get a recipe [here].
28. Hurka & Kolbász (sausages)
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What they are: Both Hungarian sausages that come in a variety of meat types and flavors, hurka is generally boiled and kolbász is generally smoked.
Why they are awesome: While both can easily, and tastily, be eaten alone or simply with a kifli and peppers, hurka and kolbász are also present in many more complicated Hungarian dishes, making them incredibly versatile meats.
Get a hurka recipe [here].
Get a kolbász recipe [here].
29. Lecsó (vegetable stew)
Flickr: pjrusello /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 72004099@N00
What it is: A paprika vegetable stew of onions, tomatoes, and peppers, with variations including sausage and egg.
Why it's awesome: Hearty and relatively healthy compared to most Hungarian fare, lecsó is simple in preparation yet rich in flavor.
Get a recipe [here].
30. Szaloncukor (parlour candy)
Flickr: hoomygumb /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 40095220@N03
What it is: A chocolate Christmas candy, filled with flavored jelly or marzipan.
Why it's awesome: Szaloncukor is often hung on Hungarian Christmas trees. Let me repeat: Candy. On trees. Dreams do come true!
Available for purchase [here].
31. Nokedli (dumplings)
What it is: Small, dumpling-like noodles, usually served as a side dish to accompany stews and meats.
Why it's awesome: The texture of a thick, dense, delicious pasta on the scale of rice. Pure genius.
Get a recipe [here].
32. And, finally: Paprika.
Flickr: jopeattie /Creative Commons / Via Flickr: 76812925@N00
What it is: Hungarian red pepper, ground into powder or pulverized into paste.
Why it's awesome: It makes any food better. It's the best spice ever. Bow down.
Available for purchase [here].
