Ahhh Babgulyás / Bableves 😍🥣—true Hungarian comfort food. Hearty, smoky, and perfect for cold days. Here’s a classic Hungarian Bean Soup (Bableves) made the traditional way.
🇭🇺 Hungarian Bean Soup (Bableves)
Ingredients
300 g dried white beans (navy or great northern)
Water (for soaking & cooking)
1 tbsp oil or lard
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
½ tsp hot paprika (optional)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
1 bay leaf
150 g smoked sausage or smoked bacon, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 parsley root or parsnip, sliced
1 small potato, diced (optional)
Thickening (Rántás – optional but traditional)
1 tbsp oil or lard
1 tbsp flour
½ tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
Instructions
Soak the beans Rinse beans and soak overnight in plenty of water. Drain.
Start the soup In a large pot, heat oil or lard. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic, stir briefly.
Paprika moment Remove from heat, stir in paprika (sweet + hot). Immediately add beans to prevent burning.
Simmer Add smoked sausage, bay leaf, caraway, carrot, parsley root, and potato. Cover with fresh water (about 5–6 cups). Simmer gently 1–1½ hours until beans are tender.
Make the rántás (optional) Heat oil, add flour, cook until lightly golden. Remove from heat, stir in paprika, then whisk into soup.
Finish Simmer 10 more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper.
How Hungarians Serve It 🥖
With fresh bread
Often with a dollop of sour cream
Sometimes with csipetke (small pinched noodles)
Variations
Babgulyás: thicker, more stew-like, often with beef
Meatless Bableves: skip sausage, add more root veggies
