Lecsó is a beloved Hungarian summer dish made with sweet peppers, ripe tomatoes, onions, and paprika. Simple, vibrant, and incredibly flavorful—served as a main or side.
🥘 Ingredients
3 tbsp oil or lard
2 large onions, sliced
3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
4–5 Hungarian wax peppers or bell peppers, sliced
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 2 cups canned)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
Optional Add-ins (Traditional Variations)
8 oz (225 g) Hungarian sausage (kolbász), sliced
2 eggs (stirred in at the end)
½ cup rice (for lecsó with rice)
🍲 Instructions
Heat oil or lard in a wide pan over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until soft and lightly golden.
Remove from heat and stir in paprika (important to prevent burning).
Add sliced peppers, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
Cover and simmer gently 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and juicy.
Optional Steps
With sausage: Add sliced sausage after paprika and lightly cook before adding peppers.
With eggs: Beat eggs and stir into hot lecsó at the end, cook just until set.
With rice: Add washed rice and extra water; simmer until rice is tender.
