Hungarian Ham and Bean Soup🇭🇺

Sonkás bableves 🇭🇺

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2 cups dried white beans (soaked overnight)
• 1 lb (450 g) smoked ham (or ham hock)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 parsnip, sliced (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 6–7 cups water or broth
• 1 tbsp oil or lard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

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Instructions

1. Prepare beans:
   Drain soaked beans and rinse.
2. Sauté base:
   In a large pot, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft.
   Stir in garlic and paprika (remove briefly from heat so paprika doesn’t burn).
3. Simmer:
   Add beans, ham, carrots, parsnip, bay leaf, and water/broth.
   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1½–2 hours until beans are tender.
4. Finish:
   Remove ham, shred meat, and return to soup.
   Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
5. Serve:
   Garnish with parsley and serve hot with crusty bread.