🇭🇺 Hungarian Bean Soup (Bableves)

🧾 Ingredients:

• 300 g dried beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 carrots (sliced)
• 1 parsley root or parsnip (optional, chopped)
• 2 tbsp oil or lard
• 1–2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 1–1.5 liters water or broth
• 100–150 g smoked sausage (optional)
• 100 ml sour cream (optional, for serving)

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👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Prepare beans:
   If using dried beans, soak overnight, then drain.

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2. Start the base:
   Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion until soft.
3. Add garlic, then remove from heat and stir in paprika.

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4. Build the soup:
   Add beans, carrots, parsley root, bay leaf, and caraway seeds.
5. Pour in water or broth and bring to a boil.

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6. Simmer:
   Cook on low heat for 1.5–2 hours until beans are tender.
   (If using canned beans, add them in the last 20–30 minutes.)

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7. Add sliced smoked sausage (if using) and cook a bit longer.
8. Season with salt and pepper.