Meta Title: Hungarian Lecsó Recipe – Authentic Hungarian Pepper and Tomato Stew
Meta Description: Learn how to make authentic Hungarian Lecsó, a traditional pepper and tomato stew made with sweet peppers, ripe tomatoes, onions, and Hungarian paprika. Enjoy it as a vegetarian dish or with smoked sausage for a hearty Hungarian meal.
Lecsó is one of Hungary’s most iconic comfort foods. This colorful stew showcases the simple beauty of ripe summer vegetables—sweet peppers, juicy tomatoes, onions, and fragrant Hungarian paprika. Slow-cooked until the vegetables become soft and flavorful, Lecsó is both rustic and incredibly satisfying.
While the basic recipe is naturally vegetarian, many Hungarian families enrich it with smoked kolbász sausage, bacon, or eggs. It can be enjoyed as a light meal, a hearty main course, or a delicious side dish alongside grilled meats.
Simple ingredients, vibrant flavors, and timeless tradition make Hungarian Lecsó a favorite in kitchens throughout Hungary.
Table of Contents
What Is Hungarian Lecsó?
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Kitchen Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recipe Variations
Serving Suggestions
Expert Tips
Storage & Reheating
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
What Is Hungarian Lecsó?
Lecsó is a traditional Hungarian vegetable stew made primarily with Hungarian wax peppers (or bell peppers), tomatoes, onions, and sweet Hungarian paprika. Similar to French ratatouille or Balkan sataraš, Lecsó has its own unmistakable flavor thanks to Hungary’s famous paprika and optional smoked sausage.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Authentic Hungarian recipe
Easy one-pot meal
Naturally gluten-free
Rich paprika flavor
Budget-friendly
Ready in under one hour
Perfect as a main dish or side
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
2 tablespoons pork lard or olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 Hungarian wax peppers (or 4 large bell peppers), sliced
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can / 14 oz diced tomatoes)
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, to balance tomato acidity)
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
