Sauté onions: Heat lard or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook slowly until soft and lightly golden.
Add garlic and paprika: Stir in garlic, then remove the pot briefly from heat and mix in the paprika to keep it from burning.
Brown the beef: Add beef cubes to the pot and stir well to coat with the onion and paprika mixture.
Add vegetables: Stir in chopped tomato, bell pepper, and caraway seeds.
Simmer: Pour in the beef broth or water, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours until the beef is tender and the sauce thickens.
Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with Hungarian dumplings (nokedli), egg noodles, or fresh bread.
🇭🇺 Tip: Authentic Hungarian pörkölt uses lots of onions and high-quality sweet Hungarian paprika, which gives the stew its deep flavor and rich red color.
