Heat oil/butter in a pot. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds.
2. Paprika Roux
Remove pot from heat. Stir in paprika + flour until a paste forms. Return to heat and cook 1 minute.
This is the classic Hungarian base.
3. Add Liquid & Veggies
Add:
water/broth
green beans
potato
bay leaves
salt & pepper
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20–25 min, until tender.
4. Finish with Sour Cream
In a bowl, mix sour cream with a ladle of hot soup to temper. Stir back into pot.
Add vinegar/lemon and sugar. Taste and adjust salt.
Do not boil after sour cream is added — just warm through.
🍽️ Serve With
Fresh bread
Crusty rolls
A sprinkle of fresh dill
❤️ Flavor Notes
Traditional soup is:
creamy
slightly tangy
mild and comforting
paprika-forward
And not too thick — more like a light chowder.
🔥 Optional Add-Ins
Smoky Bacon Version (very common!)
Fry bacon first
Use bacon fat to sauté onions
Add bacon back at the end
Ham Version
Add diced ham for extra richness.
Hot Version
Add a little hot paprika.
Herby Version
Add fresh dill at the end (classic!).
🧊 Storage
Keeps 2–3 days (even better next day!). Do not freeze — sour cream may separate.
💯 Hungarian Grandma Tips
Potatoes should be soft but not mushy.
Soup should be slightly tangy, not sour.
Always temper sour cream — no lumps!
Sweet paprika goes in off heat first.
This soup is humble, nostalgic, and absolutely delicious. If you want: ✔ bacon version recipe in full ✔ quick 20-minute version ✔ low-carb version ✔ dairy-free version ✔ Facebook-friendly short caption
