🇭🇺 Hungarian Ham and Bean Soup (Sonkás Bableves)

🧾 Ingredients:

• 300 g dried beans (soaked overnight) or 2 cans beans (drained)
• 300 g smoked ham (or ham hock, diced)
• 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 black pepper
• Salt (to taste)
• 1–1.5 liters water or broth
• 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. Cook base:
   In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and cook briefly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in paprika.

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4. Build the soup:
   Add beans, ham, carrots, and parsley root.
5. Pour in water or broth, add bay leaf and pepper.

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6. Simmer:
   Cook on low heat for about 1.5–2 hours (or until beans are tender).

(If using canned beans, add them in the last 20–30 minutes.)

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