🇭🇺 Hungarian Bean Soup (Bab Leves)

🧾 Ingredients:

• 300 g dried beans (soaked overnight) or 2 cans cooked beans
• 1 smoked sausage (kolbász), sliced (optional)
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp oil or lard
• 1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 carrot (sliced)
• 1 parsley root or potato (optional, diced)
• 1 tomato (chopped) or 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1–1.2 liters water or broth
• 1 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening)
• 100 ml sour cream (optional)
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

---

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Cook beans:
   If using dried beans, drain soaked beans and cook in fresh water with bay leaf for about 45–60 minutes until tender.

---

2. Prepare base:
   In a pot, heat oil and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and cook briefly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in paprika.

---

3. Build soup:
   Add carrots, potato (if using), tomato, and cooked beans.
4. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer.

---

4. Add sausage (optional):
   Stir in sliced smoked sausage for extra flavor.

---

5. Simmer:
   Cook for 20–30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

---

6. Optional thickening:
   Mix flour with a little water or sour cream, then stir into soup and simmer briefly.

---

7. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.