Hungarian Beef Stew (Marhapörkölt)

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) beef chuck, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp lard or oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped (or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
• 1–1.5 cups water or beef broth

Instructions

1. Heat lard or oil in a pot and cook onions slowly until golden.
2. Remove from heat and stir in paprika.
3. Add garlic, beef cubes, salt, pepper, caraway, bell pepper, and tomato. Mix well.
4. Pour in a small amount of water or broth.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Add more liquid as needed until beef becomes tender and sauce is thick.
7. Adjust seasoning before serving.

Serving

Serve hot with:

• Nokedli (Hungarian dumplings)
• Boiled potatoes
• Bread or pasta

🇭🇺🍲 Rich, slow-cooked Hungarian comfort stew full of deep paprika flavor.