If there’s one Hungarian dish that will always have my heart, it’s tejfölös gombapaprikás. Mushrooms simmer slowly in sweet Hungarian paprika, then sour cream turns the sauce creamy and rich. Spooned over soft, homemade nokedli, it’s pure Hungarian comfort food: simple ingredients, incredible flavor, and the kind of meal that makes you want seconds (and thirds!).
This is one of a handful of favorite recipes my mother taught me. This version includes paprika and tomatoes, that gives it a bit of a lecso flavor, but you could leave that out and the recipe will taste just as flavorful. It’s a simple dish, and yet it brings back so many memories: searching the fields for hours for fresh mushrooms after a morning rain. My mother carefully taught me which mushrooms to pick and which to leave. I came to know nearly every variety that grew there, and which one was best for which dish.
Here in the US, the popular mushrooms taste a little different from the ones we picked in the fields, so I usually use portabella, baby bella, or white button mushrooms. They work beautifully, and you’ll find them in any grocery store.
It’s also naturally meatless, which makes it a perfect main dish for Christmas Eve, or any cozy night when you want a little taste of Hungary. My favorite way to eat it? A big plate of nokedli covered in that creamy paprika sauce. Nothing fancy, just a little taste of Hungary and a whole lot of comfort.
Mushroom Paprikash with Nokedli / Tejfölös Gombapaprikás Nokedlival
Description
If there’s one Hungarian dish that will always have my heart, it’s tejfölös gombapaprikás. Mushrooms simmer slowly in sweet Hungarian paprika, then sour cream turns the sauce creamy and rich. Spooned over soft, homemade nokedli, it’s pure Hungarian comfort food: simple ingredients, incredible flavor, and the kind of meal that makes you want seconds (and thirds!).
Ingredients
Instructions
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Start the base
Heat the lard or butter in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
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Add the Paprika
Take the pan off the heat for a moment and stir in the Hungarian sweet paprika, letting it melt into the fat. (Off the heat keeps the paprika from turning bitter.)
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Add the tomato and pepper
Add the chopped tomato and cubanelle and let them simmer until they start to break down.
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Add the mushroom
Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and thyme if using, and cook until the mushrooms release their juices.
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Simmer
Pour in the water or vegetable broth, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
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Make it creamy
In a small bowl, stir the sour cream and flour together until smooth. Whisk in a few spoonfuls of the hot mushroom liquid to warm it through, then stir the mixture slowly into the pan. Simmer gently for 2–3 more minutes until the sauce thickens — do not let it boil hard once the sour cream is in.
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Serve
Spoon the creamy mushroom paprikash generously over freshly cooked nokedli and enjoy. Jó étvágyat!
Note
- Serve with: Nokedli.
