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Hungarian Bean Goulash (Babgulyás)

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A traditional Hungarian dish of hearty beans, savory smoked sausage, and wholesome vegetables in a rich paprika-infused broth, this Babgulyas will transport you to a place of warmth and nostalgia with every flavorful spoonful!  This Hungarian bean goulash recipe is sure to win a place among your rotation of favorite stews – it’s Hungarian comfort food at its best!

Be sure to also try our other gulyas recipes including the traditional beef Hungarian Goulash, Chicken Goulash, and Szegedin Goulash!

Sitting down to a bowl of hot stew on a cool evening is an experience we all know how to savor.  It’s a sensory journey that engages not only the taste buds but also evokes an overall feeling of comfort and contentment with memories of home-cooked meals, family gatherings, and cozy evenings spent in good company.  This traditional Hungarian bean goulash, or Babgulyás, will forever bring back memories of my travels to Hungary and enjoying dinner with friends over a bubbling pot of this wonderful soul-satisfying stew, communicating through broken bits of English and Hungarian and sharing the universal language of laughter.

What is Babgulyás?

Babgulyas is Hungarian for bean stew.  But contrary to what its name implies, it is not a vegetarian dish.  Unlike traditional Hungarian Goulash (Gulyas) which is primarily beef-based with vegetables, the primary protein in Babgulyas are beans with the meat being secondary and added for flavoring.  Commonly a flavorful smoked sausage, such as kolbasz, is added along with whatever else the cook may have on hand, like some meaty beef or pork bones and/or smoked ham hocks.  Often a combination of these is used.  It reminds me of Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, which is a black bean stew flavored with a variety of smoked meats.

This dish was introduced to us by a lovely elderly woman in the rural outskirts of Szombathely, located in the western part Hungary near the Austrian border.  Babgulyas is an old school dish that you’re more likely to find throughout the small rural villages of Hungary.  And while I know cooks in the city who make it at home, I have yet to encounter it on a restaurant menu in Budapest.  Babgulyas is one of those traditional dishes that is very much centered around hearth and home and every family has its own way of making it.

babgulyas recipe traditional authentic hungarian bean goulash stew soup kolbasz sausage smoked pork

Ingredients in Hungarian Bean Goulash

A relatively inexpensive dish to make, its focus is beans and you can use one variety of a combination (pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, borlotti beans, cannellini beans, etc).  If you have access to Hungarian kolbász (lucky you!) use it, otherwise choose a flavorful smoked sausage like kielbasa.  In addition you can use either a smoked ham hock or smoked neck bones for added flavor.  Celeriac is traditional in Hungary, less so celery stalk though you can use either.  Other common vegetables include carrots, peppers, tomatoes, turnips, and potatoes.  For the paprika, for the absolute best results I always recommend genuine imported Hungarian paprika.  It makes ALL the difference in flavor.  Do not use paprika labeled “hot” unless you like things fiery and “smoked” paprika is not used in Hungarian cuisine (it’s Spanish).  The inclusion of caraway is regional and though I think it adds a really nice flavor component, you can omit it if you like.

While you can use water to make this, I prefer to use broth as it makes the goulash far more flavorful.  For this Hungarian bean goulash I’m using my favorite 100% natural chicken broth from the generous sponsors of this post, Aneto Broth, a broth manufacturer based outside of Barcelona, Spain.  We toured their factory several years ago, watching the entire behind-the-scenes process from start to finish, and we have been devout fans ever since.  It was such an inspiration to see a company that makes broth the same way we do right at home, with a recipe using real ingredients.  They put the freshest, locally-sourced chicken and vegetables into gigantic 800 gallon kettles and let the ingredients slow simmer for 3+ hours.   It was incredible to watch!

aneto broth reviews

Unlike other broth manufacturers, Aneto Broth uses no fillers, preservatives, extracts, concentrates, or flavor enhancers of any kind.  Just pure, wholesome, REAL ingredients.   You can find Aneto’s broths and their fabulous paella cooking bases at various store locations across the U.S. as well as here on Amazon.  And if you’re trying to cut down on salt, they also make a low sodium version.

Serving Recommendations

Babgulyas is a classic one-pot dish that needs nothing further than some good crusty bread to round it off.  Another option is to serve it with nokedli, the Hungarian version of Spätzle which is virtually identical.  And of course in Hungary you will never go wrong serving a savory stew with a refreshing side of Cucumber Salad.

Can Bean Goulash Be Made in Advance?

It sure can, in fact I highly encourage it!  As with most stews, the flavor only gets better with time and so if you can muster the patience to wait you will be well rewarded.  This Hungarian bean goulash will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can This Be Frozen?

Yes!  Bean goulash freezes well and it’s one of those dishes I like to double or even triple to have on hand for quick, convenient meals.  Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Bean Goulash Recipe

Let’s get started!

Lard is traditional and bacon grease makes an excellent and flavorful substitute, but you can also use oil.

Heat the lard, bacon grease or oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add the smoked sausage and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

cooking onions and kolbasz sausage

Add the veggies and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and seasonings.  Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two.

babgulyas recipe traditional authentic hungarian bean goulash stew soup kolbasz sausage smoked pork

Add the beans and stir to combine.

adding beans to the pot

Add the smoked ham hock or smoked neck bones to the pot.

Add the chicken broth.

babgulyas recipe traditional authentic hungarian bean goulash stew soup kolbasz sausage smoked pork aneto broth

Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90-120 minutes.

If using a smoked ham hock, shred the meat off the bone and return the meat to the pot.

babgulyas recipe traditional authentic hungarian bean goulash stew soup kolbasz sausage smoked pork

Serve as is or with some crusty bread, or ladled over Spätzle if you’d like some more bulk, and/or with a green salad or cucumber salad.  If you like you can serve the babgulyas with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

For more traditional Hungarian recipes be sure to try our:

babgulyas recipe traditional authentic hungarian bean goulash stew soup kolbasz sausage smoked pork

Hungarian Bean Goulash (Babgulyás)

This traditional bean goulash has a deliciously rich and smoky flavor profile and is packed with wholesome ingredients. It's Hungarian comfort food at its best!
5 from 50 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Hungarian
Servings 6
Calories 712 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups dried pinto beans , soaked overnight then rinsed and drained (can also use a combination of beans like kidney, borlotti, navy, cannellini, etc)
  • 2 tablespoons lard, bacon grease or oil
  • 1 pound kolbasz, kielbasa or other flavorful smoked sausage , sliced
  • 2 medium yellow onions , choped
  • celeriac , the traditional option but can substitute celery ribs
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 carrots , diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper , seeds and stem removed and diced (or sweet Hungarian wax peppers if you have access to them)
  • 2 Roma tomatoes , diced
  • 2 medium firm yellow potatoes (e.g. Yukon Gold) , peeled and diced
  • 1 small turnip , (optional) peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons genuine Hungarian paprika (strongly recommended for the BEST flavor)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram (highly recommended for authentic flavor but can use oregano if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 smoked ham hock or large smoked neck bone
  • 6 cups Aneto Chicken Broth

Instructions
 

  • Heat the lard, bacon grease or oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add the smoked sausage and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the veggies and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and seasonings.  Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two. Add the beans and stir to combine, followed by the smoked ham hock/neck bone and pour over the broth.
    Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90-120 minutes.
    If using a smoked ham hock, shred the meat off the bone and return the meat to the pot.
    Serve as is or with some crusty bread, or ladled over Spätzle if you'd like some more bulk, and/or with a green salad or cucumber salad. If you like you can serve the babgulyas with a dollop of sour cream.  

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 37gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 2237mgPotassium: 1813mgFiber: 15gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5465IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 7mg
Keyword Babgulyas, Hungarian Bean Goulash
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

A special thank you to Aneto Broth for sponsoring this post!  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.  

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 50 votes (45 ratings without comment)

17 Comments

  1. Hi Kimberly,

    I’m actually from Hungary but living in Switzerland now. For some reason your recipe popped up first and reading it through I found it really authentic and cool with all the options you listed. And the emphasising of using Hungarian paprika – my family comes from Kalocsa, one of the places where they produce a big part of it.

    All in all, I followed the recipe, now lets see!

    All the best,

    Akos

    1. Hi Akos, I appreciate the feedback and compliment. The next time we visit Hungary I will be bringing back another years’ supply of Kalocsa paprika and storing it in the freezer :) I’d love to hear what you thought about the recipe after you tasted it!

  2. Delicious! I used Navy Beans and they turned out perfectly creamy after 90 minutes. Next time I’m going to cut the potatoes into 1/2 chunks as the smaller slices I used disintegrated after 90 minutes. Started off preparing in my Dutch oven, but had to switch to my 7qt Soup pot to fit it all.

  3. I adore Hungarian food. We fell in love with it on our first trip to Hungary in 2003. I’ve been making your Hungarian goulash the past few years, we love it. I’ve never heard of Babgulyas and I can’t wait to make this dish. We love beans and this will be a nice dish to add to our rotation. What kind of beans did you use? Thank you for all of these wonderful recipes.

    1. Hi Shannon, thank you so much for the compliment <3 That is so wonderful that you had the opportunity to visit Hungary and to enjoy the food while there. I love it too :) I used pinto beans this time but you can use a number of varieties as well as a combination of varieties if you like (e.g., kidney beans, cranberry/borlotti beans, navy beans, etc). Happy cooking! :)

  4. Wow – I’d never heard of Babgulyas before, but I’m sure glad I tried it! The sausage and beans make this such a hearty meal!

  5. Wow, this looks so hearty, and flavor packed. I could go for a big bowl of this comforting, deliciousness any day of the week. Yummy!

  6. Oh my, I am already certain that I’m going to love this! I have made and have loved ALL of your Hungarian recipes and many more. I can’t wait to try this. I still have some imported Hungarian paprika leftover from making the beef goulash. Just need to pick up a smoked ham hock and I’ll be ready to make this, yipee! The Aneto broth really does sound remarkable, I will have to see if any of my local stores carry it.

    1. Thank you so much for that kind compliment, Terri! I’m confident you’ll enjoy this and as I mention in the blog post, if you have the patience to wait, this is even better the next day! :) Just FYI, Aneto broths can be found in a number of stores including QFC, Fresh Market, New Seasons Market, Central Market, Publix and others. If you can’t find it in person their 6-pack on Amazon is also a great deal. Thanks again and happy cooking! :)