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Hungarian Meatballs

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Traditional Hungarian flavors come together in these deliciously tender and succulent Hungarian Meatballs that are drenched in a lusciously rich and silky paprika sauce!  Enjoy them over hot buttered noodles, rice, Spätzle, or potatoes.  A great make ahead-meal and the meatballs can also be frozen so you can simply thaw them when you’re ready and make the sauce!

hungarian meatballs recipe creamy paprika sauce

Friends, you simply have to make these Hungarian meatballs!  Your taste buds will thank you over and over again.  They may not state it verbally, but trust me, they’ll say it in a way that you’ll understand. These luscious meatballs are inspired by the flavors of Hungarian cuisine, one of my favorites.  They are easy to make and ready for the table in about 30 minutes.  The rich flavors of this comfort dish are an absolute feast for the palate!

The smooth and creamy sauce is vibrantly red from sweet paprika with the wonderfully deep flavor of caramelized onions and mushrooms (yes, you can omit them if you don’t like them) with the zesty touch of dill and freshened up with the tangy taste of sour cream.  Simply put, they’re irresistible.

This dish also makes a nice time-saver:  Make and freeze the meatballs in advance and then plop them in the simmering sauce at the appropriate stage.  These meatballs are also great as leftovers:  Simply thin the sauce out a bit with some broth, milk or cream if it’s become too thickened.  The flavors will be even better once they’ve had time to meld.

hungarian meatballs recipe creamy paprika sauce

Before we get started, an important note about paprika.  There are many options out there to purchase, a tiny fraction of which actually come from Hungary.  We cannot emphasize enough what a massive difference quality Hungarian paprika makes.  We recommend this genuine Hungarian paprika from the Kalocsa region of Hungary.  It has a wonderfully rich flavor and an exceptionally vibrant red color.  Many of our readers have tried this paprika, written back and agree that quality Hungarian-imported paprika makes all the difference.

Hungarian Meatballs Recipe

Let’s get started!

You can use any meat or combination of meats of your choice for these meatballs.  This time we’re using veal, which is very lean and delicate in flavor, and a meat that’s commonly enjoyed in Hungarian cuisine.  Veal is prized among chefs worldwide for its versatility, delicate flavor and tender melt-in-you-mouth texture.  It also has a lower fat and calorie profile than beef.  Note:  A lot of positive changes have been made in the U.S. veal industry in recent years.  I purchase it from butchers who source their veal from producers who pasture-raise the calves with social interaction of other animals.

Place all the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and knead to thoroughly combine.

combining ingredients in bowl

Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls or whatever size you prefer.

forming meat into balls

Heat some oil in a skillet and once hot add the meatballs, browning on all sides.

frying in pan
frying in pan

Transfer the meatballs to a plate and discard all but a tablespoon or so of grease.

Add the onions to the skillet and fry until translucent and golden brown.  Add the garlic and fry for another minute (don’t fry garlic too long or it becomes bitter).  Add the mushrooms and fry until they’ve released their juices and they’re mostly evaporated.

cooking mushrooms and onions in skillet
cooking mushrooms and onions

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to the skillet and melt it.  Add the flour and whisk until dissolved.

making roux in skillet

Continue whisking vigorously for another minute or two until the flour mixture is a deep golden brown.  We’re creating what’s called a roux, a French term and the grand secret for creating an irresistibly rich and flavorful sauce.

Pour in the hot broth while continually whisking to prevent clumping.

Continue to whisk while bringing the mixture to a simmer.

making roux in skillet

Add the cream and whisk until combined.

Continue to simmer for another minute or so until the sauce is thickened.

cooking sauce in skillet

Return the mushroom mixture to the sauce and add the pepper, salt and paprika.  As you stir get ready to admire the beautiful velvety red sauce that’s created!

cooking sauce in skillet

Stir in the sour cream and dill.  Gorgeous!

stirring cream and dill into sauce

Return the meatballs to the sauce, stirring to coat them, and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

hungarian meatballs recipe creamy paprika sauce

Sprinkle with some chopped fresh dill.

hungarian meatballs recipe creamy paprika sauce

Serve over hot buttered pasta, our homemade Spätzle, potatoes, or rice along with a cool cucumber or leafy green salad and some rustic crusty bread. See my German Creamy Cucumber Salad and German Cucumber Salad (oil and vinegar-based).

Enjoy!

hungarian meatballs recipe creamy paprika sauce

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Hungarian Meatballs

Traditional Hungarian flavors envelop these moist and tender meatballs drenched in a luxuriously rich and creamy, paprika sauce!
4.79 from 47 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • For the Meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground meat of choice (e.g., pork, beef, veal, chicken, turkey)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying
  • For the Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms , sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup cream (for lower calories: substitute evaporated milk)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Place all the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and knead to thoroughly combine. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls or whatever size you prefer.
  • Heat some oil in a skillet and once hot add the meatballs, browning on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and discard all but a tablespoon or so of grease.
  • Add the onions to the skillet and fry until translucent and golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for another minute (don’t fry garlic too long or it becomes bitter). Add the mushrooms and fry until they’ve released their juices and they’re mostly evaporated. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add the butter to the skillet and melt it. Add the flour and whisk until dissolved. Continue whisking vigorously for another minute or two until the flour mixture is a deep golden brown. (We’re creating what’s called a roux, a French term and the grand secret for creating an irresistibly rich and flavorful sauce.)
  • Pour in the hot broth while continually whisking to prevent clumping. Continue to whisk while bringing the mixture to a simmer. Add the cream and whisk until combined. Continue to simmer for another minute or so until the sauce is thickened. Return the mushroom mixture to the sauce and add the pepper, salt and paprika. Stir in the sour cream and dill.
  • Return the meatballs to the sauce, stirring to coat them, and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve immediately over hot buttered egg noodles, spaetzle, potatoes or rice along with a cool cucumber or leafy green salad and some rustic crusty bread. Garnish with some chopped fresh dill if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 717kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 31gFat: 57gSaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 253mgSodium: 1602mgPotassium: 882mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3543IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 4mg
Course Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine Hungarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 25, 2016

 

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




4.79 from 47 votes (16 ratings without comment)

120 Comments

  1. i,like most of your readers on this post,think everything looks GREAT and the short video tops it off.reading over the recipe several times-and the video- i think i can smell the complete dish coming together.the pictures and video were great.sauce looks thick and tasty–this is on my list to try soon.–ps..if some of these writers would see how some, but maybe not all, of our food is prepared , i think they would stop eating altogether. some mfg. are bad, and some try harder to make things right,you pick what you gotta eat.thanks for a great recipe(smells great)

    1. Thanks, Warren! And isn’t that the sad truth? You don’t have to look any further than chicken production (the most commonly consumed meat in the U.S.) to witness inhumane practices – they really don’t get any worse than that. I’m just glad anytime I hear about farmers who are moving away from poor practices and implementing positive changes.

  2. I am a novice with no idea what SWEET Paprika is. And advice on brands available by mail order, or in local grocers in So. Central Texas (i.e. HEB) would be gratefully accepted!

      1. Thank you so much! I really enjoyed the explanation… I had no idea there were different types. I went straight to the link but, of course, the item was “Currently Unavailable”, lol.
        I signed up for the alert when it was back in stock, eventually I am going to make and enjoy this dish!

      2. I make this recipe with a beef/pork mixture and use some hot paprika along with the sweet. That’s the way my grandmother made it. Delicious served over galuska.

        1. That sounds great, Mike, I’ve also made them with ground chicken and turkey and they’re delicious no matter what!