Hungarian Lentil Soup recipe
New Year = Lentil soup recipe
In Hungary, on the first day of the New Year, lentils are an indispensable food that, according to popular custom, brings good luck and wealth. They can be eaten in various forms, but the most popular is lentil soup. I think the secret of a good lentil soup is smoked meat, a sufficient amount of soaked lentils and love, which guarantees a tastier end result every time it is cooked. This can also be prepared in many ways, but I will now show you what we think is the perfect version of the lentil soup recipe.
Ingredients of lentil soup recipe:
- 500 g lentils
- 100 g smoked bacon
- 3 tablespoons of cooking- or olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp of plain flour
- 1 tbsp of paprika
- 12 cups (3 liters) of water or stock
- 300 g smoked meat (ham, knuckle, etc.)
- 2 carrots
- 1 parsley root
- 1 tsp of ground caraway
- 1 tsp of ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp of mustard
- 1 tbsp of tomato purée
- 1 tsp of crushed garlic
- salt to taste
Steps:
- Soak lentils for at least 6 hours or overnight. The next day, rinse and drain.
- Fry the sliced bacon in oil until crisp and melted.
- Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until translucent and soft.
- Dust with flour and stir-fry for one minute.
- Add the paprika, stir well and pour in water or broth. Add soaked lentils, diced smoked meat, sliced vegetables, mustard, tomato paste, garlic and spices.
- Cook until the ingredients are soft (about 40-45 minutes).
- Serve with a little sour cream. Enjoy your warming lentil soup!
Watch our video about lentil soup recipe: