A hearty kidney bean soup simmered with smoked pork and root vegetables, thickened with a paprika roux.
Hungarian Bableves is a real, traditional Hungarian dish, known as Bean Soup with Smoked Meat. A hearty kidney bean soup simmered with smoked pork and root vegetables, thickened with a paprika roux.\n\nBableves is a traditional Hungarian home-cooking staple, historically valued for stretching an affordable pound of smoked meat into a filling meal for a large family using dried beans and root vegetables.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Hungarian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Combine soaked beans, smoked pork, onion, carrots, parsnip and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then simmer for 1.5 hours until the beans are tender.
Take out the smoked pork, shred or dice the meat, and discard any bones, then return the meat to the pot.
In a separate small pan, melt lard, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute until light golden.
Remove the roux from heat, stir in paprika, then return to very low heat briefly.
Whisk the paprika roux into the soup, stirring until it thickens slightly, then simmer for another 10 minutes.
Season with salt and serve hot with a swirl of sour cream on top.
Soak the dried beans overnight for even cooking and a shorter simmering time.
Pull the roux off heat before adding paprika, since it burns almost instantly and turns bitter in a hot pan.
This soup thickens further as it sits — thin with a splash of water when reheating leftovers.
Add a few slices of smoked sausage for extra richness.
A spicier version adds fresh chopped chili with the vegetables.
Serve with a small csipetke dumpling stirred in during the last 10 minutes for a heartier meal.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Bableves is a traditional Hungarian home-cooking staple, historically valued for stretching an affordable pound of smoked meat into a filling meal for a large family using dried beans and root vegetables.
Yes, though the texture and depth of flavor from long-simmered dried beans is part of the dish's character — reduce simmering time significantly if using canned beans.
Add a bit more of the paprika roux, or simmer uncovered a while longer to reduce and thicken naturally.
Most butchers and well-stocked supermarkets carry smoked pork products; ask specifically for smoked, not fresh, ribs or hocks.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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