Lecsó (Hungarian Pepper and Tomato Stew)

About This Recipe

Lecsó is a real, traditional Hungarian dish, known as Hungarian Pepper and Tomato Stew. A simple, vibrant stew of stewed bell peppers, tomatoes and onions, often finished with sausage and a fried egg.\n\nLecsó is a summer staple across Hungary, built around the abundance of bell peppers and tomatoes during harvest season, and is often preserved in jars to enjoy the flavors of summer through the winter months.\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.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 tbsplard or neutral oil
• 2yellow onions(sliced)
• 6bell peppers (a mix of colors)(sliced)
• 4tomatoes(diced)
• 1 tbspsweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 200 gHungarian sausage (like csabai or gyulai)(sliced)
• 4eggs

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the onions

   Heat lard in a wide pan and cook the onions over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Add peppers

   Add the sliced bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes.

3. 3

   Bloom the paprika

   Remove from heat briefly, stir in paprika, then return to low heat for 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes

   Add the diced tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the mixture thickens into a chunky stew.

5. 5

   Add sausage

   Stir in the sliced sausage and simmer for another 8 minutes until heated through.

6. 6

   Finish with eggs

   Season with salt, then crack the eggs directly into the stew, cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the whites are set but yolks remain soft. Serve hot.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version skips the sausage and relies on the eggs for protein.

• •

  Some households stir in cooked rice to make it a more substantial one-pot meal.

• •

  Preserve extra lecsó in jars during peak summer to enjoy through winter, a traditional practice.

Storage

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.

Frequently Asked Questions