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Hungarian Lecsó – Pepper and Tomato Stew
Hungarian Lecsó is a stewed mix of peppers, tomatoes and onions. It is sometimes called “Hungarian ratatouille”.
Lecsó comes in many variations and it can be served on its own, as a side or as a main dish, at any time of the day. It is a healthy breakfast recipe, it might be topped with a fried egg or two or scrambled along with them.
For lunch or dinner, it is usually eaten on its own with bread, or supplemented with a sausage, rice, meat, noodles, etc. In addition, lecsó can be stored in jars and preserved for consumption later in the year, when fresh ingredients are not in season.
It is a nice vegetarian and vegan meal if you serve it without eggs and sausage, but meat lovers prefer cooking it with smoked meat. Quick, easy, healthy recipe to make, done in 30 minutes.
Can I use bell peppers?
I prefer not to. Hungarians always use yellow wax peppers (called TV paprika).
What is the best paprika to use?
Paprika is essentially air-dried peppers ground into a fine powder. In Hungary there are eight types of paprika varying in colour and pungency. I prefer using sweet paprika that has a rich red color. I never use smoked or spicy paprika, you can make your dish spicy after you serve, you add as much heat to the dish as you want.
I mainly use paprika from Szeged, but Kalocsa Paprika is also wonderful. Cooking tip: do not burn your paprika, or it becomes bitter.
How to store paprika?
Paprika can go flat if it’s old. Make sure you taste test your paprika before cooking with it in this recipe. Paprika, as it gets older, will lose its aroma and become less pungent. If your paprika doesn’t have a strong flavor or has no smell, it’s no longer good. Store your paprika in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot, either in a spice drawer or the refrigerator.
How do you serve Hungarian Lecsó?
You can have it plain with some fresh white bread. You can pour beaten eggs over and fry together with the pepper stew, this is my favorite version.
You can have it with rice: when you add the peppers to the tomatoes, add some more water, pour uncooked rice in and cook until the rice absorbs the moisture and get tender.
You can make your Lecsó with sliced smoked paprika sausage. Add them to the lecsó just before it is ready, and cook for a few minutes.
Hungarian Lecsó - Pepper and Tomato stew
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Measuring spoon
- Medium pot
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 6 medium tomatoes cubed
- 4 yellow wax peppers or banana peppers or cubanelle peppers cut into medium pieces
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a pot, sauté the thinly sliced onions in vegetable oil over low heat, stirring frequently, until translucent. Do not let them burn. Salt lightly to help tenderize them. Add a small amount of water, if necessary, to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Add the cubed tomatoes, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the peppers (cut into medium sized pieces) and 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika powder, sprinkle with ground black pepper and cook for another 5-8 minutes. I do not like to overcook, because then the skin of the peppers cook off. Cooking tip: Do not burn the paprika, or it will become bitter.
- You can have it with bread, with eggs, rice or sausage.
This was awesome! We served it over rice and grilled sausage. Definitely a keeper!
My son was taught by one of his Hungarian aunts how to make this dish with brats and eggs stirred in. I could eat this every day! Love it! Thanks for the recipe.
I am so glad to have found your website! I was born in Hungary and my kids love most Hungarian dishes and I am always being asked “how do you make”. Now I can direct them to your site as the recipes are true! Love Lecso!
One of my go to dishes when nothing else seems to do! We all love it with or without sausages!
Greetings from Hungary! Jo etvagyat kivanok! Bon apetit!