Hungarian Sunday Broth (Húsleves): Golden Comfort in Every Spoonful

Prep Time 25-30 min

Cook Time 150-180 min

Calories 38 kcal/100g

There are few culinary rituals as deeply woven into Hungarian life as the slow, fragrant simmering of húsleves, or Hungarian meat broth. This amber elixir is more than a soup—it’s the warm heart of Sunday lunches, wedding feasts, and childhood memories. To a Hungarian, húsleves doesn’t just feed the body, but ties generations together, inviting you to slow down and savor tradition, one spoonful at a time.

The Story: A Whole Family in One Pot

Picture a cool Sunday morning in Budapest: the stirrings of home as someone’s up early, chopping carrots, seasoning meat, fussing with fresh parsley. The scent of broth floats through old apartments and village kitchens alike, promising that the family will soon gather—even if only for a bowl before heading off to explore the world. For many, húsleves is the taste of childhood—served steaming with pearl-like semolina dumplings, followed by a rich main course of meats and vegetables fished from the very same broth.

Húsleves is about patience. Its beauty lies in unhurried simmering—never boiling!—allowing clean flavors to develop into a golden, shimmering soup that soothes everything from winter chills to homesickness. Each family customizes theirs: some with beef shank, others with free-range chicken or even turkey neck. But the essence remains unchanged—a clear, soulful broth filled with the bounty of farm and field.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg soup beef (marrow bone, shank, brisket, or a mix)
• 1 whole chicken or a mix of legs and wings (about 1.2 kg)
• 2 large carrots
• 2 parsley roots (substitute parsnip if needed)
• 1 small celery root (or a few sticks celery)
• 1–2 leeks or a bunch of spring onions
• 1 medium onion (unpeeled, halved)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 green bell pepper (optional, traditional in most recipes)
• 1 tomato
• 6–8 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)
• Noodles, tiny semolina or liver dumplings, or matzo balls (optional but highly recommended)

Instructions

1. Choose Your Pot Wisely: Select a large soup pot—this is dinner, tomorrow’s lunch, and maybe Grandma’s fridge-bound gift, all in one vessel.
2. Rinse and Layer the Meat: Rinse the meat and bones under cold water. Place into the pot and cover with about 3.5 liters of cold water.
3. Gentle Beginnings: Heat over medium. As it comes up to temperature, foam will begin rising to the top. Skim this carefully with a ladle for the clearest broth—patience here means beauty later.
4. Vegetable Symphony: Add the cleaned, whole vegetables: carrots, parsley root, celery, leeks, garlic, tomato, and green pepper if using. Tuck in the halved, unpeeled onion (the peel gives the broth a rich golden color). Drop in the peppercorns, bay leaf, and a generous amount of salt.
5. The Art of Slow Cooking: Reduce the heat to a bare simmer—just a bubble here and there—for 2.5 to 3 hours. Never let it boil, as that clouds the broth. Halfway through, check seasoning and top up with a splash of water if needed. A slow cook extracts gentle flavors and produces a clear, golden soup.
6. Finishing and Straining: When the meat is fork-tender and vegetables supple, remove the pot from the heat. Strain soup through a fine sieve into another large pot, reserving the meat and vegetables on a platter. Skim as desired for a lighter broth.
7. Noodle Time (Optional): Prepare fine egg noodles or small dumplings separately as per package or recipe.
8. Serve Warmth in Bowls: Ladle clear soup into bowls, adding a mix of the vegetables and some shredded meat. Scatter with parsley and add your favorite noodles or dumplings.

Tips and Variations

• Meat Choices: Use only beef, only chicken, or a mix—some prefer flavorful rooster or turkey necks for a richer broth.
• Vegetable Additions: Kohlrabi and turnip are traditional in some regions. Don’t slice the veggies too small—they’re best left whole or large-chunked for maximum flavor.
• Clarity: The key to a beautiful soup is never letting it boil—just a gentle simmer.
• Golden Color: The trick is that unpeeled onion half, and even a squeeze of yellow carrot, if you find it!
• Serving Suggestion: Always prepare noodles or dumplings separately and add to bowls just before serving so the broth stays clear.

Perfect Pairings

• Traditional pairings: It’s custom to enjoy húsleves as the first course before hearty main dishes like paprikás csirke (chicken paprikash), töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage), or simple roasted meats.
• Use the Second Course: After the broth is enjoyed, the boiled meats are typically served with some of the cooked veggies, a dollop of horseradish, and perhaps mustár (mustard) or torma (horseradish sauce).

Why We Love It

Hungarian húsleves is slow food, comfort food, and celebration in a single pot—a recipe that hasn’t changed in centuries because it simply needs no improvement. When you stir a Sunday soup, you’re keeping tradition alive, one golden bowl at a time.