Hungarian Meatballs

These meatballs get the full Hungarian treatment, simmered low in a paprika-stained onion sauce until they’re tender and soaked through with flavor. Think of it as paprikash in meatball form.

The seasoning is what makes it unmistakably Hungarian: a good dose of paprika for color and warmth, plus caraway seed and marjoram, the aromatic duo that flavors so much of the country’s cooking. A splash of dry red wine deepens the whole pot.

Sliced onions cook down soft first, forming the base of the sauce, then the cooked meatballs go in to simmer and absorb it all.

At the end, a simple flour-and-water slurry thickens everything into a glossy, spoon-coating gravy. Stir it in gradually and let it boil a full minute so the flour loses its raw, pasty taste. Serve it over buttered noodles or boiled potatoes to catch every drop.

Chef Tips

• Use a good Hungarian paprika and don’t let it scorch; burnt paprika turns bitter fast.
• Whisk the flour smoothly into cold water, then boil a full minute, to thicken the gravy without lumps or a raw-flour taste.
• No wine? The recipe’s swap of water, beef bouillon, and a splash of vinegar works nicely.
• Let the meatballs simmer the full 30 minutes so they drink up the sauce.

Variations

• Stir a spoonful of sour cream into the finished sauce for a richer, paprikash-style gravy.
• Add a diced bell pepper or a pinch of hot paprika for some heat.
• Use turkey or pork meatballs in place of beef.