Hungarian Carrot Stew

Cheap and easy Hungarian Carrot Stew that’s especially great for colder days.

Hungarian Carrot Stew is not a pretty dish, but the flavors will make you forget that! It’s a classic comfort food, that’s tasty, nutritious and super warming. It’s savory, plus a little sweet, spicy and smoky. This easy stew is a beginner-friendly, foolproof, and very adaptable recipe that requires just a couple of inexpensive ingredients to make.

Sárgarépa főzelék or Hungarian Carrot Stew is a popular dish in Hungary. Mainly because it’s a very easy to make and budget-friendly recipe. Plus because it’s the perfect recipe for feeding a crowd or batch cooking. And of course also because it’s a delicious, and totally customizable dish!

To be honest I used to absolutely hate everything about this dish as a child. Probably because a not very appetizing version of it was regularly on the menu of the school canteen. Or probably because as a child I just didn’t care for having a big bowl of carrots for lunch or dinner.

Either way those days are over, because I’ve rediscovered my love for this Hungarian Carrot Stew recently.

This recipe is good. So if you are not a 5 years old child, you are gonna like it too!

Hungarian Carrot Stew is….

• Quick and easy to make
• Inexpensive
• Requiring only a handful of simple ingredients
• Perfectly customizable
• Great for batch cooking
• Healthy
• Nutritious
• Vegan and vegetarian
• Optionally gluten-free
• Comforting
• Delicious
• Slightly spicy and smoky
• Hearty and slightly sweet

How to make Hungarian Carrot Stew

You start by sautéing onions and chopped carrots on vegan butter and olive oil. Once onions are translucent, you add some garlic and your spices and cook for a few more seconds, just until it’s all fragrant but not burnt yet.

Now you add your vegetable broth (or white wine, if you are adventurous), and after a quick boil, simmer the stew for about 20 minutes, or until carrots are cooked but still have a bite. To make the soup thicker at the end, we add a little flour as well. Pretty standard stew making so far.

Traditionally you use a lot more flour to thicken this dish, so here comes a little trick: Simply purée a portion of the stew into a creamy paste, then mix it back with the rest of the stew. This way you get the same creamy consistency, but the carrot flavor is a lot more intense.

Using coconut milk to add extra creaminess and sweetness to Hungarian Carrot Stew is also very non-traditional, but it tastes really lovely, so I don’t mind. If you want a more classic version, use unsweetened plant milk or heavy cream for this soup. Blended cashews or Sunflower Seed Sour Cream are great additions as well.

To finish off the stew, you can add a little parsley or other fresh herb of your choice.

I told you it’s simple!

Can I make it oil-free?

Yes. Simply omit the vegan butter and olive oil, and sauté carrots with a few tablespoon of vegetable broth instead.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Yes. Just choose a gluten-free flour. Brown rice flour is a great option for example.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, this Hungarian Carrot Stew is freezer friendly.

How to serve Hungarian Carrot Stew

Traditionally Hungarian Carrot Stew is served as a main dish. Either with a slice of bread on the side or topped with something. Fried tofu, falafel, carrot balls, vegan sausage, quinoa balls, or some vegan feta could be all great options here.

Not traditional, but you can also serve Hungarian Carrot Stew as a starter (like a thick soup).

And probably even more non-traditional, but serving it as a warm breakfast is amazing on colder days.

CUSTOMIZE IT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT!

This version is a very simple, subtly spiced one, so feel free to add your extras for more flavor.

• Spice things up! Add cumin, turmeric, fresh ginger or chili, coriander, nutmeg, or allspice. Sriracha, miso, hummus, gochujang, harissa, soy sauce, or salsa can be great here too.

• Add extra veggies or greens! Sweet potato, parsnip, spinach, kale or broccoli are especially cool here. Green peas or lentils are good protein-rich additions as well.

• Skip the coconut milk, and use cashew butter, plant-based milk or heavy cream, cream cheese, or sour cream instead.

• Play around with the consistency! Add more vegetable stock (or white wine!) for a thiner soup, or use less broth for an extra thick stew. Blend everything completely, or skip that step to keep your stew chunky.

More Hungarian Recipes To Try:

• Hungarian Mushroom Paprikash
• Potato Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu
• Layered Potato Casserole
• Bread Dumplings w/ Root Vegetable Sauce & Roasted Mushrooms
• Savoy Cabbage Soup
• Sauerkraut Soup w/ Smoked Tofu
• Paprika Potato Stew
• Hungarian Potato Pasta
• Stuffed Cabbage w/ Mushroom & Tempeh
• Hungarian Cheese Spread in Bread Bowl
• Green Pea Stew
• Hungarian Bean Soup

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