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Hungarian·Eastern European

Lecsó (Hungarian Pepper–Tomato Stew)

A classic, naturally gluten-free Hungarian summer stew of onions, sweet peppers and tomatoes seasoned with Hungarian paprika. Serve on its own, with rice or crusty gluten-free bread — a quick, one-pan comfort dish.

Lecsó, servedAI image

45 min

start to finish

15 min

hands on

Easy

difficulty

4

servings

4 servings
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Ingredients

Roughly, per serving

170 kcal4g protein18g carbs8g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

  1. Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the sunflower oil.

  2. Add the sliced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle in the sweet Hungarian paprika and stir immediately to coat the onions (bloom the paprika briefly so it doesn't burn).

    Paprika burns quickly; always remove the pan from direct heat before adding it.

  4. Return the pan to medium heat, add the pepper strips and chopped tomatoes (and tomato paste if using), and stir to combine.

  5. If the mixture looks dry, add up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, then season with salt, black pepper and sugar if using.

  6. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until peppers are tender and flavors have melded.

  7. Uncover and cook a few minutes more over medium-high heat to reduce excess liquid if you prefer a thicker stew.

  8. Taste and adjust seasoning; stir in chopped parsley if using.

  9. Let the lecsó rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavors settle, then serve warm.

Worth knowing

  • Use ripe tomatoes for the best flavor; if tomatoes are underripe, a bit of tomato paste and the optional sugar help balance the acidity.
  • To make it heartier, serve with cooked rice, polenta, or top with a fried egg or slices of cooked kolbász (sausage) — add those ingredients at serving time.
  • If you have fresh hot Hungarian peppers (csípős), add one thinly sliced for a spicy version; otherwise stick to sweet peppers for a kid-friendly dish.
  • Lecsó reheats well and often tastes better the next day; cool quickly and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in portions.
  • Avoid adding paprika to hot oil on high heat — it will burn and taste bitter. Bloom it off the direct heat as instructed.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

VegetarianVeganGluten-freeDairy-freeQuickBudgetMeal prepOne pan

More Hungarian cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Hungarian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegetarian and vegan and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.