Creamy Hentes Tokány with Nokedli Dumplings

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentically Hungarian: strip-cut pork (not cubes) in a peppery, creamy sauce without paprika.
• Bright, savory balance: smoky bacon, sweet onions, tangy pickles, and a soft sour-cream finish.
• Comfort-food perfect: pillowy nokedli catch every drop of sauce.
• Weeknight-friendly technique with cozy, weekend-worthy results.

Grocery List

• Produce: Yellow onions, garlic, flat-leaf parsley
• Dairy: Sour cream, butter, eggs
• Pantry: Pork shoulder, smoked bacon, all-purpose flour, dill pickles, chicken/pork broth, mustard, bay leaves, caraway seeds (optional), neutral oil, salt, black pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Tokány (Pork and Base)

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.3 cm x 5 cm (1/2 x 2 in) strips
• 120 g (4 oz) smoked bacon (slab-style if possible), diced small
• 2 medium yellow onions (about 300 g), thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
• 2 tsp fine sea salt, divided (to taste)
• 1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds (optional but lovely)
• 240 ml (1 cup) low-sodium chicken or pork broth

For the Creamy, Tangy Finish

• 2 tsp Dijon or smooth Hungarian mustard
• 180 g (3/4 cup) full-fat sour cream
• 100 g (2/3 cup) dill pickles, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

For the Nokedli (Hungarian Dumplings)

• 260 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) cool water
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, for tossing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pork and aromatics

Trim excess surface fat from the pork shoulder, then cut into even strips about 1.3 cm wide and 5 cm long (1/2 x 2 inches). Pat very dry with paper towels for better browning. Thinly slice the onions and mince the garlic. Chop the pickles and parsley; set aside separately.

Step 2: Crisp the bacon for a smoky base

Place a heavy, wide pot (Dutch oven or sauté pan, 28–30 cm/11–12 in) over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is golden and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Scoop bacon to a plate, leaving about 1–2 tbsp fat in the pot. If there’s less, add 1 tbsp neutral oil.

Step 3: Sear the pork in batches

Increase heat to medium-high. Add 1/3 of the pork strips in a single layer; brown well on two sides, about 3–4 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining pork, adding a splash more oil if needed. Season the browned pork with 1.5 tsp salt and all the black pepper.

Step 4: Build the oniony foundation

Lower heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, scraping up browned bits, until onions are translucent and sweet, 8–10 minutes. Stir in garlic, bay leaves, and caraway (if using) for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the broth, scraping the bottom to fully deglaze.

Step 5: Braise gently until tender

Return the seared pork (and juices) to the pot. Bring to a light simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 35–40 minutes, until the pork is tender but still juicy. Maintain a gentle simmer—about 90–95°C (195–203°F) if you check with a thermometer; adjust burner to keep it from boiling hard.

Step 6: Mix the nokedli batter

While the pork simmers, set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a bowl, whisk eggs, water, and salt. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky batter forms—smooth but not runny (it should slowly fall off a spoon). Let rest 5 minutes.

Step 7: Cook and butter the nokedli

When the water boils, press the batter through a spaetzle maker or the large holes of a sturdy colander into the water. Cook 1–2 minutes, until the dumplings float and look puffed. Scoop out with a slotted spoon, drain well, and toss with 1 tbsp butter. Keep warm.

Step 8: Finish creamy and tangy, then serve

Uncover the pork. Stir in mustard and chopped pickles. Ladle 1/4 cup of the hot sauce into the sour cream and whisk to temper, then remove the pot from heat and stir in the tempered sour cream until silky. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Spoon nokedli into warm bowls, top generously with the tokány, and finish with the reserved crispy bacon and chopped parsley.

Pro Tips

• Chill the pork for 20 minutes before slicing to make clean, even strips.
• Keep the simmer gentle; boiling can toughen the meat and split the sour cream later.
• Temper the sour cream with a little hot sauce and add off heat for a smooth, glossy finish.
• For extra body, reduce the sauce uncovered for the last 5 minutes before adding sour cream.
• No spaetzle maker? Use a sturdy colander or a flat grater with large holes; work in batches.

Variations

• Mushroom Tokány: Add 250 g (9 oz) sliced cremini with the onions for an earthy depth.
• Beef Tokány: Swap pork for 1 kg beef chuck strips; extend the covered simmer to 60–70 minutes.
• Extra-Tangy: Stir in 1 tbsp pickle brine with the mustard and pickles for a brighter pop.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Tokány keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat; avoid boiling to keep the sour cream from splitting. For freezing, cook through Step 5, cool, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw, reheat to a gentle simmer, then add mustard, pickles, and tempered sour cream to finish. Nokedli can be cooked a day ahead; toss with a little butter, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat in a hot skillet with another knob of butter until just warmed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (with nokedli): 1000 kcal; 49 g protein; 42 g carbohydrates; 62 g fat; 2 g fiber; 1200 mg sodium.