Hungarian Mushroom Paprikash with Nokedli or Rice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the cozy paprikash flavors, made meatless with satisfyingly meaty mushrooms.
• Silky, brick-red sauce finished with tangy sour cream—balanced, rich, and spoonable.
• Two easy serving options: classic nokedli spaetzle or weeknight-friendly buttered rice.
• Built-in success techniques: bloom paprika safely and temper the sour cream for a velvety finish.

Grocery List

• Produce: Mushrooms (800 g), onions (2 medium), garlic (4 cloves), lemon (1), fresh parsley
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, sour cream (3/4 cup), eggs (2)
• Pantry: Sweet Hungarian paprika, hot paprika (optional), caraway seeds, tomato paste, bay leaf, dried marjoram (optional), vegetable or chicken broth, all-purpose flour, long-grain rice (if not making nokedli), neutral oil, salt, black pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Gombapaprikás

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
• 2 medium onions (about 300 g), finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 800 g mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, and/or portobello), thick-sliced
• 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 tsp hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried marjoram (optional but traditional)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) sour cream
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or 2 tsp apple cider vinegar)
• 1 1/4 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for serving

For the Nokedli (Hungarian spaetzle, optional)

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk or water, plus 2–4 tbsp more as needed
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for tossing cooked nokedli)
• Pot of boiling water seasoned with 1 tbsp salt

For Buttered Rice (optional alternative)

• 1 cup (190 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 1 3/4 cups (415 ml) water or light broth
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the mushrooms and aromatics

Clean the mushrooms by brushing or wiping with a damp towel; avoid soaking. Slice them thick (about 6–7 mm) so they stay meaty after cooking. Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic. Have the paprika, tomato paste, and broth measured and ready; this recipe moves quickly once you start.

Step 2: Sweat the onions low and slow

Set a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven (at least 4.5–5 quarts) over medium heat. Melt the butter with the oil. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and just turning pale gold, 8–10 minutes. Regulate heat so they soften without deep browning; a gentle sweat builds sweetness for the sauce.

Step 3: Bloom paprika safely and build the base

Stir in the garlic and caraway; cook 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the sweet paprika, hot paprika (if using), and tomato paste. Immediately splash in 2–3 tbsp water and stir to form a loose, brick-red paste. This off-heat blooming prevents the paprika from scorching and turning bitter.

Step 4: Add mushrooms and cook until they release juices

Return the pot to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and another 1/2 tsp salt. Toss to coat in the paprika base. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give off their liquid and shrink by about one-third, 6–8 minutes. Any brown bits on the bottom are flavor; you’ll deglaze them in the next step.

Step 5: Simmer with broth to create a rich stew

Pour in the broth, add the bay leaf and marjoram (if using), and scrape up the fond. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has reduced slightly.

Step 6: Make the nokedli or cook the rice

For nokedli: Bring a large pot of well-salted water (1 tbsp salt) to a rolling boil. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk/water, and 3/4 tsp salt. Stir in flour until a thick, sticky batter forms that slowly drops off a spoon; add 2–4 tbsp more liquid as needed. Working in 1–2 batches, press the batter through a spaetzle maker (or a colander with large holes) directly into the boiling water. Cook 2–3 minutes until the dumplings float, then 30 seconds more. Lift out with a spider, drain well, and toss with 2 tbsp butter. Keep warm. For rice: Combine rinsed rice, water, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook 18 minutes. Rest off heat, covered, 5 minutes; fluff.

Step 7: Finish with tempered sour cream, season, and serve

In a bowl, whisk the sour cream and flour until smooth. Ladle in 1/2 cup hot liquid from the pot while whisking to temper. Remove the stew from the heat and stir in the sour cream mixture. Return to low heat and warm gently for 2–3 minutes until velvety and lightly thickened—do not let it boil. Stir in lemon juice, black pepper, parsley, and salt to taste. Serve ladled over nokedli or spooned beside buttered rice. Garnish with extra parsley and a light dusting of sweet paprika if you like.

Pro Tips

• Use fresh, high-quality sweet Hungarian paprika; older paprika loses color and fragrance.
• Always bloom paprika off the heat with a bit of moisture—this prevents bitterness and makes the flavor bloom.
• Temper the sour cream and keep the sauce below a simmer after adding it to avoid curdling.
• Slice mushrooms thick so they stay pleasantly meaty after stewing.
• For nokedli, the batter should be thick but flowable—think heavy pancake batter. Add a spoonful of liquid if it’s too stiff.

Variations

• Vegan/Dairy-Free: Use olive or sunflower oil instead of butter and a plant-based sour cream. Thicken with 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water; add at the end and heat gently.
• Gluten-Free: Replace the flour in the sauce with 2 tsp cornstarch and choose rice instead of nokedli.
• Paprika Pepper Boost: Add 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, with the mushrooms for a sweeter, more classic paprikash profile.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate the finished stew in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on low without boiling. Nokedli keeps 3 days chilled; rewarm in a skillet with a knob of butter. Rice keeps 4 days refrigerated; reheat with a splash of water. For freezing, make the mushroom base through Step 5 and freeze up to 2 months; thaw and finish with sour cream and lemon just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/4 of stew with nokedli: 670 calories; 31 g fat; 78 g carbs; 15 g protein; 5 g fiber; 900 mg sodium. Values will vary with ingredients and side choice.