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Lecsó: The Ultimate Hungarian Summer Pepper Stew

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Image of lecsó, a traditional Hungarian dish of stewed TV paprika (peppers) and tomatoes.

What is lecsó? It’s summer in a stew of ripe tomatoes. Hungarian TV paprika. Onions sizzling in lard. Maybe some spicy sausage thrown in. Lecsó (also written as lecho, letcho, or leczo) is Hungary’s answer to ratatouille. But better. Simpler. Richer. And gently enriched with sweet Hungarian paprika.

The Taste of Hungarian Summer

Lecsó is true Hungarian summer comfort food. Everyone in Hungary knows how to make it. It’s warm, bold, and one of the few classic Hungarian dishes that’s vegetarian by default (just use olive oil instead of lard).

Tomatoes and Hungarian TV paprika thrive in the warm Hungarian climate. So when summer hits, and gardens overflow with both, people turn to this delicious summer pepper stew. It’s the perfect dish for using up bumper harvests or “ugly” produce that wouldn’t look pretty in a salad. But it is also easy to eat a very hot day. When your you cant face a heavy meal.

Hungarians make lecsó from onions, Hungarian TV paprika, tomatoes, and not much else. Just sweet Hungarian paprika, salt, and maybe a little black pepper.

How to Make Lecsó

There’s no formal lecsó recipe. It’s more of a guide. Use equal parts tomato and pepper, and enough onion to cover the base of your pan. That’s it. But of course it depends on what you have to hand. It doesnt matter if you use more tomatoes than Hungarian TV paprika. Or the other way around. Just use what you have.

Hungarian Outdoor Cooking

Lecsó is perfect for outdoor cooking. It is very traditional for Hugnarians to cook this summer dish outside. The onions, Hungarian peppers and tomatoes simmer away in a bogracs, suspended over hot coals. It is then served with grilled meats and Hungarian sausages. In fact it is a great vegetarian option to serve at your next BBQ. Provided you use olive oil, and not lard, of course.

How to Eat Lecsó

You can eat lecsó on its own. Or you can add some Hungarian sausage. Often people top it with a fried egg. Others stir in a scrambled egg right at the end. Either way, this stew is tasty, hearty, and super versatile.

Many Hungarians eat lecsó as a full meal. But it also works as a side dish for grilled meats, chicken paprikash, or pork chops. It is also eaten for breakfast. It is very common to see this served at hotel breakfast buffets in Hungary. Some people even eat it cold, straight from the fridge. It still tastes great.

Lecso Ingredients

Lecsó only has a few ingredients, but that’s its strength. It’s bold, sweet, and savory all at once.

The key ingredients:

  • Onions: Sliced and sautéed until golden.
  • Hungarian peppers: Traditionally, Hungarians use Hungarian TV paprika . These are long, pale-green peppers available year-round in Hungary. Outside Hungary, bell peppers work well too.
  • Tomatoes: The juicier, the better.
  • Paprika: Always use sweet Hungarian paprika.
  • Salt and black pepper: That’s all the seasoning you need.

If you enjoyed this recipe, take a look at these other traditional Hungarian recipes for more authentic Hungarian flavours.

🇭🇺 Jó étvágyat!

Looking for more classic Hungarian dishes? Check out these posts:

Or take a look at my full collection of  Hungarian recipes for more Hungarian flavours. Or take a look at my Ultimate Guide to Hungarian Food.

Image of lecsó, a traditional Hungarian dish of stewed TV paprika (peppers) and tomatoes.
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Hungarian Lecsó

Hungarian lecsó is a tasty dish of stewed tomatoes, Hungarian paprikas and sweet Hungarian paprika. It is the perfect way to use up excess summer tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 500 grams Hungarian TV paprika (or bell pepper de-seeded and roughly chopped)
  • 500 grams tomatoes roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they soften and turn golden.
  • Take the pan off the heat for a moment, and add the sweet Hungarian paprika and stir into the onions.
  • Return the heat to the pan and add the paprika (or bell peppers if using) and tomatoes, stir well and then cook for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked into a sauce and the paprika is soft.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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