Hungarian TV Paprika

The Hungarian TV paprika is a pale green or yellow pepper from the Capsicum annuum family. These wide and plump peppers are sweet, not spicy. And if you’ve ever tasted Hungarian food, you’ve probably eaten one. They grow very well in Hungary’s hot summer climate and this essential Hungarian ingredient is used extensively in Hungarian food.

They don’t have the vibrance of the multi-coloured bell peppers that I’ve grown up with. In fact, if anything they look under-ripe. But they are a staple vegetable in Hungarian cooking and Hungarians eat them in large quantities. If you ever visit a Hungarian market, one of the first things that stands out are the rows and rows of TV paprika.

Where did Hungarian TV Paprika Come From

Originally from South and Central America, the Turks introduced paprika to Hungary in the 16th century, and since then it has become an important ingredient in Hungarian cooking not only as a spice but also as a vegetable.

Today Hungarian TV paprika is farmed commercially in the Alföld, the Hungarian Great Plain, which has the perfect climate: hot, sunny, and dry. Hungarian farmers grow several varieties of paprika, but the TV paprika is prized for its shape and texture. It holds its form when cooked, yet softens nicely in sauces and stews.

Hungarian TV paprika is also grown throughout the country on balconies and in gardens. In May and June, you will find young TV paprika plants for sale at local markets, often with the first baby TV paprikas already visible.

Over time, this variety became the standard pepper for cooking at home. You won’t find this exact type in most foreign supermarkets, but similar varieties exist in Eastern Europe

Why are they called TV Paprika?

TV paprika is certainly a very strange name. Is this what really Hungarian’s eat when they watch TV? Does it have anything to do with the Hungarian TV channel of the same name? As much as I wanted this to be true, there is a much simpler reason. It turns out that ‘TV’ stands for tölteni való which means ‘for stuffing’ in Hungarian. And so you won’t be surprised to learn that it is this variety that you use to make the much loved töltött paprika. So really you should think of them as ‘stuffing paprika’.

Use in Hungarian Cooking

TV paprika is a very versatile ingredient and it shows up in Hungarian food in many forms:

• Raw – slices of TV Paprika add a fresh savoury crunch to the typical Hungarian breakfast of cold meats and cheese. Or added to sandwiches or salads
• Stuffed – usually with a mixture of rice and ground meat
• Pickled – pickling vegetables is very popular in Hungary. You can pickle TV Paprika on its own, or as part of mixed pickles.
• Garnish – most étterem or restaurants use thin slices of Hungarian TV paprika to garnish stews and meat dishes
• Cooked – You can sauté it, bake it, roast it, or simmer it in broth.

Health Benefits

Eating paprika offers many health benefits. They are full of vitamins. Vitamin A (carotene), vitamins B1, B2, C and B6, folic acid and many minerals (a significant amount of potassium). And these paprika also have a higher content of vitamin C than the same amount of orange. In fact, some varieties can have as much as 300 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams when ripe. The colour of the paprika also gives a clue to the vitamin content. The red ones contain more carotene than the green ones. 

Also Read

Here are some classic recipes that use Hungarian TV paprika:

• Töltött Paprika – Hungarian TV paprika stuffed with pork and rice
• Csikostokány – Hungarian cowboy stew
• Paprikás Csirke – chicken with sour cream and sweet Hungarian paprika
• Lecsó – a tasty dish of stewed tomatoes, Hungarian TV paprika and sweet Hungarian paprika

Or take a look at my full collection of Hungarian recipes for more Hungarian flavours as well as teh FAQ section below.

For a complehensive overview of Hungarian Cooking, take a look at my Hungarian Food – the Ultimate Guide

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