Zöldbabfőzelék is a Hungarian főzelék dish of green beans stewed in a sour cream sauce and typically served throughout the summer in Hungary. It is very popular when green be ans hit the local markets. The odd thing is that, at least here in Hungary, the green beans aren’t green. They are yellow. But they taste just as good. And they are perfect for the Hungarian főzelék style of cooking.
As with all főzelék recipes, you make zöldbabfőzelék by cooking the beans, then mixing in a roux made of fat (butter, pork fat or even oil) and flour. Then adding a liquid to make a white sauce. In this case, the liquid is a mixture of sour cream (tejfől) and water. And the beans are cooked in chicken stock.
This zöldbabfőzelék is a Hungarian canteen classic. Very tasty. Easy to make in large quantities. And cheap to make, And so it is a low cost/ high value meal for schools, food courts, and factory kitchens. Everyone wins!
Like most főzelék dishes, zöldbabfőzelék is hard to photograph. Or at least to make it look delicious. But it is delicious. Unfortnately its looks let it down a little. But I have a family of Hungarians that assure me that my recipe tastes exactly how it should (if not a little better).
For most people outside of Hungary, you will find it hard to find the Hungarian yellow (green) beans. But any French or green beans will work just as well.
3 Secrets to a Good Zöldbabfőzelék!
This is a very simple dish, but for me there are 3 secrets to making this delicious:
- Chicken Stock – cook the bean in chicken stock. It really enriches the dish.
- Quality Butter of Pork Fat – don’t skimp on the fat. It is essential for a great tasting sauce.
- Salt – be generous with the seasoning. You need a good pinch of salt to cut through the sauce and lift the beans.
Give this recipe a go – you will be pleasantly surprised!
🇭🇺 Jó étvágyat!
Also Read
For more details on Hungarian cooking, take a look at the following articles:
Főzelék – The Hungarian Vegetable Stew – an overview of the Hungarian Főzelék style of vegetable stews.
Hungarian Food – the Ultimate Guide – a comprehensive overview of everything about Hungarian food.
Or if you are looking for more classic Hungarian dishes then, you might be interested in these posts:
- Zöldborsófőzelék – Hungarian Pea Stew
- Tökfőzelék – Hungarian stewed squash
- Finomfőzelék – Hungarian stewed peas and carrots
- Töltött Paprika – Hungarian stuffed peppers
Or take a look at my full collection of Hungarian recipes for more Hungarian flavours.
Zöldbabfőzelék
Equipment
- 2 Saucepans
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Chef Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 KG green beans (stalk end trimmed, and chopped into large pieces.)
- 1 litre chicken stock
- salt
- 50 grams zsíir or butter
- 50 grams plain flour
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped or grated)
- 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 250 ml sour cream
- 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Add the chicken stock to a pan and bring to a simmer. Add a good pinch of salt then add the chopped green beans and simmer until cooked but still firm to the bite.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter or zsír in a separate pan, then add the flour. Stir continoulsy until a roux forms, then cook the roux of 1-2 minutes .
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the sweet Hungarian paprika.
- Return the pan to the heat then add the sour cream and water gradually, stirring continuously with a whisk to avoid lumps forming.
- Add the resulting sauce and the chopped parsley to the green beans and mix well. Bring the beans and sauce to a simmer and cook for for 4-5 minutes. Add some more chicken stock or water if the sauce thickens too much.
- Season to taste then serve.
