Yesss — Korhelyleves coming right up 🇭🇺🍲
This is the proper, traditional Hungarian hangover soup: sour, smoky, creamy, and deeply comforting.
Hungarian Hangover Soup (Korhelyleves)
Serves 4–6 | Hearty | Traditional
Why it works
This soup cures hangovers because it’s:
- Sour (sauerkraut juice wakes you up)
- Salty & smoky (replenishes electrolytes)
- Creamy (calms the stomach)
- Hot & spiced (gets your system moving)
Ingredients
Soup base
- 300–400 g (10–14 oz) smoked pork
(smoked ribs, smoked ham, or smoked sausage all work) - 1 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- ½ tsp hot paprika (optional, but recommended)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Salt (go easy — smoked meat is salty)
Sour element
- 300 g (about 2 cups) sauerkraut, lightly rinsed
- 200 ml (¾ cup) sauerkraut juice (very important)
Liquid
- 1–1.2 liters (4–5 cups) water or light stock
Cream finish
- 200 ml (¾ cup) sour cream
- 1 tbsp flour
Optional but traditional
- 1–2 Hungarian sausages (kolbász), sliced
- Fresh dill or parsley for garnish
- Fresh bread or rye bread for serving
Instructions
1. Build the base
In a large pot, heat the lard or oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent (about 5–7 minutes).
Add garlic and caraway seeds. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Paprika moment (important!)
Remove the pot briefly from the heat.
Add sweet paprika and hot paprika. Stir quickly so it doesn’t burn.
Return to heat immediately.
3. Add meat & simmer
Add smoked pork (and sausage if using).
Pour in the water or stock, add bay leaf and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30–40 minutes, until the meat is tender and flavorful.
4. Add sauerkraut
Add the sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice.
Simmer another 15–20 minutes.
Taste — adjust salt only if needed.
5. Creamy finish
In a bowl, mix sour cream with flour until smooth.
Take a ladle of hot soup and whisk it into the sour cream mixture (to temper it).
Slowly stir this back into the pot.
Simmer gently 5–10 minutes — do NOT boil hard.
Final Taste Check
You want a balance of:
- Smoky
- Tangy
- Creamy
- Slightly spicy
Add more sauerkraut juice if it needs bite, or a little water if too strong.
How Hungarians Serve It
- Hot, always hot
- With thick slices of bread
- Often eaten late morning after drinking
- Even better the next day
Pro Tips (Very Hungarian)
- The soup should be sour, not mild — don’t be shy with sauerkraut juice
- Lard gives the best flavor, but oil works
- If you overdid the alcohol… eat this slowly and let it work its magic 😄
If you want:
- A quick version
- A vegetarian korhelyleves
- Or a restaurant-style plating version
Just tell me 🇭🇺❤️
