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Hungarian potato pasta is an easy traditional dish, budget-friendly, super simple and delicious. It is also called ‘grenadir mars’, however we mention only potato pasta in Hungarian homes. It is not an elegant dish, but a real comfort food that everybody loves. Traditionally it is made with home-made square pasta. It is a very cheap dish, often cooked at the end of the month when people’s budget for the month has been used up, but still had some potatoes, onions and dry pasta in the pantry.
How to make potato pasta?
You need fresh or dry square pasta, onion, potatoes, Hungarian paprika and ground black pepper. I do not boil the potatoes separately, I prefer cooking together with the onion and the paprika, this way the potatos absorb all the beautiful flavors. Prepare your pasta according to the instructions.
When the potatos is fork tender, mash them roughly with a potato masher or fork, then mix with the cooked pasta, sprinkle with ground black pepper. Make sure you have some pickles to serve with and you will also need lots of ground black peppers.
It is a no meat main course, even vegans can have it if you use no egg pasta.
What paprika to use?
Use Hungarian sweet paprika, never spicy. In Hungary we buy paprika from Szeged or from Kalocsa, I love both. I recommend purchasing real Hungarian paprika in your local deli or order online.
Make sure you do not burn your paprika. If you burn, it becomes bitter, the color will be brownish and you ruin the whole dish. Before you add the paprika to the sautéed onions, remove the pot from the heat, wait a 15-20 seconds, and then mix the paprika in.
Pride of Szeged
Hungarian sweet paprika
from Amazon
Hungarian Potato Pasta (Krumplis tészta)
Hungarian potato paprika is another traditional dish, budget-friendly, super simple and delicious. It is also called 'grenadir mars', however we mention only potato pasta in Hungarian homes.
It is a no meat main course, even vegans can have it if you use no egg pasta. Make sure you have some pickles to serve with and you will also need lots of ground black peppers.
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Total Time 40 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Hungarian
Servings 4 people
Equipment
Medium pots
Strainer
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Peeler
Ingredients
- 8.8 ounces dry square pasta 250 grams
- 17.6 ounces potatoes 500 grams, peeled, cut into smaller cubes
- 1 medium medium Spanish onion diced
- 1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika powder
- ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil sunflower, canola
- salt
- pickles to serve
Instructions
In a medium pot, sautée the onions in vegetable oil over low heat, stirring frequently, until translucent. Do not let them burn. Salt lightly to help tenderize them.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the sweet Hungarian paprika, stir. Do not burn the paprika, or it will become bitter.
Add the peeled and cubed potatoes and pour in just enough water to barely cover, salt to taste and cook until the potatoes are soft and gravy. Once potatoes are totally soft and the water is almost completely evaporated, mash potatoes roughly with a potato masher or fork.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions, rinse and drain.
Stir pasta into the potato mixture, season with salt and ground black pepper.
Serve with pickles.
Enjoy!
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22 Comments
Margaret Wilson2018-05-22 at 11:35 - Reply
I make this all the time and I have shown my brother how to make it also. My late mother use to make it for us when we were children and I learnt it of her.
Mary Anne Gill2018-05-28 at 00:29 - Reply
love this dish! My mom uses left over mashed potatoes. Sooo good!
When she was little she remembers asking for mashed potatoes like the Americans ate. Her parents were immigrants from Hungary to Akron, Ohio and they did not make them.Liza2018-08-09 at 20:21 - Reply
I have been making this for years, I learned it from a Hungarian woman I knew long ago. I never knew the name of it and my daughter and I called it, “ponood” as a joke name. It is one of my favorite meals in the world. We put a dollop of sour cream on top. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I always have waited until I had left over mashed potatoes so I didn’t make it as often as I would have like to. Now I can have it all the time!
Barath Agnes2018-08-13 at 21:17 - Reply
Hello Liza,
Thank you for sharing your story, I am so glad that my recipe brings back good memories and now you can enjoy this delicious dish all the time.:)
Warm regards,
Agnes
Cheryl2018-11-08 at 04:11 - Reply
All unhealthy carbs but my Hungarian husband likes it. I think its gross.
Margaret Csatari Vidacs2018-11-19 at 21:23 - Reply
My sister up in New York State makes iy on a regular basis, I make it maybe once in a year. My mother cooked the cubed potatoes without any water, just put a lid on the pot that will be sufficient moister to cook the potatoes. Add the paprika on the potato after it is soft and crisp from frying, than add the noodles and mix and truly enjoy the delicious potatoes and noodles.
Sunil2019-06-29 at 19:56 - Reply
Just cooked this..ate it..what a delight
Thank you sharing the recipe
My daughters favourite so I had to learn how to make it !Barath Agnes2019-08-29 at 14:48 - Reply
Hi Sunil,
I am glad you like this recipe and your daughters were happy with the result. :)Barbata Nortj2020-05-03 at 16:59 - Reply
My hungarian grandmother made this Friday nights because when we abstained from meat. Couldnt find her recipe. She use to put in casserole and heat in oven once done.
I dont remember her using oil. I though maybe margarine.
Is there anyway I can get a printed copy of your recipe.
Making it today.
Thank you.
Carole Szarka2019-09-02 at 02:09 - Reply
This is absolutely one of the best complimentary carb dishes and very vegan friendly. Great for bulking up! Love this
Melissa2019-12-14 at 00:26 - Reply
Can you reheat this? I want to make it for a potluck at my son’s school.
Barath Agnes2019-12-17 at 10:10 - Reply
Hi Melissa,
Yes. you can rehat it.
Agnes
VI2020-07-07 at 05:12 - Reply
Have printed off so many recipes, these are most authentic, as I had not written many of them down when my mother was alive, for twenty years had not had any hungarian meals, but now they are staples in my household. The family love and remember them so much, very nostalgic and homely. We had the plum dumplings last night, oh what bliss. Enjoyed by us all.
Judit2020-08-29 at 00:47 - Reply
Aloha from Maui. I often make this for dinner for my American Husband,and serve with cucumber salad. My only problem i cant find any good noodles what we had ,like a big square one.But still taste good.Judit
Veronika2021-08-16 at 05:25 - Reply
My mum added fine chopped red and green capsicum to the onion until nearly soft with the onion, then added the paprika then the cubed potatoes. Have made it like this for many years.
Carolyn2021-10-03 at 18:54 - Reply
My Hungarian Grandfather made this for the soldiers in the first world war because of the easy ingredients. We called it uhhuh because it was soooo filling…Always begged him to make for family get togethers!
Barath Agnes2021-10-04 at 12:14 - Reply
Hello Carolyn, Thanks for sharing your story, I really love it! Yes, it is a very filling dish, simple, easy to make and delicious. :)
Kathleen2023-03-26 at 03:37 - Reply
I made this tonight. I did add kielbasa and used crushed pepper for heat. So yummy
Chris2022-06-29 at 00:28 - Reply
I always cook this after making paprika krumplis, I use the leftover potatoes with some pasta and dinner is served!
Veronika2022-09-11 at 04:52 - Reply
My mum showed us girls which is 5 of us, how to make it but she, we added red and green capcicum with the onion, with some crushed garlic. But the rest is the same but her version is more tasty. Sorry
Isaias2022-09-18 at 12:53 - Reply
I loved this recipe. my wife’ s grand grand father used to make a recipe with spagethi, semolina, butter server with Apple compote. Do you know If this is a hungarian fish and its original name? Thank you.
Barath Agnes2022-09-19 at 11:08 - Reply
Hi,
The dish is called Grízes tészta, we serve it with apricot jam, but it is great with apple compote as well. :)
https://budapestcookingclass.com/hungarian-pasta-semolina-apricot-jam-recipe/
Aggie
