Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a Worldwide Phenomenon

Do you know about Stuffed Cabbage? Oh boy, you should know about this comfort food! You see, Stuffed Cabbage has seriously become a worldwide phenomenon like we haven't seen for another such Hungarian comfort food. Why not Google "stuffed cabbage" and "stuffed cabbage rolls" if you have a couple of minutes. You might notice that everybody is talking about this comfort food! I'd like to think that I have helped, throughout the years, encouraging people to express their love for the ethnic dish. And, we know that Martha Stewart has added her voice to the discussion as well.

I honestly can't think of another dish quite like it. But, I am partial to the one that I think is best. You know, it seems that there are so many versions of the recipe throughout Eastern Europe and the world.

For me, I don't think there is any recipe better than traditional Hungarian like the recipe my grandmother Julia Nagy handed down to us. She had a secret ingredient that added that special flavor.

Photo: Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in cast-iron pot cooking - copyright JaguarJulie.

Stuffed Cabbage as it's known worldwide!
I spent quite a bit of time researching this information to assemble this list. Did I get your country on that list?

* Golubtsy - Russia
* Golabki (little pigeons) - Poland
* Halubcy - Belarus
* Holishkes - Ashkenazi Jewish
* Holubki - Czech Republic and Slovakia
* Holubtsi - Ukraine
* Kaldolmar - Sweden
* Kaalikaaryle - Finland
* Kohlroulade - Austria
* Krautwickel - Germany
* Lahana Dolmasi - Turkey
* Malfoof - Jordan (Middle East)
* Rouru Kyabetsu - Japan
* Sarma - The Balkans
* Sarmale - Romania
* Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary
* Vegetarian - Worldwide

Who Loves Stuffed Cabbage?

Martha Stewart loves making Golabki aka little pigeons; the Polish version. Undoubtedly, Martha Stewart is the brand ambassador for Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. And, I am the Hungarian version brand ambassador!

Stuffed Cabbage Worldwide Popularity Poll
For several years, we asked our readers to register their votes on their favorite version of the recipe. We asked them to pick just one of their favorite comfort food recipes. The votes are in!

The poll results:

3% Golubtsy - Russia, 21% Golabki - Poland, 1% Halubcy - Belarus, 4% Holishkes - Ashkenazi Jewish, 7% Holubki - Czech Republic and Slovakia, 4% Holubtsi - Ukraine, 1% Kaldolmar - Sweden, 0% Kaalikaaryle - Finland, 1% Kohlroulade - Austria, 5% Krautwickel - Germany, 1% Lahana Dolmasi - Turkey, 1% Malfoof - Jordan (Middle East), 1% Rouru Kyabetsu - Japan, 3% Sarma - The Balkans, 4% Sarmale - Romania, 36% Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary, 5% Vegetarian - Worldwide

2,273 people have voted in this poll.

#1 - The top vote with 36% : Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary
#2 - The second highest vote with 21% : Golabki - Poland

Why do you think these rolls are so popular?

Because JaguarJulie has promoted it perhaps? If you haven't noticed, this ethnic food has become a popular food. Every day someone is blogging about them and talking about the various ingredients that they use. We want to thank the fans for making this a talked about comfort food worldwide!

Has Martha Stewart 'popularized' them? We will honestly give credit to Martha for making Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls a worldwide phenomenon. On her TV Show, she was always preparing some of those rolls!

For several years, we ran a debate asking this very question. I have selected a few of the comments.

Oh yes, I'd say it's definitely because of Martha Stewart!

1. Hard to say. But when someone famous really gets behind something, it usually makes a difference. So I will vote for Martha.
2. I agree that Martha Stewart has made cooking popular again, especially in the younger households.
3. Well, there must be some reason that the homey and comforting cabbage rolls got trendy, I assume that it is Martha, tho you don't need to be a celebrity to know what's genuinely good!

No, I think it has gained in popularity because of some other reason.

1. I think that stuffed cabbage was very popular before Martha Stewart, however, it may have been in my family.
2. No, I would say our Grandmothers made it popular. Thank you to all the grandmothers. =)
3. I say it is a combination. I think that Martha Stewart has helped popularize stuffed cabbage rolls. Stuffed cabbage rolls have been the tradition of many countries so it is not just Martha Stewart alone.

Which country's recipe is the best?

It's a head-to-head debate pitting Hungarian vs. Polish! I've done years of research and have noticed that two countries dominate! So, which one -- Hungarian or Polish is the best? We ran that debate for a number of years, as well. All in all, the results were pretty much the same as our original poll results ... rather a 3 to 2 vote making Hungarian the best as rated by our readers!! Here's what a few of them had to say about it.

Polish is the best!

1. I have to go with my heritage!
2. My gramma' made the best stuffed cabbage. We lived in an area of Chicago where Polish foods dominated and that sort of influenced the way we ate. 'Course, almost any stuffed cabbage is well worth the time it takes to enjoy it.
3. I'd have to vote Polish... I learned how to make them from my dad, who in turn learned from his Polish mother. Oh, and my own grandmother (maternal) used to shop at West Side Market.... as did I, up until a couple of years ago when I moved out of the U.S.!

Hungarian is the best!

1. It's just a dish that screams Hungarian. Like Hungarian Goulash.
2. I grew up eating the Hungarian style of Stuffed Cabbage. We always had it at the holidays and friends and relatives were requesting it at weddings, parties, etc.
3. Well, may ancestors came from Vas County Hungary, and grandma was a GREAT COOK so I'd have to say Hungary has it! Thanks for this!

Thanks for visiting!

So, can you pick between the two; i.e. Hungarian or Polish? Maybe you are a little of both yourself - like me! I've tried a lot of stuffed cabbage in my lifetime and I always come back to my Grandma's recipe. It's got to be Hungarian! You know, Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are the perfect comfort food! Grandma surely knew best. Thanks Grandma!!

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Vegetarian Recipe

Some of my loyal readers have asked if I had a vegetarian recipe for making Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Well, as a matter of fact, I do! And, the recipe is also Hungarian. As I am a fan of all things made in Hungary, I am proud to share this delicious recipe for all the vegetarians who don't eat meat.

This is the Toltott Kaposzta Vegetarian Recipe and it is a rather famous recipe, you know?

It was presented at the Magyar Kongresszus of the Hungarian Association in Cleveland, Ohio in November 2005. I wasn't there, but wished I was.

I'm originally from Cleveland, Ohio which is a big melting pot of Eastern Europeans and Hungarians who know their stuffed cabbage.Without further ado, here is what you are waiting for!



Toltott Kaposzta Vegetarian Recipe
Preparation of the ingredients.

Saute in a pan:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
12 oz. tofu, crumbled
1 Tbsp. season-salt mix or Vegeta

Next add to above:
1 pkg. Morning Star crumbles
1 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 cups finely ground walnuts
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1-2 cups bread crumbs -- may substitute with Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing mix

Then add:
4 eggs beaten
4-5 cups Brown Minute Rice or cooked Brown Rice
Approx. 1 cup water
Pinch of seasoning
Few drops of oil

Instructions:
Put all the above into a pressure cooker or microwaveable dish: Wrap above filling, large spoonful each, into parboiled cabbage leaves. Then place the stuffed cabbage pockets into microwave dish or pressure cooker. Fill with about 1 inch of water seasoned with seasoning salt or Vegeta and bit of oil.

Steam cook in pressure cooker about 4 minutes or in microwave. (Time depends on quantity -- just a few minutes cooking time is all that is needed.)

Prepare shredded cabbage:
Approx 1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions thinly sliced
1 small head of cabbage (use outer leaves for rolls and shred remainder)
1 pkg. of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
Seasoning salt or Vegeta
1/2 cup water
Pam or other vegetable spray
Sour cream
Salt to taste

Slice onions thin and saute in oil for a few minutes - until glassy. Add cabbage, sauerkraut, seasoning and salt. Cook shredded cabbage mixed with drained sauerkraut until cabbage is soft.

In baking dish spray pam on bottom. Spread approx half of cabbage on bottom. Then place stuffed cabbages next to each other throughout the pan. Cover with remainder of cabbage. Spread top with sour cream.

Bake 350-375 for about 1/2 hour until it bakes through real well and sour cream is well set. --Magyar Marketing.

How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Two Different Ways!
You get the vegetarian version along with the more traditional meat version.

Get a Hungarian Cook Book!

Try Helens Hungarian Heritage Recipes. This is a large print edition.

I have actually chatted with the author of this excellent book. Clara Czegeny has shared "a culinary treasure of truly Hungarian Classic Recipes" that have been in the Szabo-Czegeny families for generations.

Learn about the use of paprika in traditional dishes. Get detailed instructions to prepare these recipes. They've got my favorite dishes from Chicken Paprikas and Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls.

You'll feel like you were immersed in the flavors of Hungary; with a little humor thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for visiting!

Are you a long-time vegetarian or recent convert? Hey, you don't have to be vegetarian to try this recipe. If you love Hungarian food like I do, you must try it. Normally, I make mine with meat ... but it is all good.

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipes

When it comes to the best recipes for stuffed cabbage rolls, I must tell you that I am a little biased. Even if I wasn't Hungarian by birth, I would probably end up telling you that you must use a Hungarian recipe!

I have written about the humble cabbage roll for years. And, it warms my heart to see that it has become incredibly popular as a comfort food worldwide!

So, today, I am showcasing a couple of Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipes that I think you will love. I have selected a pork stuffed cabbage recipe along with the heirloom recipe of June Meyer. It's hard to pick just one!

Be sure to also check out my personal recipe that I learned from my grandma Julia Nagy. She had a special secret ingredient that put her Stuffed Cabbage rolls over the top.

Hungarian Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Preparation time: 90 minutes. Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs sauerkraut
1 large head green cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 lb ground lean pork
3/4 cup cooked rice
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup water mixed with 1 cup tomato puree
1 cup sour cream

Instructions:
Rinse the sauerkraut in cold water. Squeeze dry and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn the heat to low and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain while it cools enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to drain and cool further.

In a 10-inch skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, until the onions are lightly colored. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, rice, eggs, paprika, marjoram, the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon.

Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it. Add the water mixed with the tomato puree.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate.

Stir in the sour cream to the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them. Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat. --elise.com

June Meyer's Heirloom Recipe
Authentic Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - from pages 106-107

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. ground pork
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Hungarian sausage
2 raw eggs
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper corns
3/4 lb. rice
2 large bay leaves
2 white onions chopped
3 Tbsp. shortening
1 large head of cabbage
1 bottle or pack of sauerkraut

Instructions: Brown the chopped onion in shortening and place in a mixing bowl with ground meats, raw eggs, uncooked rice, paprika, salt. Mix well with your hands.

Take out the core of the cabbage. Leave the head whole. Place in large pot of boiling water to wilt the outer leaves. You will be able to gently pull off whole cabbage leaves. Trim off thick center vein of cabbage leaves. Make a pile of leaves. Shake off excess water.

Place 2 Tbsp. of meat and rice mixture on a leaf, starting at the thick end. Roll it up and tuck in the ends with your fingers. Make as many as you can.

Arrange the rolls in a cooking pot. Put a few chunks of sausage here and there between the rolls. Cover the rolls two-thirds full of water. Arrange rinsed sauerkraut on top. Sprinkle pepper corns and bay leaves on top. Cover and cook slowly for about 1-1/2 hours or until rice is tender.

This recipe serves 6.

P.S. We have presented her traditional recipe as a gray box jpg up above so that you can download and save it. Simply right click on the image and save to your computer and then print.

How to Make Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls



Say, why not get June Meyer's book?

I love June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes Third Edition and treasure it as a sort of keepsake that I will pass down through my family and create that Hungarian family tradition!

Oh boy, but this is my favorite Hungarian recipe book! You get 95 different recipes which are detailed with love and with family memories.

The book is sprinkled with historical facts of Hungary at the turn of the past century.

You get a good variety of Hungarian recipes from pickles, salads and slaws to soups and dumplings. You've got the main courses along with many side dishes and the important sauces. Don't forget the traditional Hungarian pastries!

The Perfect Comfort Food!
Getting older and thinking back on my memories of Grandma, I realize she knew best. Oh my, but her Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls were the perfect food ... the perfect comfort food. I miss her.

Thanks for visiting!
I hope you seriously take some time to give both of these Hungarian recipes a try. Please share comments, raves, remarks and recipes!

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. This lens made it to the #1 spot overall on Squidoo on April 19, 2009. Then, nearly 5 years later in 2014: January 3 and 30, February 1 and 3, March 28, and April 5. Thank YOU readers!

Stuffed Cabbage - Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever

Ah, Stuffed Cabbage! Sharing the Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever thanks to my grandma! One of my fondest food memories growing up is watching my grandmother make her Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. The second memory is enjoying the delicious taste! My grandma Julia Nagy had a "secret ingredient" that made her authentic, traditional stuffed cabbage rolls the best I have ever had to this very day.

I will let you know what her special ingredient is a little later. And, I will share grandma's recipe. We are thankful for our grandmothers who have passed down their family recipes. I think it is important that we celebrate our grandmothers and celebrate our family traditions.

What is stuffed cabbage? It's cabbage leaves stuffed with meat ** beef, lamb or pork ** along with spices and rice. It is an ethnic comfort food that is always better the next day, or the day after that. Do you know that they have become a worldwide phenomenon ... everyone in the world is talking about it these days! Find out why ... here.

Be sure to take part in the debates over which authentic stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is better -- Hungarian or Polish -- and whether it is a seasonal comfort food. I personally think they are great any time of the year, not just for the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas and St. Patrick's Day! What do you think? Do you love it as much as I do?

I hope you enjoy this page and that you make it a point to either make them yourself or find a restaurant where you can have some! These rolls are great with homemade mashed potatoes and the juice from the pot.

Photo Credit: The actual delicious dish, Hungarian style, by JaguarJulie.

Are you a Fan of This Ethnic Comfort Food?
Do you love it or not? Do you love the taste?

1. Yumm, Yumm, Yumm! Love love love it!
2. Haven't tried it yet.
3. Naw, don't like it.

My Confession : I Personally Love Stuffed Cabbage!!
To me, grandma's recipe is the best-ever! "It's my favorite comfort food! My grandma really knew how to make it!"

You know, I've been talking about my grandma Julia Nagy's authentic and traditional Hungarian comfort food recipes for a number of years online. In my opinion, she made anything : the best ever. She always seemed to have that special "secret" ingredient! Perhaps it was grandma's love?

It is incredible just how popular this ethnic comfort food has become. It is a healthy food too. Everybody is talking about it! How about you? Are you talking about your grandma's authentic recipes? Are you loving them? Have you got a best-ever, authentic and traditional recipe to share?

Do you prefer Hungarian or perhaps Polish like Martha Stewart might make? I've tried a lot of different recipes - homemade and store bought - but I keep going back to the original. I like mine with a blend of meats as that is a mainstay of the original recipe.

Dear readers, I want to thank you for taking time to check out my page on stuffed cabbage. Oh my to think that we food enthusiasts could have such a platform as the internet to write about our favorite foods and then touch so many worldwide.

I can't tell you what it all has meant to me to connect with everybody. I am so thankful to have had such great food memories from my youth. I am so thankful to have had a grandmother like Julia Nagy. And, I sincerely hope one day to be cooking with her again. --The Brand Ambassador, JaguarJulie!

P.S. I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it.

Doesn't this look delicious?
Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Roll served with tomato sauce and sauerkraut and a peppercorn!

Hungarian stuffed cabbage roll by JaguarJulie

When do you eat them?
Is Stuffed Cabbage a seasonal recipe or a recipe for all four seasons?

stuffed cabbage google trends analysis

Which season is right for this delicious comfort food? I am a huge fan of Google Trends and love to research different topics there!

An incredible amount of researchers are conducting Google searches for the best stuffed cabbage recipes in the world. It surely seems that authentic Hungarian and Polish recipes are ranking at the top. Everybody wants traditional recipes that are considered the best-ever. And, most times, those are our grandmother's heirloom recipes.

Yep, Google is trending this favorite food. What I think is quite captivating information from this chart is that this comfort food is a consistent type of trend throughout the years. Take a look at the dips and peaks of the chart -- it seems to indicate that this is a popular food during different seasons. So, please take part in this somewhat scientific poll! Thank you.

The Poll : When do you eat them?
Which season is right? When during the year do you eat Stuffed Cabbage Rolls?

1. I eat them in the winter months.
2. You can find me eating them more in the fall. 
3. I like stuffed cabbage rolls during the spring months.
4. Surprisingly, I love eating during the summer!
5. Seasonal - for all four seasons -- naw, I eat them all year around.
6. OK -- I'm just thinking about eating some.

Ingredients for Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Look closely to learn some of MY secret ingredients.

Grandma's Recipe Made for the Holidays!
Preparation time: 3 hours. Serves 8.

Grandma's Ingredients:
1 large cabbage
2 jars of sauerkraut
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. lean ground pork
1/2 cup cooked long grain rice
1 raw egg
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cups of water
1 Tbsp. peppercorns
6 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
salt and black pepper

Zaprashka:
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour

Grandma's Secret Ingredient
We are revealing it right here!

OK, now for what my grandmother Julia Nagy called her "secret ingredient." It's Zaprashka, a sauce or gravy that is a thickening.

How to make the Zaprashka: Blend 4 Tbsp. butter* [or oil] and 4 Tbsp. flour together in a frying pan. Keep on medium heat and keep stirring until lightly browned and the lumps have dissolved. Slowly add the liquid mixture directly from the cooking pot to the Zaprashka and blend until smooth. Then, add this mixture back to the cooking stuffed cabbage!

*My grandmother brought home the very best butter from the West Side Market in Cleveland. --JaguarJulie

Instructions for Making Grandma's Recipe!
Follow these step-by-step instructions for Grandma's delicious recipe.

1. Remove core from the cabbage, place in a large saucepan, cover with water, then bring to the boil and cook until the outer leaves begin to loosen.
2. Lift out the cabbage, remove the softened leaves and return the head to the pan of boiling water to soften more leaves. Repeat until all leaves are removed.
3. Once all the leaves have been softened, remove the center stalks from each leaf and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, place the beef, pork, rice, bread crumbs, salt, paprika, pepper and egg in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Grandma liked extra black pepper! Set aside.
5. Place the onion and garlic in a saucepan and saute until the onion is soft.
6. Add the onion mixture to the beef mixture and mix well.
7. Spoon half the sauerkraut into the bottom of a large cast iron pot and set aside.
8.  Using the largest leaves, place about a handful of the meat and rice mixture on each leaf and roll up, tucking in sides. Lightly press the mixture into the leaves. Place the cabbage rolls with the seam side down on top of the sauerkraut in the cast iron pot. Sprinkle the peppercorns and add the bay leaves on top.
9. Add the unused leaves, chopped, on top in the cooking pot.
10. Mix the tomatoes, water and remaining sauerkraut together and add on top.
11. Cook on medium until mixture begins to bubble, turn down heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 3 hours. I like to let it simmer on the stove a little longer.
12. Near serving time, prepare the zapraska in a skillet, pouring liquid from the pot into the zapraska and then add back to the pot. The stuffed cabbage rolls should simmer for another 15 minutes with the added zapraska.
13. Grandma always served hers with homemade mashed potatoes, adding the liquid from the pot to the potatoes! YUMM!

Tips :: How to Work With a Cabbage Head
To easily get the best cabbage leaves!

Tips :: How to Work With a Cabbage Head

Carefully cut out the core of the cabbage head using a paring knife. Put the head into a large pot of boiling water that is big enough to fully cover it. Boil for a couple of minutes; less than 5 usually. You can tell the outer leaves are ready to remove as they will be a brighter green color and tender to a fork.

Remove the cooking head and carefully peal off the outer leaves and set aside. Place the head back into the boiling water and repeat the process.

TIP: Carefully trim the center stem on the softened leaves so that they will be easier to roll.

P.S. Some chefs like to first put their cabbage heads in the freezer; however, my Hungarian grandma Julia Nagy never put hers in the freezer -- so I don't either. You are welcome to try it if you like.

I have added a downloadable version of the tips as gray box jpg above. Just right click and save image to your computer so that you can print it out!

Thanks for visiting!
Do you love this food like I do? Got a great recipe? You know, I've tried a lot of different recipes over the years, but I honestly have not had any other stuffed cabbage rolls that can compete with grandma's. Taking time to create each delicious roll is well worth the end result. Psst, try it, you'll love it! Please share comments, raves, remarks and recipes!

The Perfect Food!!
You know, the more I think about it, now that I've gotten to be the age of my grandma, STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS are a perfect food. They are so comforting; ah, comfort food. Grandma surely knew best.

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. This lens made it to the #1 spot overall on Squidoo on April 19, 2009. Then, nearly 5 years later in 2014: January 3 and 30, February 1 and 3, March 28, and April 5. Thank YOU readers!

Hungarian Spaetzle - Little Dumplings

Just the sound of Hungarian Spaetzle makes me smile with fond memories of my grandmother Julia Nagy! From her I learned that the key ingredient to Chicken and Veal Paprikas is the Hungarian Spaetzle or little dumplings!

I can remember watching grandma prepare the batter for her little dumplings aka Hungarian Spaetzle, in that tiny little kitchen in her brick bungalow in Northeastern Ohio. My grandma Julia Nagy was quite the cook, preparing traditional Hungarian recipes which became the comfort food that we celebrate today.

I continue to have fond flashbacks of my time spent in that quaint bungalow kitchen in Cleveland, Ohio, by grandma Julia Nagy's side. I am eternally grateful for the memories of little dumplings, and other Hungarian foods, which have been a big part of my life.

Gosh, I hope you too had a grandma that inspired you! I hope your grandma shared the family's recipes with you and taught you how to cook. Thank goodness for grandmothers!

Hungarian Spaetzle was the KEY ingredient in grandma's authentically delicious Chicken and Veal Paprikas. There, the secret is out! The best-ever, most delicious recipe for Hungarian Spaetzle, little dumplings, is easy to make.

Welcome my little dumpling(s)! Isn't it time to have a little Hungarian Spaetzle? Well, you have come to the right place for authentically Hungarian ... Spaetzle aka little dumplings! A key ingredient to Chicken and Veal Paprikas is the Hungarian Spaetzle or little dumplings!

Photo credit of obviously delicious Spaetzle taken by Kobako. Size matters! 

Do you dig little dumplings?

Are you a Hungarian Spaetzle Lover? - After all, size DOES matter when we are talking dumplings! So, do you LOVE little dumplings aka Hungarian Spaetzle?

1. Ich liebe spaetzle.
2. En szerelem spaetzle.
3. I love spaetzle.
4. Ich liebe spaetzle nicht.
5. Give me BIG dumplings you all.

My Confession : I Sincerely Love Hungarian Spaetzle
Ah, normally I like to think big, but it is little dumplings for me!

hungarian spaetzle little dumplings brand ambassador jaguarjulie

"Thank you to my grandma Julia Nagy for instilling in me, a deep appreciation and love for Hungarian Spaetzle. And, for showing me that size does mattter when talking about dumplings; i.e., little dumplings!"

You know, just talking about Hungarian Spaetzle and my grandma Julia Nagy makes me feel like I can smell the aroma of her traditional Hungarian Chicken Paprikash or Veal Paprikash cooking. I honestly am envisioning that kitchen in her Cleveland, Ohio bungalow located at 16605 Chatfield Avenue.

Grandma would prepare the batter for her Hungarian Spaetzle right before the Paprikash was ready to serve. There is nothing better than fresh Hungarian Spaetzle mixed into a the Paprikash. Sometimes grandma would make one of her many homemade soups. Yep, the spaetzle went into the soup too! It was all good. --The Brand Ambassador for Hungarian Spaetzle, JaguarJulie!

P.S. I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it. Growing up and having my grandma prepare those little dumplings was so comforting. Hungarian Spaetzle is another of my favorite comfort food recipes! Thanks grandma.

First of All:
Hungarian Spaetzle is Little Dumplings
Little would be the operative word!

Hungarian Spaetzle should look like these!
For these are LITTLE dumplings! - Dumplings should be little; i.e. smaller than a teaspoon size! 

Ah, so the Hungarian dumplings that I remember and love from my childhood while sitting in my grandma Julia Nagy's kitchen in Cleveland, Ohio -- those are LITTLE DUMPLINGS more easily referred to as Hungarian Spaetzle. Spaetzle you see definitely indicates that you want "little" dumplings. This is a very good picture of what a plate of Hungarian "little dumplings" or Spaetzle should look like.

These Hungarian Spaetzle are incredibly easy to make. And, the little dumplings taste fabulous in Chicken and Veal Paprikas. Oh, and you can serve them in your Hungarian Goulash too. In fact, there are plenty of applications er dishes that would taste delicious with Hungarian Spaetzle.

You know, I'm even thinking that my recipe for beef stroganoff would benefit from using Hungarian Spaetzle instead of plain butter noodles! Why don't you try it some time. Oh, and I've included a simple and easy to prepare recipe for Hungarian Spaetzle below!

Hungarian Spaetzle should NOT look like these
For these are BIG Dumplings! - Pay attention please, as this is VERY important.

See this picture? Hungarian Spaetzle, as little dumplings go, should never look like this! You see this is a picture of my dinner plate when we vacationed in The Czech Republic, in Prague. It was our first dinner in the Eastern European city. We had opted to eat at the restaurant that advertised Hungarian Goulash with Dumplings. When this plate arrived, I looked at my hubby and exclaimed, "What the heck is this? Those aren't DUMPLINGS!"

You see size does matter. This was not the last time that I ordered DUMPLINGS while we toured The Czech Republic. Yep, ordering DUMPLINGS off the menu produced the same results as what you see on this plate. Well, at least they were consistent. For a third time, I asked if I could get Hungarian DUMPLINGS for dinner at the hostel we stayed at in the countryside. We did a lot of 'charades' back and forth to communicate what I had in mind. The chef told me it took her a day to prepare them. Well, although I thought that seemed odd as they are easy and simple to make, I nodded my head and said we'd see her the next night.

As hubby and I took our seat, that next night, my tastebuds were already in overdrive. It wasn't too long before dinner was served. OMG, "Those aren't dumplings!" Yep, you guessed it! For the third time, I got the type of BREAD "dumplings" as shown on this plate.

When we got home from our vacation, I relayed the story to mom. Ah, she laughed, "Next time, ask for SPAETZLE!"

You know, it never seems to escape me that I had such a time in Eastern Europe trying to get a taste of Grandma's little dumplings! It is kind of funny to still think about how I got something that kind of looked like a potato pancake. Not little dumplings. Who knew? SPAETZLE!

Hungarian Spaetzle -- Little Dumplings
aka galuska or nokedli

An Easy, Best-Ever Recipe for Hungarian Spaetzle
From the Hungarian recipe archives of my Grandma Julia Nagy!

Ingredients
2 -1/2 cups of flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

Instructions

1. Add flour, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
2. Next, add water, eggs, and melted butter.
3. Mix ingredients together until lumps are gone and it is like a batter.
4. Prepare a pot of water with salt to bring to a boil.
5. Spoon a portion of the batter onto a flat plate.
6. With a spoon, beginning cutting about a spoonful of batter at a time from the edge of the plate into the boiling water. Because of the small size of the spaetzle, they will rise fairly quickly to the surface. Spaetzle will only need a few minutes to cook in the boiling water once they have risen.
7. Remove the cooked spaetzle to a colander to drain.

A Helping Hand!
Get a spaetzle maker to help you make your first batch of little dumplings. Once you become the pro, you can make them like my grandma made them!

• Norpro Spaetzle Maker
• Norpro Stainless Steel Spaetzle Maker
• Kuchenprofi Spaetzle Lid and Scraper in 18/10 Stainless Steel

Hungarian Spaetzle Case Study
When I originally wrote this article, it was actually a lens. I also prepared an accompanying case study which analyzed the success of this article online. I looked at SEO efforts along with social media interaction and traffic over the early life of this page!

Thanks for Visiting!
My grandmother made the best "Hungarian" Spaetzle; however, she called it dumplings. The word dumplings can mean a lot of different things. I'm glad I figured out that I want little dumplings or Spaetzle. How about you? Do you love it? Can you make it? Is it one of your favorite comfort foods like it is for me?

History: Hungarian Spaetzle : Little Dumplings was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on August 28, 2009. On January 25, 2011 this lens earned the Squidoo Purple Star Award for quality content.

Hungarian Goulash - Info and Goulash Recipes

Ah, goulash - Hungarian goulash! Do you remember having stew as a child? I hope you liked it! Think of this goulash as a stew, a stew Hungarian style. That is Hungarian Goulash! It sure seems like I ate lots of delicious stew when I was a youngster growing up in Cleveland in Northeastern, Ohio. And, lots of Hungarian foods like goulash too!

I am eternally grateful to the fond food memories, instilled in me, thanks to my wonderful grandma, Julia Nagy.

Goulash is known as Gulyás in Hungarian. That name originates from the word gulya meaning herd of cattle or cowherd.Where's the beef?

Where is the beef? It is probably in the goulash. Hungarian Goulash and Stuffed Cabbage are two Hungarian foods which are top of my list of favorite comfort foods. The third Hungarian food that is my favorite comfort food would be Hungarian Chicken Paprikas or Veal Paprikas.

I took this picture of Hungarian Goulash during our vacation to Hungary and Romania. It was actually Made in Hungary, shot in Hungary, and finally eaten in Hungary!

Photo Credit: Hungarian Goulash photographed in Hungary by JaguarJulie and then eaten!

How do you feel about Hungarian Goulash?
Have you tried it yet? A call to action! Do you dig Hungarian Goulash?

• Yes I love this ethnic comfort food : that's hot!
• No : that's not!

In a nutshell, what is Hungarian Goulash?

Think of American Stew! Goulash is similar to American Stew, but I think, much better! It is a hot dish, originally from Hungary, made of beef, onions, red peppers and paprika powder.

In some regions of the United States, the term goulash can be used interchangeably with hot dish and casserole.

It is most often prepared as a stew and served with boiled or mashed potatoes, polenta or dumplings. ~ Goulash Defined - Free information from Wikipedia Encyclopedia.

Thanks to my grandma Julia Nagy for her traditional Hungarian recipes!

P.S. I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it. Hungarian Goulash was one of the first Eastern European comfort foods I got to love ... thanks to that grandma of mine!

JaguarJulie and Grandma Julia Nagy in her Cleveland, Ohio Kitchen
Grandma's Cooking was the Best!

Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 hour 30 min
Ready in: 2 hours
Yields: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lb. beef chuck
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 onions
• 2 Tbsp. lard or shortening
• 2 Tbsp. imported sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 qt. water
• 4 peeled and diced potatoes
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut beef into 1 inch squares, add 1/2 tsp. salt.
2. Chop onions and brown in shortening, add beef and paprika.
3. Let beef simmer in its own juice along with salt and paprika for 1 hr. on low heat.
4. Add water, diced potatoes and remaining salt.
5. Cover and simmer until potatoes are done and meat is tender.
6. Prepare egg dumpling batter: 1 egg, 6 Tbsp. flour, 1/8 tsp. salt.
7. Add flour to unbeaten egg and salt. Mix well.
8. Let stand for 1/2 hour for flour to mellow.
9. Drop by teaspoonful into goulash.
10. Cover and simmer 5 minutes after dumplings rise to surface.
11. Serve hot with dollops of sour cream.

Other Hungarian Goulash Recipes
I've selected a few for you to try!

• Amanda's Hungarian Goulash
  Hungarian goulash from www.cdkitchen.com.
• Chuck Taggert's Hungarian Goulash
  Chuck's recipe is worth trying.
• Cooks.com List of Recipes
  Cooks.com has a special Hungarian goulash recipe.
• My House and Garden
  Yet another recipe to try!
• Susannah's Hungarian Goulash
  Last, but not least, Susannah's recipe.

Get a Cast Iron Pot!

My grandma had an old, reliable, cast iron pot something like this one that she used all the time for her Hungarian recipes.

I first heard "dutch oven" from my grandma Julia Nagy. You will get a lot of use out of the Lodge L8DOL3 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Dutch Oven with Dual Handles, 5-Quart. The size is perfect for making goulash or stew. It measures 10-1/4 inches in width and is also made in the USA!

What is different about Hungarian cooking?

What makes Hungarian Goulash SO good? Hungary is known for its exotic, tasty and spicy food and delicious wine. In general, the preference is for rich and spicy sauces, stews and sweets over rather "drier" dishes. In particular, the liberal use of a few special ingredients which give it its own inimitable and original flavor.

These are first of all red pepper, fresh green peppers and tomatoes, sour cream and lard. The use of lard or goose-fat instead of other forms of fat for cooking is traditional and certainly typical but nowadays more and more Hungarians are worried about the cholesterol content of lard, so often other fats are substituted. ~ Hungarian Cooking - What is different about Hungarian Cooking?

Hungarian Cuisine Ingredients
It's in the Goulash! The most well-known specialities of the Hungarian cuisine such as goulash soup along with the different varieties of stew or paprikash are red with paprika. It should be noted that dishes flavoured with paprika need not be hot. In fact, some of the finest brands of paprika are not strong at all.

Fresh green peppers and tomatoes are also frequently used to flavour these dishes, the essence of which is the same: braise any kind of meat in lard/oil with onions, and season it richly with red pepper.

Sour Cream is an essential ingredient in many Hungarian dishes too. It is a basic ingredient of "paprikash" (any kind of meat or just plain potatoes prepared in paprika sauce, to which sour cream has been added), as well as in many Hungarian vegetable dishes and casserole stews.

Facts about Hungarian Paprika
The Goulash Spice - Also known as the pepper fruit.

Paprika, Capsicum annuum, is a sweet-to-mildly hot cultivar of the chile pepper of the family Solanaceae. It is cultivated for its fruit, which are dried and used as a spice or seasoning. C.annuum is a native of South America; however it is cultivated most extensively in Hungary.

The English word was borrowed directly from Hungarian, which in turn borrowed the term from the adjacent Slavic peoples.

Paprika is noted for its high vitamin C content; vitamin C was first isolated by Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi from Hungarian paprika. He earned The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937, for his discoveries in connection with the biological combustion processes, with special reference to vitamin C and the catalysis of fumaric acid.

The Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers - Read about the discovery of Vitamin C content in Paprika!

• Hungary is famous for this spice.
• Paprikas produced especially in Kalocsa on the Danube and Szeged on the Tisza are the best in the world.
• The rose paprika, made from choice dark red pods that have a sweet flavor and aroma, is generally considered the finest variety.
• A sharper Hungarian variety, Koenigspaprika, or king's paprika, is made from the whole pepper.
• Hungarian paprika is characterized by a hotter taste, achieved in recent times by adding hot, red capsicum pepper to ground paprika.
• Its bright color makes it an excellent garnish for nonsweet, light-colored foods.
• It is especially associated with Hungarian cuisine and is essential for such hot, spicy, Hungarian stew dishes.

Try some Paprika!

I recommend you start with Reese Kalocsa Sweet Hungarian Style Paprika. I'm partial to Hungarian-style paprika, you know? This is Kosher-certified paprika. It has that traditional bold flavor that can add a lot of taste to your favorite chicken, veal, and beef dishes. Give it a try!

Thanks for visiting!

Do you have a great Hungarian goulash recipe? Maybe you know of a great restaurant that serves Hungarian goulash? Or, have you been to Hungary and experienced the cuisine?

I'd love you to take a moment and tell me about it. Thanks!

History: Hungarian Goulash : Ah, Goulash! was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on March 30, 2006. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #214 overall. Lens #2 in the quest for Giant Squid 100 Club Charter Member 2007.

Hungarian Goulash ethnic comfort food

Hungarian Goulash:  An ethnic comfort food! Where's the beef? Well, it just might be in the Hungarian Goulash! Do you remember having stew as a child? I hope you liked it! It sure seems like I used to have lots of stew when I was younger. Think of this as stew, Hungarian style -- that's Hungarian Goulash.

Goulash - Gulyás in Hungarian - originates from the word "gulya" meaning herd of cattle or "cowherd". Well, I guess that translation is a good thing since when you think of a cow, you think of beef. You know, I just thought about the word Gulyás -- that was actually the last name of my godmother -- really!! Want to know more about Hungarian Goulash and how to make it? You'll need to check out my article, Hungarian Goulash, to find out!

BTW ... The picture shown is a Hungarian dish of goulash that was actually "Made in Hungary," "shot in Hungary," and finally "eaten in Hungary!" I took that picture in May, 2004 when we were visiting Hungary and Romania.