Jókai Bableves (Hungarian Smoked Ham and Bean Soup)
Hungarian bean soup with smoky ham, paprika, carrot and a swirl of soured cream. Hearty and cheap to make.
- Time2 hr plus soaking
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.17 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 229kcal
- 16.3gcarbs
- 4.9gof which sugars
- 13.9gfat
- 5.8gsaturates
- 9gprotein
- 5.4gfibre
- 0.7gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with the ham hock, water and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 1 hour.
60 min - 2
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, paprika and caraway and stir for 30 seconds, off the heat so the paprika does not burn.
8 min - 3
Scrape the onion mixture into the pot with the carrot, parsnip and tomato purée. Simmer for 40 minutes, until the beans are creamy.
40 min - 4
Lift out the hock, shred the meat and return it to the pot, discarding skin and bone.
- 5
Mash a ladle of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Stir in the vinegar and season with black pepper.
- 6
Serve in bowls with a spoonful of soured cream and the parsley.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
