Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash
Red paprika fish soup with carp fillets and hot peppers.
Authentic Halászlé with tender fish in a thick paprika broth.

Traditional Hungarian Fisherman's Soup (Halászlé)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Soups
The soul of a good Fisherman's Soup is collagen. The gelatinous thickness of the stock, made from fish heads and bones, gives this soup its body, distinguishing it from a watery broth. The sweetness of onions and paprika balances the strong fish flavor, creating one of Hungarian cuisine's most complex dishes.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 40 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 280 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large soup pot
  • Sharp fillet knife

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish

Instructions

1 ✓

Finely mince the onion and sauté in a little fat (or fat skimmed from the stock).

Tip: The onion needs to be chopped very fine so it dissolves into the broth, thickening it.
2 ✓

Remove from heat, mix in the paprika, crushed garlic, and chopped tomatoes.

Tip: Paprika's pigments dissolve best in fat.
3 ✓

Pour in the hot fish stock and simmer briskly for 10-15 minutes until the onion completely softens.

Tip: Strong boiling helps emulsify the fat and water.
4 ✓

Add the salted fish fillets and the whole hot pepper.

Tip: Salt the fish beforehand to draw out some moisture, firming up the flesh.
5 ✓

Simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes. Do not stir, only shake the pot!

Tip: Stirring will break the delicate fish fillets. Shaking prevents sticking.
6 ✓

Remove the hot pepper before serving. Serve with slices of soft white bread.

Tip: Dipping bread into the rich, spicy broth is the best part.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the fish fall apart?
You cooked it too long or boiled it too vigorously. Fish is delicate and cooks in minutes.
What makes the broth gelatinous?
Collagen extracted from fish heads and bones. Using only fillets will result in a thin soup.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs Carp Fillets (scored)
  • 1 lb Catfish Fillets
  • 2 medium Onions
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 3 tbsp High-Quality Sweet Paprika
  • 1 whole Hot Pepper (optional)
  • 2 pcs Tomatoes (or 1 tbsp paste)
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
  • 6 cups Rich Fish Stock (made from heads/bones)