Hortobágyi Palacsinta

Want something comforting after a long day? Hortobágyi Palacsinta brings gentle heat from paprika and tender meat wrapped neatly in crepes for a warm, satisfying meal.

I know today’s recipe is not Italian, but it means a lot to me. When I was a child, I travelled to Hungary with my parents and had the most memorable Hortobágyi Palacsinta in a small restaurant in Budapest.

It was 1992, more than 20 years ago, and Hungary felt very different from anything I had seen before. We crossed the country by car and enjoyed every moment. I have wanted to return ever since, and I have also wanted to recreate this dish.

After trying different versions through the years, I eventually settled on one that brings back those flavours.

Hortobágyi Palacsinta, also known as Hortobágy style crêpes, is made with thin crêpes filled with pörkölt, a Hungarian meat stew. The meat cooks slowly with onions, tomatoes, paprika, and caraway seeds until tender. The crêpes are folded around the filling, topped with a smooth sour cream sauce, and baked until warm and soft.

You can prepare it with veal, chicken, beef, pork, or a mix. Veal works well because it cooks gently and blends with the sauce. The dish has soft crêpes, a hearty centre, and a creamy topping, which makes it very satisfying.

Serve Hortobágyi Palacsinta with a spoonful of sour cream and a fresh green salad. Jó étvágyat!

Key Ingredients for Hortobágyi Palacsinta

Pörkölt Stew

A Hungarian-style meat stew prepared with onions, tomatoes, paprika, and caraway seeds. Choose meat that stays tender once cooked, such as veal or chicken, so the texture remains soft inside the crêpes.

Paprika

A key Hungarian spice that adds colour and depth without heat. Use sweet Hungarian paprika for a warm, rounded taste and good colour. Fresh paprika gives a brighter tone, so choose an unopened or recently opened packet whenever possible.

Sour Cream

Creates the creamy finish in both the filling and the baking sauce. Use a full-fat sour cream for a smoother consistency and stable texture during baking. Its gentle acidity balances the richness of the meat.

Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Hortobágyi Palacsinta

Step 1: Put the extra virgin olive oil and the chopped onions in a frying pan and sauté until translucent.

Step 2: Add the meat and sauté until brown, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: Add the tomatoes and water and stir well. Stir in the paprika, caraway seeds, and parsley. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Step 4: Add ¼ cup of sour cream to the meat sauce and stir until combined.

Step 5: Sieve the meat sauce and let the pörkölt sauce collect in a bowl. Keep it aside.

Step 6: Make the crêpes by whisking the eggs, flour, and milk in a bowl with a balloon whisk until the batter is smooth.

Step 7: Heat a non-stick frying pan. When hot, add ¼ teaspoon of oil and pour in a ladle of batter, swirling the pan so the batter coats the base. Keep the coating thin (about 1.5 mm – 0.06 inch). When the surface dries, loosen the sides with a plastic spatula, flip the crêpe, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Step 8: Divide the meat among the crêpes and fold them like burritos. Spray an oven-proof dish with cooking spray or oil and arrange the filled crêpes inside. Keep it aside.

Step 9: Combine the pörkölt sauce with ⅛ cup of flour and ½ cup of sour cream and whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the crêpes and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C – 350°F for 15 minutes.

Step 10: Serve your hortobágyi palacsinta with a dollop of sour cream and a green salad on the side.

Extra Help from the Kitchen

Choose Even Heat – Keep the pan on medium heat when making crêpes to create an even colour and prevent the edges from drying out.

Rest the Batter Briefly – Let the crêpe batter sit for 10 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate so the mixture cooks into smoother, more flexible crêpes.

Stir the Stew Often – Lift the meat from the base of the pan regularly to avoid sticking and to help the tomatoes break down evenly.

Avoid Overfilling – Add a moderate spoonful of meat to each crêpe to make folding easier and to keep the rolls from opening during baking.

Use Fresh Paprika – Choose recently opened paprika to bring out a fuller flavour and brighter colour in the sauce.

Variations and Twists

Use Different Meats – Prepare the filling with any mix of veal, chicken, beef, or pork. All cook well using the same pörkölt method and stay tender once baked inside the crêpes.

Add Mushrooms – Sauté sliced mushrooms with the onions at the start to introduce extra moisture and depth without altering the technique.

Make Smaller Rolls – Cook smaller crêpes and fill them with modest spoonfuls of pörkölt for individual servings that hold their shape easily.

Add Fresh Herbs – Stir chopped parsley into the stew before filling the crêpes to bring gentle brightness to the finished dish.

Storage and Shelf Life

Store the cooked Hortobágyi Palacsinta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can freeze the assembled crêpes before baking for up to 2 months by placing baking paper between each one to prevent sticking.

Thaw in the fridge overnight before adding the sauce and baking. Reheat leftovers in a covered dish in the oven at 180°C – 350°F until warmed through.

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Hortobágyi Palacsinta Recipe

Want something comforting after a long day? Hortobagyi Palacsinta brings gentle heat from paprika and tender meat wrapped neatly in crepes for a warm, satisfying meal.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Hungarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 2

Author: Recipe adapted from Zsuzsa is in the Kitchen

Ingredients

Pörkölt (Meat Stew)

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup onions – diced
• 250 g – ½ lb ground veal or chicken
• 150 g – 5.3 oz tinned tomatoes – diced
• 1 pinch caraway seeds
• 1 tbsp parsley – chopped
• 120 ml – ½ cup water
• 60 ml – ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper – to taste

Crêpes

• 2 eggs
• 60 g – ½ cup flour
• 120 ml – ½ cup milk

Pörkölt Sauce

• Sauce from the pörkölt
• 120 ml – ½ cup sour cream
• 16 g – ⅛ cup flour

Instructions

1. Put the extra virgin olive oil and the chopped onions in a frying pan and sauté until translucent.
2. Add the meat and sauté until brown, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the tomatoes and water and stir well. Stir in the paprika, caraway seeds, and parsley. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
4. Add ¼ cup of sour cream to the meat sauce and stir until combined.
5. Sieve the meat sauce and let the pörkölt sauce collect in a bowl. Keep it aside.
6. Make the crêpes by whisking the eggs, flour, and milk in a bowl with a balloon whisk until the batter is smooth.
7. Heat a non-stick frying pan. When hot, add ¼ teaspoon of oil and pour in a ladle of batter, swirling the pan so the batter coats the base. Keep the coating thin (about 1.5 mm – 0.06 inch). When the surface dries, loosen the sides with a plastic spatula, flip the crêpe, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining batter.
8. Divide the meat among the crêpes and fold them like burritos. Spray an oven-proof dish with cooking spray or oil and arrange the filled crêpes inside. Keep it aside.
9. Combine the pörkölt sauce with ⅛ cup of flour and ½ cup of sour cream and whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the crêpes and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C – 350°F for 15 minutes.
10. Serve your hortobágyi palacsinta with a dollop of sour cream and a green salad on the side.

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