Hungarian Noodle Soup: Clear Chicken Broth With Pasta

Hungarian noodle soup is a clear, gently simmered chicken broth with root vegetables and tender egg noodles, often served as húsleves in Hungary. This home-style version uses familiar ingredients and offers a practical substitute for traditional Hungarian noodles, while keeping the broth light and savory.

Ingredients

3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in chicken pieces, such as thighs and drumsticks
12 cups (2.8 L) cold water
1 medium yellow onion, about 5 oz (150 g), peeled and halved
2 medium carrots, about 7 oz (200 g), peeled and cut into large pieces
2 medium parsnips, about 7 oz (200 g), peeled and cut into large pieces
1 small celery root (celeriac), about 10 oz (280 g), peeled and quartered; or 2 celery ribs, about 3½ oz (100 g), for a milder, less earthy flavor
1 small parsley root, about 3 oz (85 g), scrubbed and trimmed; if unavailable, use 1 additional parsnip
2 garlic cloves, about ¼ oz (6 g), peeled and lightly crushed
1 bay leaf, about ⅛ oz (1 g)
1 tsp whole black peppercorns, about ⅛ oz (2 g)
1 tsp fine salt, about ⅛ oz (6 g), plus more to taste
8 oz (225 g) dried Hungarian csigatészta, or fine egg noodles
¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables and broth ingredients. Halve the onion, cut the carrots and parsnips into pieces roughly 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, and quarter the peeled celery root. Keeping the vegetables in large pieces makes them easier to lift from the pot and helps them hold their shape during simmering. Put the chicken, cold water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt in a large stockpot. Start with cold water so the ingredients warm gradually and release flavor into the broth.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer. Set it over medium heat and watch for small bubbles to gather around the edges; this should take about 15 minutes. As grayish foam rises, skim it off with a spoon or small ladle. Do not let the pot boil vigorously, which can break up the chicken and make the broth cloudy. Once the liquid is gently simmering, lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 60 minutes. Check occasionally and adjust the heat to keep a quiet simmer.
Check the chicken and strain the stock. Use a food thermometer to check the thickest part of a chicken piece without touching the bone. USDA FSIS sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If a piece has not reached that temperature, return it to the pot and continue simmering, checking again after a few minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the spent onion, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Skimming and straining both help produce a cleaner-tasting, clearer soup.
Cook the root vegetables in the broth. Return the strained broth to the stove and add the carrots, parsnips, celery root, and parsley root. Bring it back to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 35 minutes, or until a knife slides into the largest pieces with little resistance. The vegetables should be tender but not falling apart. Meanwhile, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones, then pull the meat into bite-size pieces. Keep it covered while the vegetables finish cooking.
Cook the noodles and assemble the bowls. During the last 8 to 10 minutes of the vegetable simmer, cook the csigatészta or egg noodles in a separate pot of boiling water, following the package timing. Drain them when just tender. Add the chicken to the broth to warm through, then taste and adjust the salt. Put noodles in individual bowls and ladle over hot broth, vegetables, and chicken. Finish with chopped parsley and serve promptly.

Tips

Keep the broth at a simmer, not a boil. A low, steady simmer helps the broth stay relatively clear and keeps the chicken from breaking into shreds in the pot. If the surface is bubbling hard, lower the burner. A little cloudiness does not affect the flavor, so avoid stirring repeatedly in an effort to make the stock perfectly clear.
Use large vegetable pieces. Small dice cook quickly and can become mushy over the long simmer. Larger pieces are easier to remove, portion, and serve. If the carrots or parsnips are especially thick, cut them lengthwise so they cook at a similar pace to the other roots.
Look for the traditional noodle if you can. Csigatészta is a small, ridged Hungarian egg pasta traditionally rolled into a shell-like shape. It can be hard to find outside Hungarian or Central European shops; fine egg noodles, broken vermicelli, or another small pasta work well. The substitute will not have the same shape or chewy texture, but it still carries the clear broth nicely.
Salt gradually and avoid cooking the noodles in the soup pot. Broth reduces slightly as it simmers, and different chicken pieces release different amounts of flavor. Adjust the seasoning at the end. Cooking noodles separately makes serving easier and prevents them from soaking up too much broth as leftovers sit.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, with a little chicken, several pieces of root vegetable, and a generous portion of noodles in each one. Add parsley at the table so its fresh, mild flavor stays distinct. A slice of crusty bread is useful for the last spoonfuls of broth, though the noodles and vegetables make the soup satisfying on their own.

For a meal with more than one course, serve modest bowls as a first course before roasted meat, stuffed vegetables, or a simple salad. If serving it as the main meal, make sure each bowl gets a good share of chicken and vegetables rather than filling up on noodles alone. Keep extra noodles in a separate serving bowl so people can add as much as they like without the pasta sitting in the broth.

Variations

Hungarian húsleves has many household and regional versions; the exact mix of meat, roots, and pasta is not fixed. Some cooks use a whole chicken or add beef for a deeper broth, while others include a piece of kohlrabi or a few celery leaves. This recipe focuses on chicken and familiar root vegetables. If you add kohlrabi, use one small bulb, about 8 oz (225 g), peeled and cut into large pieces, and simmer it with the other vegetables.

For a beef variation, replace the chicken with 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in beef shank or another soup-friendly cut and simmer until tender, allowing extra time as needed. Check the meat for tenderness as well as safe doneness; beef whole cuts must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, though a cut simmered for soup is usually cooked well beyond that for tenderness. For a meat-free variation, simmer the same roots with 10 cups (2.4 L) water or vegetable stock, then season to taste. That version will be lighter and will not have the same savory depth as chicken broth.

To give the soup a more pronounced Hungarian paprika note, stir a small pinch of sweet Hungarian paprika into a serving bowl rather than adding a large amount to the full pot. Paprika is not essential to this clear-broth style, and a heavy hand can change both the color and character of the soup. Use sweet paprika, not hot paprika, unless you specifically want heat.

Storage and Reheating

For best texture, store the noodles separately from the broth, chicken, and vegetables. Let the components cool briefly, then refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in covered, shallow containers. The soup components keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Noodles may soften as they sit, even when stored separately, so cooking only what you expect to eat is helpful.

Reheat broth, chicken, and vegetables in a saucepan until steaming throughout, stirring gently; add a splash of water if the broth has reduced. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Warm the noodles in boiling water for about 30 seconds or place them directly in the hot soup until heated. You can freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables for about 2 to 3 months for best quality; freeze noodles separately or make a fresh batch when serving. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hungarian noodle soup called?

A familiar Hungarian clear meat soup is called húsleves, meaning meat soup. It is commonly served with vegetables and a small pasta, including csigatészta, though the meat, vegetables, and noodle shape vary from household to household. This recipe is a chicken version rather than a claim to one definitive formula.

Can I use chicken breast instead of bone-in pieces?

You can, but bone-in pieces generally give the broth more body and flavor. Boneless chicken breast cooks faster and can become dry if simmered for the full hour, so check it early and remove it once it reaches 165°F (74°C). Simmer the broth with the vegetables and aromatics for the remaining time, then return the sliced chicken to the pot to warm.

Why cook the noodles separately?

Pasta continues to absorb liquid after cooking, so noodles left in the pot can swell and make the broth seem scarce. Separate cooking also makes it easier to store the soup and control portions. If you plan to serve every portion immediately, you can cook the pasta in the strained broth, but add enough extra liquid and serve as soon as it is tender.

Can I make the soup ahead?

Yes. Make the broth, chicken, and vegetables a day ahead and refrigerate them promptly. Cook the noodles fresh shortly before serving, then reheat the soup components to 165°F (74°C) and assemble the bowls. The flavors have time to settle, and keeping the pasta separate helps preserve its texture.

What can I use instead of parsley root or celery root?

Parsley root is less common in many US grocery stores; use an extra parsnip for sweetness and a similar firm texture, though the soup will lose some of parsley root’s distinct, lightly herbal aroma. If celery root is unavailable, two celery ribs make a practical substitute. They provide a familiar celery note but less earthy depth, so the broth will taste a little lighter.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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