Hungarian Wax Bean Soup with Paprika and Dill

Hungarian wax bean soup is a gently tangy, creamy soup made with yellow wax beans, paprika, dill, and sour cream. Versions vary by cook and region, but this stovetop version balances tender beans and a light flour thickening with a little vinegar for a satisfying, bright finish.

Ingredients

1½ lb fresh Hungarian wax beans, or other yellow wax beans (680 g), rinsed, trimmed, and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely chopped
2 garlic cloves (about 6 g), finely chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (16 g)
1½ tsp sweet paprika (about 3 g), preferably Hungarian-style
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (1.4 L)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fine salt (5 g), plus more to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
¾ cup sour cream (180 g), brought toward room temperature for easier mixing
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (about 6 g), plus a little more for serving if desired
1 tbsp white wine vinegar (15 ml), plus more to taste

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Rinse the wax beans, snap or cut off the stem ends, and remove any tough strings if present. Cut the beans into pieces about 1½ inches long. Chop the onion and garlic, and measure the remaining ingredients before you start cooking. Fresh Hungarian wax beans are sometimes sold as yellow wax beans; either works here.
Soften the onion. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it does not scorch. A browned onion can make the soup taste sweeter and more deeply roasted than intended, so lower the heat if it begins to color.
Add paprika and broth. Take the pot off the heat for a moment and stir in the paprika. This brief pause helps keep the spice from burning in the hot butter, which can make it bitter. Return the pot to medium heat, pour in the broth, and stir well to release any flavorful bits from the bottom. Add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Simmer the beans. Add the prepared beans and bring the broth to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, partly cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes. Check a larger bean piece near the end: it should be tender enough to bite through but still hold its shape. If the beans are unusually mature or thick, give them a few extra minutes before thickening the soup.
Make the flour thickening. While the beans cook, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture is smooth and smells lightly toasted but has not browned. Remove it from the heat and whisk in about ½ cup (120 ml) of hot broth from the soup, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and pourable. This loosens the roux so it can blend evenly into the pot.
Thicken the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Slowly pour the loosened flour mixture into the simmering soup while stirring. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, so the flour thickens the broth and loses its raw taste. Keep the heat moderate; a hard boil is not necessary.
Temper the sour cream and finish. Put the sour cream in a heatproof bowl and whisk in a ladleful of hot soup, then whisk in a second ladleful. This gradual warming makes the dairy less likely to curdle. Turn the soup to low and stir the sour cream mixture into the pot. Warm gently for 4 minutes without boiling. Stir in the dill and vinegar, taste, and adjust the salt, pepper, or vinegar a little at a time. Serve hot.

Tips

Use tender beans. Young wax beans cook evenly and keep a pleasant bite. If the beans are thick or quite mature, cut them into smaller pieces and check them before the end of the 20-minute simmer; the exact time depends on their age and size.
Keep paprika sweet and fragrant. Sweet Hungarian paprika is traditional in many versions of the soup and gives it a rounded, warm flavor without much heat. If Hungarian-style paprika is hard to find, use regular sweet paprika. Smoked paprika is a stronger, smokier substitute and will shift the soup away from its gentle, classic profile.
Prevent a grainy or curdled finish. Whisk hot broth into the flour mixture gradually, and temper the sour cream with hot soup before adding it to the pot. Once the sour cream is in, keep the soup below a boil. Gentle warming is enough to bring everything together.
Adjust tang at the end. Vinegar varies in strength, and sour cream adds its own acidity. Start with the listed tablespoon, taste after stirring it in, and add more in small increments. A restrained amount brightens the beans without making the whole pot taste sharply sour.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup in warm bowls with extra chopped dill and a spoonful of sour cream if you like a richer finish. Crusty bread, rye bread, or a simple roll is useful for soaking up the paprika-scented broth. For a fuller meal, pair it with a crisp cucumber salad, sliced tomatoes, or a plate of bread and mild cheese. The soup is filling but not heavy, so a fresh, crunchy side gives the meal a nice contrast.

If you are serving guests, put vinegar and extra dill on the table so each person can fine-tune the bowl. Some people prefer a distinctly tangy soup, while others enjoy a softer, creamier flavor. Keep any extra sour cream chilled until serving, then add a small spoonful to each bowl rather than stirring a large amount into the whole pot.

Variations

Make it without dairy. Replace the butter with olive oil or a neutral cooking oil, and use an unsweetened, unflavored plant-based sour cream. The taste and texture depend on the product, and the soup may be less rounded than the dairy version. For a thinner broth, omit the flour thickening; for body without wheat, whisk 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water, stir it into the simmering soup, and cook until lightly thickened before adding the dairy-free topping.

Use frozen or canned beans. Frozen wax beans can go into the broth straight from the freezer; simmer until tender, checking earlier than you would with fresh beans. Canned wax beans are already cooked, so drain and rinse them, then add them after the broth has simmered with the onion and seasonings. Warm them through for about 5 minutes before adding the thickening. They will be softer and less fresh-tasting than crisp-tender fresh beans, so stir gently.

Add other vegetables or herbs. A chopped carrot can be softened with the onion for a sweeter, more substantial soup. A small amount of celery can add a savory note, though it is not essential. Dill is a key part of the flavor; if fresh dill is unavailable, use about 2 teaspoons (2 g) dried dill and add it during the broth simmer so it has time to soften. Dried dill is more concentrated and less bright, so avoid substituting it one-for-one by volume.

Make a lighter, brothier version. Leave out the flour-and-butter thickening and use ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream instead of ¾ cup (180 g), still tempering it carefully before stirring it in. The soup will be less velvety but will retain its paprika, bean, dill, and vinegar character. You can also use vegetable broth for a meat-free pot or chicken broth for a deeper savory base.

Storage and Reheating

Let the soup stop steaming heavily, then refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking in a covered container. It keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. The beans soften as they sit, and the broth may thicken further, so stir in a splash of broth or water when reheating if needed. The sour cream can make the soup look slightly separated after chilling; gentle stirring while it warms usually brings the texture back together.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often and avoiding a hard boil. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. You can also microwave a serving in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring partway through and checking the temperature in more than one spot. For best texture, freeze the soup without the sour cream for up to 2 months, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it thoroughly, and stir in freshly tempered sour cream at the end. Freezing the finished soup is possible, but the dairy may separate and the beans may become softer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Hungarian wax beans the same as yellow wax beans?

Hungarian wax beans are a type of yellow wax bean, and grocery stores may use either name. Look for firm, smooth pods without limp or shriveled spots. If you cannot find them, green beans are a practical substitute. They have a slightly different, more grassy flavor, but cook in the same way; start checking for tenderness at about 15 minutes.

Is Hungarian wax bean soup supposed to be sour?

It should be pleasantly tangy, not sharply sour. Sour cream contributes gentle acidity, and a little vinegar brightens the broth. The amount varies among household versions, so add the vinegar gradually and taste before adding more. If your soup becomes too tangy, a little extra broth and sour cream can soften the flavor.

Can I make the soup ahead of time?

Yes. For the freshest bean texture, cook the soup through the simmering and thickening steps, then cool and refrigerate it promptly; add the tempered sour cream, dill, and vinegar when reheating the next day. You can also finish it completely ahead. The flavors meld overnight, though the beans will be softer and the cold soup will thicken, so reheat gently with a little broth or water.

How can I thicken the soup if it is too thin?

First let it simmer gently for a few more minutes, stirring so the beans do not catch on the bottom. If it still needs body, whisk 1 teaspoon (3 g) cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water, stir that slurry into the simmering broth, and cook for 1–2 minutes. Avoid sprinkling dry flour into the pot, since it tends to form lumps.

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Yes. Choose vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and check that the sour cream and butter suit your needs. The paprika, dill, wax beans, and vinegar make a flavorful soup without meat. If using a particularly mild vegetable broth, taste carefully at the end and adjust the salt and vinegar to bring the flavors into balance.

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