Húsleves is a traditional Hungarian meat soup that’s warm and comforting, featuring a clear broth made with meat and root vegetables. It’s perfect for cold days and simple to make.
It’s my favorite soup, which I always order when visiting my mother-in-law, Marta. She’s Hungarian and brilliantly masters traditional Hungarian cuisine.
While it’s simple to make, achieving the same flavor each time can be challenging. Húsleves is a versatile pot dish where you can toss in any vegetables or meat and let it simmer for hours. As a result, the taste can vary depending on your ingredients.
This soup is a comforting remedy for colds and upset stomachs. It’s my favorite, and I’d love to share it with you.

Why you will love this recipe?
- Húsleves is a hearty soup that warms you up, perfect for cold days or a soothing remedy when you’re under the weather.
- This recipe allows you to use whatever vegetables and meat you have on hand, so you can easily include what’s in season.
- With everything cooked in one pot, Húsleves is easy to prepare longevity food that you can use as a clear broth in sauces or soups.
Hungarian meat soup Ingredients
Húsleves is a traditional Hungarian meat soup. The name “húsleves” literally translates to “meat soup.” It typically consists of a clear broth made by simmering beef or chicken with vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and celery, along with seasonings such as parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

Meat
The name “húsleves” literally translates to “meat soup. Traditionally, húsleves include three types of meat, preferably with bones: pork ribs, beef bone marrow, and hen or chicken. Some add chicken stomachs or hearts to the mix for the best flavor and richness.
If you have extra bone marrow, try this butter made of roasted marrow with garlic.
In this recipe, I used a whole hen, including the bones and skin, which Hungarians call Tyúk húsleves – hen soup or chicken soup. You can also use the whole chicken instead.

Vegetable
To qualify as húsleves, traditional Hungarian soup must include the following root vegetables: celery root, parsnips, kale, carrots, bell peppers, and onions. I prefer using Brussels sprouts in place of kale for added flavor.
Other vegetables, like ginger, garlic, and kohlrabi are optional.
Some recipes also use potatoes or cauliflower but they don’t go into Hungarian húsleves.
Herbs and Spices
Hungarians often use fresh parsley in nearly every dish, and it’s a must-have in húsleves.
Essential spices include allspice, black peppercorns, salt and nutmeg.

Tools you will need
How to make Húsleves
First step: Prepare and fry the root vegetable
Peel the carrots, parsnips, and celery root, then cut them into small pieces. In a large pot, heat a bit of oil over medium heat and add the chopped vegetables. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and develop flavor.

Second step: Prepare the Hen
In the meantime, portion the hen. Wash the hen under lukewarm water. Use a sharp knife to portion it into smaller pieces, leaving the skin and bones intact. Place them into the pot with the sautéed vegetables.

Third step: Add the remaining ingredients
Remaining vegetable use the whole. Add the whole. Add the Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, the onion cut in half with the skin on (for the color), garlic cloves, ginger, spices and fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Then, add enough cold water to cover the hen pieces completely. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Fourth step: Cook the chicken soup
Like any consommé, húsleves is best cooked when gently simmered and then carefully strained to remove any impurities. Reduce to low heat and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat and the vegetables are tender and fully cooked.

Sixth step: Strain the broth
Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the soup using a large fine sieve, transferring the broth into a clean pot. Taste and season with pinch of salt if needed. Allow the meat and veggies to cool slightly. Discard the chicken skin and bones, chop the meat, and set it aside. Discard the whole onion and any pieces of bell pepper and spices. then chop the remaining vegetables and set them aside.
How to serve the Hungarian Soup
In Hungary, this delicious soup is served for Sunday lunches and festive occasions. Hungarians like spicy food, so my husband always adds dried chili flakes or Erős Pista, a popular paprika cream that is pretty hot, and we always keep it in the kitchen cupboard.
You can either serve the húsleves with thin pasta noodles.
We like to cook the noodles separately in boiled water before adding them to the soup, if we use supermarket grade noodles ( starch will change the taste!)
Add to strained soup directly if you serve with homemade vermicelly style noodles ( egg am flour only!).
Alternatively, use barley instead of noodles like in this Instant Pot Chicken and Barley Soup.
Or serve the soup first and next serve the meat and vegetables with the broth and the marrow toast (if you used marrow bones in the soup).
Other Longevity Soup Recipe you should try

Can I cook this chicken soup in a Crock Pot?
Sure, just place the chicken, vegetables, spices (allspice, peppercorns, nutmeg), and enough water to cover the ingredients in the Crock Pot. Set the Crock Pot to low and cook for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
How to Store and Reheat
You can store this Hungarian noodle soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For the best taste, store it without the noodles and add them fresh when you’re ready to reheat it on the stove.

How to Freeze
Freeze the soup without noodles as a clear broth, which can also be used in sauces and other soups. You can freeze it in ice cube trays for easy portioning. Frozen húsleves will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.


Húsleves: Traditional Hungarian meat soup
Ingredients
- 1 hen whole or chicken
- 1/2 Celery root peeled
- 3 Parsnip
- 3 Carrot
- Brussel sprouts
- 1 Onion large, cut in half, unpeeled
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1 inch Ginger
- handful Parsley fresh
- 1 kohlrabi
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 10 pieces Allspice
- 10 pieces black pepper whole Peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Peel the carrots, parsnips, and celery root, then cut them into small pieces. In a large pot, heat a bit of oil over medium heat and add the chopped vegetables. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and develop flavor.
- In the meantime, portion the hen. Wash the hen under lukewarm water. Use a sharp knife to portion it into smaller pieces, leaving the skin and bones intact. Place them into the pot with the sautéed vegetables.
- Remaining vegetable use the whole. Add the whole. Add the Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, the onion cut in half with the skin on (for the color), garlic cloves, ginger, spices and fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Then, add enough cold water to cover the hen pieces completely. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Like any consommé, húsleves is best cooked when gently simmered and then carefully strained to remove any impurities. Reduce to low heat and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat and the vegetables are tender and fully cooked.
- Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the soup using a large fine sieve, transferring the broth into a clean pot. Taste and season with pinch of salt if needed. Allow the meat and veggies to cool slightly. Discard the chicken skin and bones, chop the meat, and set it aside. Discard the whole onion and any pieces of bell pepper and spices. then chop the remaining vegetables and set them aside.
As a Hungarian, this recipe really captures the authentic flavor of the dish. Highly Reccomend it!
A soup that will definitely get me through cold days! Any recommended toppings to add some different flavour?