Veggie-packed paprikash is a one-dish wonder
“Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash,” said Harry, while goofing around with Sally in the classic movie “When Harry Met Sally.”
That was pretty much my first exposure to this traditional Hungarian stew. It’s not something I grew up eating, and as iconic dishes go, there are many, many variations.
This version has extra ingredients — vegetables, tomatoes and chickpeas. The beans replace the egg noodles the paprikash is typically served over (but you can make those, too).
Christmas is a few days away, and things might be busy. A simple, healthy and relatively quick-to-make dinner might be just what you need amidst all of the gift-wrapping, caroling and general merriment.
It’s a one pot dish that has everything: protein, veggies and a lot of flavor. Plus, paprika is made from ground-up peppers, so it is loaded with Vitamin A, a known immune system booster.
It’s also a portable dish that’s easy to share. If you know someone going through a challenging time or who is far away from family, no one will turn away a friendly face and a pot of paprikash at their front door.
It’s easy to get caught up in all of the things you “have” to do for the holidays and forget that friends and family just want to spend time together, preferably over a warm supper.