“Főzelék is a type of thick Hungarian vegetable stew or soup, similar to pottage. Főzelék is a special category in Hungarian cuisine, not quite like a soup, and thinner than a stew. It is simply cooked, typically by simmering, not mashing. It is usually not cooked with meat, but bacon and spicy sausage may be added for flavor. Főzelék is often eaten as the main course for lunch or like a garnish for different meat courses.” /Wikipédia/

Growing up my mother made főzelék for lunch very often, because főzelék is cheap, quick to make, and makes a nourishing meal. This version is not so traditional in the way that I use non-traditional spices for it. If you are a vegetarian or some who would like to eat more veggies I recommend you this easy vegetarian recipe. If you eat it with eggs or tofu it could be a great vegetarian lunch or dinner recipe.

Ingredients /4 servings/

• 50 dkg green peas I used frozen
• 1 medium onion
• 2 dl milk
• 8 dl water or 8 dl veggie broth
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
• 1/2 vegetable bouillon cube if you use veggie broth, the bouillon cube is not necessary
• 1 clove garlic

Spices

• 1 tbsp salt
• blackpepper
• ginger
• nutmeg

Herbs

• mint
• parsley

Instructions 

• Gather all your ingredients.
• Chop up the onion into small cubes. In a bigger cooking pot melt the butter (or heat the vegetable oil) and add the chopped onion, sauté it until it is nice and golden.
• Add the peas to the pot and pour the water (or vegetable stock) onto it. Season it with salt, pepper, ginger and nutmeg plus add 1-2 mint leaves and grated garlic clove. Simmer it until the peas are softened. Then transfer about 2 dl of stew into a bowl, slowly add the milk to the stew and 2 tbsp flour. Blend it with a blender.
• Return it into the pot. Garnish it with a handful of chopped parsley and simmer it for another five minutes. Enjoy. ♥

For other plant-based lunch ideas click here.

Notes

We usually eat it with boiled eggs, fried eggs, sausages, meatballs or with meat stews or with pörkölt. One portion about (3-4 dl) provides 235 calories, 5 grams of fat, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein.