Traditional Hungarian Lángos – Fried Bread with Sour Cream & Cheese
Servings: 8–10 lángos
If there is one food that instantly takes me back to Hungary, it has to be lángos. 🇭🇺 Golden and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle, and best eaten while it’s still warm — preferably covered with garlic, sour cream and a very generous handful of grated cheese.
For me, lángos is more than just fried dough. It tastes like Hungarian summers, trips to Lake Balaton, busy markets and those little lángos stands where you can smell the freshly fried dough before you even see them. ❤️
And while nothing quite replaces eating one freshly made in Hungary, homemade lángos comes pretty close! The dough is simple, inexpensive and made with basic ingredients, but once it hits the hot oil, it turns into something irresistible.
I’m making mine the classic way: brushed with garlic, then topped with sour cream and plenty of cheese. Because when it comes to lángos, I don't believe in being shy with the toppings. 😂
So if you’ve been missing Hungary — or you’ve never tried lángos before — this is definitely one Hungarian classic you need to make at least once. And I have a feeling once won’t be enough. 😃
Servings: 8–10 lángos
Ingredients
For the Lángos Dough
1 kg (about 8 cups) bread flour
600 ml (2½ cups) lukewarm water
50 g fresh yeast or 14 g active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
For the Garlic Topping
3–4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
A little water
Pinch of salt
For Serving
Sour cream
Grated cheese
Salt, to taste
Steps
1. Activate the yeast
Pour the lukewarm water into a bowl. Add the sugar and crumble in the fresh yeast. Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy and active.
2. Make the dough
Place the bread flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead until you have a smooth, soft and slightly sticky dough.
3. Let the dough rise
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Prepare the garlic topping
Mix the crushed or grated garlic with a small amount of water and a pinch of salt. Set aside while you fry the lángos.
5. Heat the oil
Pour enough oil into a deep pan for the lángos to float while frying. Heat to approximately 170–180°C / 340–355°F.
6. Shape the lángos
Lightly oil your hands. Tear off a piece of dough about the size of a tennis ball and gently stretch it into a round shape. Keep the center thinner and the edges slightly thicker. Repeat with the remaining dough.
7. Fry
Carefully place one lángos into the hot oil. Fry for approximately 1–2 minutes per side, or until puffed and beautifully golden brown. Turn and cook the other side.
8. Drain
Remove the lángos from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
9. Add the garlic
While the lángos is still hot, brush the surface generously with the prepared garlic mixture.
10. Add the classic toppings
Spread sour cream over the warm lángos and finish with plenty of grated cheese.
11. Serve immediately
Lángos is at its absolute best fresh and hot from the fryer. Serve right away and enjoy!
Jó étvágyat! 🇭🇺❤️