Paprika Pork

Looking for a comforting yet quick meal to serve for dinner tonight? Hearty paprika pork is just that. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a bowl of Hungarian pork stew on the table, served over thick buttery egg noodles and topped with parsley. Yum!

What is Hungarian pork paprikash?

This particular paprika pork recipe is a quick alternative to making traditional Hungarian pork paprikash (or sertéspaprikás), a Hungarian stew made with pork, paprika and some kind of cream base. In our recipe, we use heavy cream to thicken the sauce. Hungarian pork paprikash is customarily served with a simple carbohydrate base to soak up the sauce, like rice or egg noodles.

Ingredients for Paprika Pork

• Pork tenderloin: You’ll cut the tenderloin into bite-sized pieces before cooking, about 1-inch cubes.
• All purpose flour: The pork is coated with flour to create a thick crust, and flour also helps to thicken the creamy sauce.
• Paprika, salt and pepper: Paprika, salt and pepper are mixed with the flour and tossed with the pork to add flavor to this dish.
• Butter: The coated paprika pork is then sauteed in a skillet with butter.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream (or heavy cream) is used to create a thick creamy sauce for this paprika pork without having to add too many ingredients.
• Egg noodles or rice: Choose the carbohydrate base of your choice to serve with your paprika pork.
• Parsley (optional): A little minced fresh parsley is a nice finishing touch before serving.

Directions

Step 1: Coat the pork

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In a large bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper, then add the cubed pork and toss to coat.

Step 2: Saute the pork

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In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat, then saute the pork until it’s lightly browned, four to five minutes.

Step 3: Make the sauce

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Add in the cream, and bring it to a boil, stirring to loosen up any brown bits of pork from the pan. Cook the cream and pork, uncovered, until the cream is slightly thickened, five to seven minutes.

Step 4: Serve over rice or noodles

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Serve the creamy paprika pork atop rice or egg noodles, garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.

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Paprika Pork Variations

• Make it spicy: To add a spicy hit to your paprika pork, swap the paprika with a hot paprika variety instead. It will add a small kick without being too overpowering in your creamy dish.
• Add vegetables: To give this paprika pork dinner even more volume, add in sliced mushrooms, bell peppers or tomatoes (or all three!) when you cook the pork.
• Swap in sour cream: Don’t have any heavy cream on hand? You can use sour cream in this recipe instead. You’ll need to loosen the sour cream to create a sauce; this typically works well with a chicken broth.
• Make it with chicken: This dish can also be made with chicken thighs. While traditional chicken paprikash is made with bone-in chicken thighs that are braised, you can cube boneless chicken thighs and make this recipe as is.

How to Store Paprika Pork

Paprika pork can last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. When it’s time to eat, it’s best reheated in a saute pan with a couple tablespoons of water to loosen up the sauce. If you reheat it in the microwave, be sure to heat it low and slow, and give it a stir every minute or so.

Can you make paprika pork ahead of time?

Yes! Paprika pork is a great meal-prep recipe for the week ahead. Make a big batch of this dish and store it in airtight meal-prep containers with the carbohydrate side of your choice.

Paprika Pork Tips

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What can you serve with paprika pork?

Paprika on pork is typically served over wide egg noodles or rice to soak up that creamy sauce. If you don’t have either of these on hand, you could choose another wide long noodle, like pappardelle.

Can you make paprika pork with pork chops?

Yes! If you can’t get your hands on a pork tenderloin, you can chop up pork chops instead and use that for this recipe.

What is a substitute for paprika?

If you don’t have paprika on hand, substitute the spice with another smoky or spicy alternative, like a chili powder or other form of a pepper powder. Make sure to go light with any spicy powder—you don’t want this dish to get too hot!