NEW YEAR'S EVE AT GUNDEL
Gundel Palace | 31 December 2026, 6.30 pm
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“It was made for a birthday. It became a national favourite.
Palóc soup is a unique and distinctive dish of Hungarian cuisine, the origins of which are linked to a specific story. In 1892, János Gundel first prepared the soup for the birthday of Kálmán Mikszáth, who was often referred to as “the chronicler of the Palóc people.”
The dish did not remain merely an occasional meal. Károly Gundel laid the foundation for palóc soup’s true recognition and popularity; he further developed and refined the recipe, making it one of the signature dishes of the Gundel kitchen. By the first half of the 20th century, palóc soup had already become one of the iconic dishes of Hungarian cuisine.
The lamb version offers a particularly rich and distinctive flavour profile, complemented by a harmonious balance of vegetables, paprika, and sour cream. The dish evokes both the traditions of Hungarian country cuisine and Gundel’s refined approach to hospitality.
At Gundel, Palóc soup is not just a classic dish, but a story that has been passed down through generations.
Try the original at Gundel.
A Hungarian soup made with lamb, vegetables, and sour cream.
A dish associated with a specific event.
At Gundel, made according to a traditional recipe.
The secret of ‘palócleves’ is the intense, strong-tasting stock made from lamb bones and meat and vegetables. The strained juice is enriched with sour cream and used to cook the yellow beans, diced potatoes and then the turnips and beetroot. The purple potatoes marinated in the vinegar add a playfulness to the soup that makes the taste explode in your mouth. Fresh onion, dill and parsley are added to freshen it up.
In 1889, Károly Gundel’s father ran the prestigious Archduke István Hotel. Among the regulars at the hotel’s restaurant was the „greatest of the Palóc people”, Kálmán Mikszáth, one of the best-known writers of the era. In his honour, on the writer’s birthday, Gundel created this tangy, hearty dish, which was named ‘Palóc soup’ because Mikszáth was born in Nógrád. He, too, wished to create something in honour of the writer’s immense creative drive. According to the original recipe, it was made with goat’s meat, but as this is now almost impossible to source, it is now made with lamb.
The flavour harmony of the ‘Palóc’ green bean soup is an accurate reflection of the Hungarian tradition, which is why Hungarians love their soups so much. Almost a one-dish meal, it contains a wide variety of vegetables and meat. With a roasted base and red pepper, ‘palóc’ soup can even be prepared in a cauldron. It has a dense, intense flavour, balanced but with a strong overall effect. It is creamy from the sour cream, fragrant from the fresh dill and bay leaf, but with an intense play of acids due to the excellent ratio of sour cream to tarragon vinegar.
