Hungarian Paprikash Stew with Cauliflower

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Gluten Free
Low Carb/Paleo
Vegetarian

Why we love it:

Paprikash is a Hungarian stew that usually has chicken in it but the spicy paprika and tomato base tastes incredible with roasted cauliflower florets instead. Folding in some sour cream at the end transforms the dish - giving it a tangy, creamy, and addictive taste.

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Ingredients

1 head Cauliflower
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil (for cooking)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (divided)
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
4 cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 cup Stock (any type - or water)
1 15-ounce can Diced Tomatoes
¹⁄₂ pound Fusilli Pasta (or pasta of your choice)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 pound Green Beans
¹⁄₂ cup Sour Cream
1 Lemon (juice)

Cooking Instructions

1. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 400 DEGREES

And bring a pasta pot full of water to a boil.
2. CAULIFLOWER

Chop cauliflower into florets. Dice the stem and include the nice green leaves (all are edible!). Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil and a pinch of salt. Dot with about 1 Tablespoon of butter. Roast for about 20 minutes while you make the sauce.
3. VEGGIES

Meanwhile slice the onions into thin half-moon rings and slice the pepper into thin strips (or small dice if you prefer that shape). Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to pan, then add the onions and peppers. Sauté until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

Mince the garlic and add it along with the paprika and tomato paste; stir for 60 seconds.

Add the stock and can of tomatoes; bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add cauliflower to sauce and reduce the temperature to a low simmer. Partially cover and simmer for about 5 minutes to combine and finish cooking the cauliflower.
4. PASTA

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pot (or a serving bowl) with 2 Tablespoons of butter. Cover and set aside.
5. GREEN BEANS

While stew cooks, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Toss with green beans.
Spread green beans out on a sheet pan. Add a pinch of salt. Roast until green beans are tender and brown in spots, stirring the pan halfway through cooking, about 10 - 12 minutes.
6. SOUR CREAM

Turn off heat when the stew is done. Remove 1 cup of sauce into a small bowl and whisk in the sour cream. Pour sauce/sour cream mixture back into the cauliflower and stir everything together to combine. Add the lemon juice.
7. SERVING

Serve cauliflower and sauce over pasta with green beans on the side.

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Substitutions

GLUTEN FREE:

use GF pasta or serve over rice or potatoes, or spaghetti squash
DAIRY FREE:

instead of sour cream, use coconut yogurt (which changes the flavor but I like it!) or use almond based or soy based DF yogurt
CAULIFLOWER:

other veggies could be combined or used instead of cauliflower. I’d try potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, carrots. Tofu cubes would taste delicious also
BELL PEPPER:

optional, this isn’t always in paprikash recipes

Kid Friendly Version

How to Tweak This Recipe for Kids:

If your kids won’t accept a red sauce, remove a few pieces of cauliflower for them, slice some of the bell pepper for the side
Give them a little bit of sauce-covered cauliflower to taste!
Serve the pasta and green beans with just butter

Prep Ahead & Use It Up

Slice the cauliflower florets. You could roast them ahead or not. Best to use within a day or 2 of pre-roasting however
Or make the entire dish ahead but don’t stir in the sour cream. To serve, reheat in a pot, then do the final step with the sour cream
If you do cook it all ahead, or have leftovers, it will look better to reheat low and slow on the stovetop rather than microwave. The cream can separate out a bit if you heat it too quickly – still ok to eat – but doesn’t look as nice
Trim the green beans and store for up to 5 days before cooking