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If you’ve ever wandered through a Hungarian market or strolled past a Lake Balaton beach stand in summer, you’ve probably caught the scent of lángos before you even saw it. That aroma of frying dough is utterly unmistakable.
This deep-fried flatbread has become something of a national obsession in Hungary, sold everywhere from tiny street vendors to fancy restaurants trying their hand at gourmet versions. Yet despite all the variations, the basic appeal remains unchanged.
Lángos delivers exactly what you crave when hunger strikes and you need something satisfying immediately. It’s hot, crispy on the edges, pillowy soft in the centre, and usually loaded with toppings that range from traditional to wildly creative.
Hungarians have been frying up these golden discs for generations, and once you taste a properly made lángos, you’ll understand why this simple street food has such devoted fans both at home and increasingly around the world.
What Is Lángos?
Lángos is a round, flat piece of yeast dough that gets stretched thin and then plunged into hot oil until it puffs up and turns golden brown. The result is a crispy, bubbled surface with a tender, almost cloud-like interior that’s perfect for piling on toppings.
The traditional preparation involves making a simple yeasted dough, letting it rise properly, then pulling off portions and stretching them by hand before frying. This creates an irregular, rustic shape that’s part of the charm.
Once it emerges from the oil, lángos gets rubbed with fresh garlic whilst still steaming hot, then typically smothered with sour cream and grated cheese. That’s your classic version, though you’ll find dozens of topping combinations at any good lángos stand.
Some people treat it as a quick snack between meals, whilst others make it a proper lunch, especially when loaded with ham, sausage, or vegetables. There’s no wrong time to eat lángos, really, though Hungarians will tell you it tastes best eaten immediately.
The size can vary considerably. Some vendors make them small enough to hold in one hand, whilst others create plate-sized versions that require both hands and considerable appetite. Whatever the dimensions, the goal remains the same: crispy, fluffy, indulgent perfection.
Ingredients and Taste
The dough itself contains flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes a touch of sugar to help with browning. Some recipes include milk or sour cream in the dough for extra richness, whilst others add mashed potato to create a softer, more tender texture.
Oil for frying is essential, and it needs to be hot enough that the dough puffs up immediately upon contact. Sunflower oil is common in Hungary, though any neutral oil with a high smoke point works well for achieving that signature golden exterior.
Fresh garlic gets rubbed directly onto the hot surface after frying, releasing its pungent oils into every crevice. Thick sour cream (called tejföl in Hungarian) follows, spread generously across the top until it starts melting into the warm bread.
Grated cheese, usually a mild, salty variety similar to mozzarella or a Hungarian cheese called trappista, completes the classic trio. The heat from the lángos melts it slightly, creating stretchy, gooey pockets throughout.
When you take that first bite, you experience multiple textures at once. The edges shatter with a satisfying crunch, whilst the centre yields softly beneath your teeth. The garlic punches through immediately, sharp and aromatic against the cool tang of sour cream.
The cheese adds a creamy, salty counterpoint that ties everything together. It’s rich without being heavy, indulgent yet somehow still light enough that you can finish an entire lángos without feeling overstuffed, though you certainly feel satisfied.
A Taste of History
Lángos has its roots in Hungarian home baking traditions that stretch back centuries. The name itself comes from “láng,” the Hungarian word for flame, referencing the original cooking method over open fires rather than in oil.
In earlier times, Hungarian housewives would prepare bread dough for baking and fry off small pieces to feed hungry family members whilst waiting for the main loaves to finish. These scraps became a beloved treat.
The modern version that we recognise today really took hold during the communist era in Hungary. Frying food became more accessible as cooking oil became more available, and lángos stands began appearing at markets and public spaces throughout the country.
It became associated with leisure and small pleasures during a time when such things were precious. Families heading to Lake Balaton for summer holidays made eating lángos part of the ritual, establishing traditions that continue today.
After the fall of communism in 1989, lángos remained hugely popular even as other aspects of daily life transformed dramatically. If anything, it became even more widespread as small businesses flourished and vendors could operate more freely.
Today, you’ll find lángos wherever Hungarians gather, from Christmas markets in Budapest to summer festivals in small villages. Hungarian immigrants have also brought it to other countries, introducing new audiences to this addictive fried bread.
The dish has evolved with creative toppings that would surprise traditionalists. You can now find versions topped with pulled pork, salmon, or even Nutella for those with a sweet tooth, though purists maintain that garlic, sour cream, and cheese remain unbeatable.
How to Make Lángos (Hungarian Fried Flatbread)
Lángos is one of Hungary’s most beloved street foods, known for its crisp exterior and soft, airy centre. The dough is simple but demands patience, as proper resting and gentle handling create the characteristic texture. Frying is quick, so preparation is key before you begin. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
- 500 g plain flour
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 300 ml warm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying
- 2 cloves garlic, finely crushed
- 3 tbsp warm water, for garlic topping
- Sour cream, for serving
- Grated cheese such as semi hard cow’s milk cheese, for serving
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Activate the yeast
To begin, pour the warm water into a small bowl and stir in the sugar and dried yeast. Leave for 8 to 10 minutes until the surface becomes foamy, then move on to mixing the dough.
Step 2: Prepare the dough base
Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre, pour in the activated yeast mixture and sunflower oil, then begin bringing the dough together with a wooden spoon before moving to hand mixing.
Step 3: Knead the dough
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. Once ready, return it to the bowl to begin resting.
Step 4: First rise
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the dough in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, or until doubled in size. Proper fermentation gives lángos its signature lightness, so do not rush this step.
Step 5: Portion the dough
Gently knock back the risen dough and divide it into four equal portions. Shape each into a loose ball, cover again, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes before shaping.
Step 6: Shape the flatbreads
Using lightly oiled hands, stretch each dough ball into a rough disc about 18 to 20 cm wide. Keep the centre slightly thinner than the edges to ensure even frying, then prepare the oil.
Step 7: Fry the lángos
Heat sunflower oil in a deep pan to 170°C. Carefully lower one disc into the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and puffed. Transfer to kitchen paper and repeat with remaining dough.
Step 8: Garlic topping preparation
Mix the crushed garlic with warm water. While the lángos is still hot, brush lightly with the garlic mixture so it absorbs without overpowering the bread.
Step 9: For serving
Serve immediately topped with sour cream and grated cheese. Lángos is best enjoyed hot, with extra garlic sauce or pickled vegetables on the side for balance and contrast.
Variations and Substitutions
- Yeast: Fresh yeast can be used instead of dried, using 20 g dissolved in warm water.
- Flour: Strong white bread flour may be substituted for a slightly chewier texture.
- Toppings: Traditional variations include smoked bacon, spring onions, or sheep’s milk cheese.
- Garlic: If raw garlic is too strong, lightly roast it before mixing with water.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Lángos
- Keep the oil temperature steady to avoid greasy or undercooked bread.
- Stretch the dough by hand rather than rolling to preserve air pockets.
- Fry one at a time to maintain oil heat and even colour.
- Serve immediately, as lángos loses its crispness as it cools.
How to Store and Reheat
Storing Leftover Lángos
Lángos really doesn’t take well to storage, and any Hungarian will tell you it should be eaten fresh from the fryer. That said, if you absolutely must save leftovers, let them cool completely first to prevent condensation from making everything soggy.
Wrap the lángos loosely in kitchen paper to absorb excess oil, then place it in an airtight container or wrap it in foil. Store it in the refrigerator for no more than one day, understanding that the texture will deteriorate significantly.
Remove any cold toppings like sour cream before storing if possible, as these separate and become unpleasant when reheated. You can always add fresh toppings after warming the bread itself, which gives you better results overall.
Reheating Methods
Your oven provides the best chance of reviving leftover lángos. Preheat it to around 180°C and place the lángos directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Heat for about five to eight minutes until it crisps up again and warms through.
An air fryer works brilliantly if you have one, restoring crispness to the exterior in just three to five minutes at 180°C. Keep a close watch though, as the thin bread can burn quickly at high temperatures.
Avoid the microwave entirely. It will turn your lángos into a rubbery, chewy mess that bears no resemblance to the crispy treat you started with. Microwaves and fried bread simply don’t mix well under any circumstances.
Hungarian Lángos (Fried Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 500 g plain flour
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 300 ml warm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil plus extra for frying
- 2 cloves garlic finely crushed
- 3 tbsp warm water for garlic topping
- Sour cream for serving
- Grated cheese such as semi hard cow’s milk cheese for serving
Instructions
- To begin, pour the warm water into a small bowl and stir in the sugar and dried yeast. Leave for 8 to 10 minutes until the surface becomes foamy, then move on to mixing the dough.
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre, pour in the activated yeast mixture and sunflower oil, then begin bringing the dough together with a wooden spoon before moving to hand mixing.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. Once ready, return it to the bowl to begin resting.
- Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the dough in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, or until doubled in size. Proper fermentation gives lángos its signature lightness, so do not rush this step.
- Gently knock back the risen dough and divide it into four equal portions. Shape each into a loose ball, cover again, and allow them to rest for 15 minutes before shaping.
- Using lightly oiled hands, stretch each dough ball into a rough disc about 18 to 20 cm wide. Keep the centre slightly thinner than the edges to ensure even frying, then prepare the oil.
- Heat sunflower oil in a deep pan to 170°C. Carefully lower one disc into the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and puffed. Transfer to kitchen paper and repeat with remaining dough.
- Mix the crushed garlic with warm water. While the lángos is still hot, brush lightly with the garlic mixture so it absorbs without overpowering the bread.
- Serve immediately topped with sour cream and grated cheese. Lángos is best enjoyed hot, with extra garlic sauce or pickled vegetables on the side for balance and contrast.
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