Hungarian-Style Tomato Preserving (Paradicsom eltevés)

How to preserve tomatoes the Hungarian way in 5 easy steps. The Hungarian-style tomato preserving method is easy, and you can also try it at home.

One of the highlights of any visit to Budapest is a walk through the Central Market Hall — especially if you love fresh food. Step inside and you’re greeted by the colors, scents, and sounds of everyday Hungarian life. It’s not just a place to shop; it’s where locals come for the best seasonal produce. Everything looks vibrant and just-picked, from the deep red peppers to the juicy tomatoes — all full of flavor and ready to inspire your next meal. (This is the ideal place to visit, for when you’re staying in a self-catering unit in Budapest.)

5 Easy Steps to follow

1. Use Very Ripe Tomatoes

They mostly use beefsteak or field tomatoes grown in Hungarian soil — very red, very juicy, often from home gardens or the local piac (market).
Tomatoes are sorted and any damaged ones are cut up and used first.

“One of the first things that struck me in Hungary was how good the fruit and vegetables were — especially the tomatoes. Juicy, full of flavour, and bursting with colour, they reminded me of how produce used to taste.”

2. No Blanching – Use a Grinder or Press

With Hungarian-Style Tomato Preserving most families don’t bother with peeling. Instead, they use a manual tomato grinder (paradicsom passzírozó) — a big metal or plastic contraption that separates skin and seeds from pulp.
The grinder is often clamped to a table and used outdoors to keep the mess down.

3. Cook the Sauce

The resulting tomato purée is then boiled in a large pot — sometimes for hours, until it thickens slightly.
Some add a bit of salt to help with preservation, others leave it completely plain.
Sugar is not added — Hungarian tomatoes are already sweet enough.

4. Bottle and Seal

The hot sauce is then poured into sterilized jars or beer bottles using a funnel.
Some top it with a little bit of preservative powder (like nátrium-benzoát) — though many now skip this.
Bottles are sealed immediately with lids or crown caps. Enjoy your proudly home-made Hungarian-Style Tomato Preserving.

“The vegetables at Budapest’s Central Market Hall are simply beautiful. Pyramids of bright red peppers, glossy eggplants, plump tomatoes, and bunches of fresh herbs fill every stall. Here you’ll see paprika in every shade — sweet, smoky, and spicy.

Everything looks like it was picked that morning. The colors are deep, the shapes imperfect in the best way, and the smell — earthy, fresh, real — makes you want to cook something from scratch. Hungarian cooking is built on these ingredients, and you can see why.”

5. Wrap and Cool Slowly

Bottles are wrapped in blankets or thick towels (this is called “dunsztolás”) and left to cool slowly for 1–2 days.
This method helps ensure a vacuum seal without boiling the jars afterward.

Visit the Budapest Market to experience the city’s food culture up close. It’s where locals shop for fresh, seasonal produce, paprika, and homemade treats. The building itself is stunning, but it’s the colors, smells, and buzz of daily life that make it unforgettable. If you want to taste Hungary, this is the place to start.

…and while you’re there try the Lángos (read more about Hungarian Langos and get the recipe>>)

Personal Experience: “After our visit to the Budapest Market, we were treated to a fantastic car ride — the kind you remember forever. Great driver, perfect playlist, and even a touch of festive magic for the Christmas lover in the back seat: twinkling Christmas lights flickering as we turned every corner. Such a fun and unexpected way to end the day. What a fabulous experience ! Thank you Budapest. (Song: I’m still into you remix)”