Known across the old Habsburg lands as Liptauer after the Liptov region, korozott is Hungary's homey paprika cheese spread, traditionally made from soft sheep's-milk curd. It remains a staple of the appetizer table and the wine cellar, slathered on fresh bread alongside raw onion and peppers.
Creamy and tangy with a warm paprika glow, little crunches of onion and caraway, and a gentle mustardy bite. Cool and rich, it makes plain bread feel like a feast.
Beating soft butter into the curd emulsifies fat and cheese into a smooth, spreadable cream, while resting lets the raw onion and caraway mellow and the paprika fully colour and flavour the mix.
Variations
Made with sheep or cow curd, with anchovy or capers, spiked with pickle brine or a splash of beer, milder no-onion versions
On the Palate
Where Körözött sits in the Hungarian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 110 min
Let the butter soften to room temperature and beat it until creamy.
Watch outBeat the butter only until pale and creamy — if it's still cold and firm the cheese won't blend in smoothly.
- 24 min
Mash the fresh curd cheese smooth and beat it into the butter.
- 32 min
Stir in ground sweet paprika until the spread turns a uniform rosy colour.
Watch outKeep stirring the paprika in until the colour is one even rosy pink with no red streaks — streaks mean it's not evenly flavoured yet.
- 43 min
Add very finely minced onion and crushed caraway seeds.
- 52 min
Mix in a little mustard and salt to sharpen the flavour.
- 62 min
Taste and adjust with more paprika or a splash of brine.
- 730 min
Pack into a bowl and chill for half an hour to firm up and let the flavours meld.
Watch outGive it a full half hour cold before serving — that's when the raw onion and caraway settle down and the flavours come together.
- 82 min
Serve with fresh bread, raw onion rings, and peppers.
