For the garlic oil:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 50 ml (3½ tbsp) olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
For the herb cream:
- 200 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) crème fraîche or full-fat sour cream
- 150 g (⅔ cup) whole-milk yogurt
- ½ bunch chives, finely chopped
- ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 small tray cress (about 1 handful)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For topping and frying:
- 100 g (1 cup) Emmental or Swiss cheese, finely grated
- About 1 litre (4 cups) sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil, for frying
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the lukewarm water and the 2 tablespoons of oil, then knead for 5–8 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic. If it feels stiff or dry, add a little extra water, one tablespoon at a time.
- Let it rise. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave it in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.
- Make the garlic oil. Crush or finely grate the garlic and mix it with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside so the flavour can develop.
- Make the herb cream. Mix the crème fraîche and yogurt until smooth. Stir in the chives and parsley, plus half of the cress (keep the rest for the top). Season with salt and pepper and chill until serving.
- Heat the oil. Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pan or pot to about 4 cm (1½ inches) deep and heat it to 175–180°C (350–360°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, dip a wooden spoon handle into the oil — it’s ready when small bubbles form around it.
- Shape the langos. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. With oiled hands, stretch and press each piece into a round flatbread about 15–18 cm (6–7 inches) wide — thin in the middle with a slightly thicker edge.
- Fry. Carefully slide one or two langos into the hot oil, laying them away from you. Fry for about 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed and golden brown, turning once with tongs or a slotted spatula.
- Drain. Lift the langos out and drain them on a wire rack or paper towels. Fry the rest, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches.
- Top and serve. While still hot, brush each langos with garlic oil. Spread with herb cream, sprinkle with grated cheese and finish with the remaining cress. Serve right away.
Tips for Perfect Langos
- Get the oil temperature right. Too cool and the langos soaks up oil and turns greasy; too hot and it browns outside before cooking inside. 175–180°C is the sweet spot.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry one or two at a time so the oil stays hot.
- Oil your hands, not flour. Oiled hands make the soft dough easy to stretch without adding extra flour.
- Stretch, don’t roll. Stretching by hand keeps air in the dough, so the langos puffs up beautifully.
- Serve hot. Langos is best eaten within minutes of frying, while it’s still crispy.
- Grate the cheese finely so it melts slightly on the hot bread.
Deep-frying safety
Use a deep, heavy pot and never fill it more than a third full. Keep children away from the stove, never leave hot oil unattended, and never put water on burning oil — cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat instead. Let the oil cool completely before throwing it away or straining it for reuse.
Topping Ideas and Variations
- Classic Hungarian: garlic oil, sour cream and grated cheese — nothing else.
- Smoky: add crispy beef bacon or smoked turkey strips with chopped spring onions.
- Fresh: diced tomato, cucumber and red onion over the herb cream.
- Sweet langos: skip the garlic and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or spread with jam or chocolate spread.
- Cheese swap: use Gouda, cheddar or mozzarella instead of Emmental.
- No cress? Use microgreens, rocket (arugula) or extra chives.
- Potato langos: replace 100 g of the flour with 150 g mashed cooked potato for an extra soft dough — a traditional Hungarian variation.
Can You Make Langos in an Air Fryer or Oven?
You can, but it won’t be the same. Brush the shaped dough with oil on both sides and cook it at 200°C (400°F) for about 8–10 minutes, turning halfway. The result is closer to a soft flatbread than a crispy, puffed langos — still tasty, and lighter.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Dough: after kneading, cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
- Garlic oil and herb cream: make them up to 1 day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Garlic in oil should always be kept chilled and used within 2–3 days.
- Leftover langos: best fresh, but you can keep plain (untopped) langos in the fridge for 1 day and reheat in a hot oven or air fryer for 3–5 minutes to crisp them again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is langos?
Langos is a Hungarian deep-fried flatbread made from a simple yeast dough. It’s a popular street food in Hungary, Austria and Germany, usually topped with garlic, sour cream and cheese.
How do you pronounce langos?
It’s pronounced LAHN-gosh. In Hungarian it’s written lángos.
Why is my langos greasy?
The oil wasn’t hot enough. Keep it at 175–180°C and let it heat back up between batches.
Why didn’t my langos puff up?
The dough may not have risen enough, the yeast was old, or the dough was rolled with a rolling pin. Let it double in size and stretch it by hand.
Can I use sour cream instead of crème fraîche?
Yes. Full-fat sour cream is the classic Hungarian topping and works perfectly in the herb cream.
What’s the best oil for frying langos?
A neutral oil with a high smoke point, like sunflower, rapeseed (canola) or vegetable oil.
Can I make the dough the day before?
Yes. Keep it covered in the fridge overnight and bring it to room temperature before shaping.
What can I serve with langos?
Langos is a meal on its own, but a crisp green salad, a cucumber salad or a bowl of soup makes it a fuller lunch or dinner.
Final Thoughts
Homemade langos is pure comfort: crispy and golden outside, soft and fluffy inside, with fragrant garlic oil, cool herb cream and melting cheese on top. Once you’ve made it at home, you won’t have to wait for the next fair to enjoy it.
Invite a few friends, fry them fresh, and watch them disappear.
