Mangalitsa Bacon 330g

Mangalitsa bacon is a traditionally dry-cured, cold-smoked Hungarian pork pancetta with rich marbling, a tender texture and deep, savoury flavour.

What Is Mangalitsa Bacon?

This artisan bacon is made from the pork belly of free-range Mangalitsa pigs, a heritage breed prized for its generous marbling and exceptional depth of flavour. Often described as the Kobe beef of pork, Mangalitsa has a distinctive richness.

Szomor Farm dry-cures the pork with salt, then cold-smokes it over hardwood in small batches. The result is a supple, creamy pancetta with a clean smoky aroma and a full, meaty finish.

Made with just Mangalitsa pork and salt, it contains no added nitrates, nitrites, artificial additives or preservatives. It is part of our carefully selected range of nitrate-free and preservative-free charcuterie.

How to Use Mangalitsa Bacon

Slice it finely for a luxurious cold cut, or cook it gently to render its richly flavoured fat and crisp the edges.

• Dice and fry gently for a particularly flavourful carbonara, or scatter over Brussels sprouts, cabbage or a warm potato salad.
• Scatter crisp pieces over baked potatoes, creamy soups or leafy salads, then use a little of the rendered fat to start the next stage of cooking.
• Lay thin slices over roast chicken, pork chops or roasted vegetables, letting the bacon soften and baste the dish with its smoky richness.
• Serve thinly sliced on fresh sourdough, perhaps with pickles or a little mustard, as part of a generous charcuterie board.
• Use it in our cottage cheese pasta recipe, where crisp bacon and its rendered fat bring the classic Hungarian dish to life.
• Save the rendered fat for frying eggs, sautéing vegetables or enriching a simple bean or potato dish. For a pure cooking fat from the same heritage breed, try our Mangalitsa lard, or browse our full animal fats collection.

Cook’s Tip for Nitrate-Free Bacon

As this bacon is traditionally dry-cured with salt rather than injected with curing brine, it renders its flavourful fat gradually. Start it in a cold frying pan over a low to medium heat, then let it warm slowly until the fat turns clear and the edges become crisp. Save any rendered fat for another dish.

Great Taste Award Winner

This Mangalitsa bacon was awarded 2 Stars at the 2025 Great Taste Awards by the Guild of Fine Food. View the official Great Taste Awards listing.

Where Does It Come From?

Our Mangalitsa bacon comes from Szomor Farm, a family-owned producer established in 1989 in Kiskunság National Park on the Hungarian Great Plain. The farm lies on the former Danube floodplain, within one of Hungary’s characteristic saline-steppe landscapes.

The Mangalitsa pigs roam freely outdoors and are raised slowly, helping develop the rich marbling and distinctive flavour the breed is known for. Monika selected Szomor Farm for its traditional approach and its exceptional Hungarian heritage-breed charcuterie. Learn more about the breed in our guide to Mangalitsa pork.

Ingredients & Nutritional Information

Ingredients: Mangalitsa pork, salt.

Country of Origin: Hungary.

Storage: Keep refrigerated. Once opened, consume within the period stated on the pack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this bacon nitrate-free?

Yes. It is made with Mangalitsa pork and salt only, with no added nitrates, nitrites, artificial additives or preservatives. Our guide to nitrate-free salami explains what this means when comparing cured meats.

Is Mangalitsa bacon the same as ordinary bacon?

It is made in the same broad way from pork belly, but Mangalitsa is a heritage breed known for its generous marbling and rich, distinctive flavour. This gives the bacon a softer texture and a more pronounced savoury character than many everyday bacons.

Can I use Mangalitsa bacon in place of pancetta?

Yes. Its dry-cured, cold-smoked character makes it an excellent substitute for pancetta in pasta dishes, soups, braises and roast dishes. It also works beautifully in recipes that call for smoked bacon, including wrapped roasts and savoury tarts.

Is Mangalitsa the same as Mangalitza or Mangalica?

Yes. Mangalitsa, Mangalitza and Mangalica are different spellings for the same traditional Hungarian heritage pig breed. “Mangalica” is the Hungarian spelling; “Mangalitsa” and “Mangalitza” are common English-language variants.