Hungarian Goulash

Authentic Hungarian Goulash, or as the Hungarians call it Gulyás, combines slow-cooked beef stew meat with onions, tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes in a rich tomato and beef sauce seasoned with Hungarian sweet paprika and caraway seeds. Enjoy this comfort food made with simple ingredients. Serve with crusty baguettes, freshly baked bread with sweet cream butter, or spaetzle to soak up that rich broth in the bowl.

What is Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash is a slow-cooked tender beef stew (or soup) traditionally made with onions, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and sometimes bell peppers, all seasoned with sweet paprika and caraway seeds. This dish is a staple in Hungarian cuisine and it is the national dish of Hungary. It is served with freshly baked bread or over spaetzle or egg noodles. It is not to be confused with American Goulash, which is made with ground beef and elbow macaroni. 

If you like this recipe, try my other recipe with paprika, like cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, and chicken paprikash.

Ingredients in Hungarian Goulash

• Beef – chunks of beef from stew meat or chuck roast
• Vegetables – garlic, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes
• Spices – salt, black pepper, paprika, caraway seeds, bay leaves, and parsley
• Other ingredients – butter or pork lard, and beef broth

How to make Hungarian Goulash

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter or pork lard over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook until the onions are lightly browned on the edges or for about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the onions from the pot and plate them. If necessary, add another tablespoon of fat to the pot. Add the beef cubes to the pot and brown on both sides.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the onions back to the pot with the beef. Add the garlic, salt, fresh ground black pepper, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds if using. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Then add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Bring the mixture to a boil again. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables and beef are fork tender.

Recipe Notes

• Hungarian Paprika is fairly sweet and not to be confused with Spanish smoked paprika. Spanish paprika is smoked over oak, dried, and ground. For optimal taste, use sweet paprika for this dish, and the fresher, the better. Look for a spice shop in your area.
• Most stew meat is cut from a beef chuck roast or a beef round roast. So, if you prefer, grab one of those roasts and trim and cut your own stew meat into 1-inch cubes.
• Caraway seeds are optional, as not every authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe has them in it.
• Reduce the heat to low before adding the garlic or paprika. Both can burn over too much heat and turn bitter.
• My preferred potatoes for this recipe are Yukon Golds. They have great flavor, tenders skins, and are slightly waxy, so they keep their shape and hold up well in stews.
• Cut the carrots and potatoes into uniform bite-size chunks, making it likely that they will cook through at the same rate.
• Add more beef broth when needed to reach your desired consistency.

Storage and Reheat

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

To freeze, first, fully cool the stew. Then store it in a sturdy container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop on low or in the microwave at reduced power.

Try these soups next.

Hungarian Beef Goulash

An authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe with tender beef, onions, carrots, and potatoes, all cooked up in a beef tomato base seasoned with bay leaves, paprika, and caraway seeds. This is a dish with incredible flavor that the whole family will enjoy.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: stew/soup

Cuisine: Hungarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 306kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or pork lard
• 3 medium onions chopped
• 1 ½ lbs. beef stew meat
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds optional
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes diced
• Chopped fresh parsley optional

Instructions

• Melt 3 tablespoons of butter or pork lard over medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add the onions and cook until the onions are lightly browned on the edges or about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the onions from the pot and plate them. 
• If necessary, add another tablespoon of fat to the pot. Add the beef stew meat and brown on both sides. 
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the onions back to the pot with the browned chunks of beef. Add the garlic, salt, fresh ground black pepper, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds if using. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. 
• Add the diced tomatoes, 2 cups of beef broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes. 
• Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil again. Reduce the heat and cook for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables and beef are fork-tender. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream. 

Notes

• Hungarian Paprika is fairly sweet and not to be confused with Spanish smoked paprika. Spanish paprika is smoked over oak, dried, and ground. For optimal taste, use sweet paprika for this dish, and the fresher, the better. Look for a spice shop in your area.
• Most stew meat is cut from a beef chuck roast or a beef round roast. So, if you prefer, grab one of those roasts and trim and cut your own stew meat into 1-inch cubes.
• Caraway seeds are optional, as not every authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe has them in it.
• Reduce the heat to low before adding the garlic or paprika. Both can burn over too much heat and turn bitter.
• My preferred potatoes for this recipe are Yukon Golds. They have great flavor, tenders skins, and are slightly waxy, so they keep their shape and hold up well in stews.
• Cut the carrots and potatoes into uniform bite-size chunks, making it likely that they will cook through at the same rate.
• Add more beef broth when needed to reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 1076mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5473IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg

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