A classic Hungarian Goulash with melt-in-your mouth, tender beef that’s been slowly cooked in an incredibly rich broth. Tasty, comforting and perfect for the whole family!
What Is Hungarian Goulash?
In 1866 Hungarian immigrants began to settle in my province. They brought with them this stick to your ribs goulash, a rich stew flavored with sweet paprika, plenty of fresh garlic, and caraway seed. Served over noodles, potato, or spaetzle (German egg noodle), this recipe will warm you from the inside out.
This Hungarian classic stews does not rely on a flour or roux for thickening. Many versions also include potatoes, carrots or turnips. But I wanted to keep this version simple because I want to showcase how with just a few simple ingredients you can achieve incredible flavor. So let’s get into this melt in your mouth recipe from the old country and as they say in Hungary, edd meg!
Ingredients In Hungarian Goulash
As always, scroll to my recipe card at the bottom of the page for complete measurements and details.
- Olive oil – We will use olive oil to brown our beef. Browning your beef is key to develop a rich complex flavor which is essential when making such a simple recipe.
- Stewing beef – Stewing beef is generally from chuck or round cuts, tougher cuts that become flavorful and tender when cooked in stews. A less tough cut of beef will fall apart in a recipe like this.
- Salt & pepper – My recipe calls for a teaspoon of each but you can tweak this seasoning if you desire.
- Onion – Choose an onion that will hold up to a long, slow cook time. I used white for this recipe.
- Garlic – I used fresh but if minced in a bottle is all you have, just remember that 1 1/2 teaspoon is equal to one fresh clove
- of garlic.
- Paprika – The paprika should really shine in this dish so I opted for sweet Hungarian paprika.
- Caraway seed – This spice has a distinct warm flavor and gives this dish some brightness. We want these ground so if you can only find them sold whole just grind them with a mortar and pestle.
- Oregano – Packed full of vitamins, this little herb packs more than just flavor. I used dried Oregano for this dish.
- Bay leaves – This is an aromatic used in the cooking process, make sure to fish it out before serving the dish as it’s not meant to be eaten!
- Brown sugar – We want to develop complex flavor and a thick rich sauce as we cook. This adds some crucial sweetness to the meat and the sauce.
- Tomato sauce – The base to our sauce, tomato sauce lends some acidity to the dish to help balance out all our big flavors.
- Balsamic vinegar – A nice dark vinegar like balsamic will help all our flavors really penetrate the meat as it cooks.
- Beef broth – No sodium added for this broth, we really want to make sure we control our sodium level for this dish.
- Parsley – Chopped fresh for garnish.
How To Make Hungarian Goulash
The big difference between a traditional stew and Hungarian stews is that Hungarian stews do not rely on a flour or roux for thickening, which is why most of the time it’s more like a soup and it’s usually served over noodles, potatoes or spatzle.
- Brown the meat – In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is hot add the beef, season with salt and pepper and continue to sear till the meat begins to brown. We want the liquid that the beef releases as it cooks to evaporate off so be sure to keep the heat on high.
- Incorporate your flavors – Add the onions and garlic to the dish and cook till the onions begin to soften and go translucent, be sure that your garlic doesn’t burn in this time, it shouldn’t though because there should be enough moisture in the pot. If need be, add the garlic right when the onions are soft. Add the paprika, oregano, bay leaves, caraway seed, and brown sugar, be sure to stir all of these together before allowing to cook for 30 seconds.
- Create the sauce – Add the wet ingredients: the tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and beef broth before stirring completely. Bring this entire mixture to a boil before covering and turning down the heat to low, allow this to cook for 2 hours and don’t forget to stir occasionally.
- Serve – Garnish with parsley and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Tips For Making The Best Hungarian Goulash
- Hungarian Goulash is all about the paprika, so you’ll want a good quality Hungarian sweet paprika and you’ll want to use at least 3 to 4 tablespoons of it.
- Take the time to cook your meat properly, it really needs 2 to 3 hours so that the beef becomes tender and melts in your mouth.
- Don’t over pack it with vegetables, as a matter of fact I didn’t add any potatoes or carrots. Goulash is about the rich broth and the meat.
- If you really want to include some veggies; carrots, potatoes, or turnips are nice additions. Add them 40 minutes before the beef is done cooking.
How Else Can I Make Hungarian Goulash?
Pressure cooker
Use the saute mode of your pressure cooker to cook everything as instructed up until and including creating your sauce. From there you will turn it on “meat/stew” mode and allow to cook for 35 minutes. After this time allow the heat and pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
Slow cooker
Follow all the same instructions up to and including creating your sauce, then transfer the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
Storing Goulash
Allow to cool completely before storing for up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, just allow to thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat over a sauce pan, stirring constantly.
Craving More Stews? Try These:
- Beef Bourguignon
- Lamb Stew
- Crockpot Beef Stew
- Mexican Pork Stew
- Saucy Chicken and Sausage Over Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- Pork And Potato Stew
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 lbs stewing beef lean, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp pepper or to taste
- 2 large onions roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp caraway seeds ground
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 cups beef broth no salt added
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over high heat then add the olive oil.
- When the oil is hot add the stewing beef. Season with salt and pepper and sear the beef until it starts to brown. The beef will release liquid so continue searing on high heat, and the liquid will evaporate. Alternatively you could drain all the liquid.
- Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions soften and become translucent. Turn the heat down to medium-high.
- Add the paprika, caraway seeds, oregano, bay leaves and brown sugar to the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, beef broth and stir. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender, stirring occasionally. The liquid will reduce down a lot as the beef cooks, so feel free to add more water as needed.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Danika says
July 16, 2019 at 6:22 amDoes the cooking time change if I only make a half portion (1 pound of beef)?
Nicole Beaulieu says
July 16, 2019 at 10:05 amStill cook it for the same amount of time! That’s how you’ll get the pieces nice and tender.
SBaker says
July 6, 2019 at 5:42 amTHIS is the goulash recipe I’ve been looking for! My mom used to make it when I was a kid and it was so heart warming and satisfying! The sweep paprika gravy and hearty beef over wide buttered noodles makes for an amazingly filling winter dinner!
Joanna Cismaru says
July 6, 2019 at 10:35 amSo happy to hear you enjoyed this!
KM says
June 14, 2019 at 12:21 pmHungarian goulash isn’t always a stew, it’s a soup. In fact, from my experience in Hungary (and the area), it’s not. Use a little more broth to eat it as you would generally get it in Hungary.
TeresaS says
May 21, 2019 at 7:27 pmThe hubby loved this dish…it came out looking just like the photos…I wish we could share our photos…anyway…the prep time was way off…it took me…(a seasoned) chef at least 30 minutes…with…mise en place…and clean as you go…but that wasn’t a problem because really the cook time took 2 1/2 hours…so the end result was the same…this really has a nice rich taste…and just to let you know the paprika is dominate…I served it over spaetzle…made for “What’s on the Menu” tag game…
Linda says
May 3, 2019 at 12:33 pmI swear, I would just about kill for a bowl of this right now! This looks soooo good! Have to buy the ingredients.
Nicole Beaulieu says
May 3, 2019 at 12:36 pmYou’re going to love it!
Jessica says
May 2, 2019 at 9:37 amAlmost authentic! I am Hungarian and for those looking for something more authentic follow this:
1. heat a large pot on low heat with 3 TBS of pig lard (that is what is traditionally used but any other oil will do).
2. Add two medium chopped onions to the pot and cook for a long time on a low heat. About 15 minutes!
3. Take the pot OFF the heat and then add: 2 tsp of Hungarian Paprika, 1 tsp of ground caraway seeds, 1tsp of salt and 1 tsp of black pepper. add 1/4 cup of tomato paste. Add about 1/2 cup of water, or just enough water to cover the beef.
4. Add 2 bay leaves, cover the pot and put it back on the heat on low for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Keep checking on the dish and stir so it does not burn and add more water as needed so the beef does not dry up!
And that’s it! We do not add sugar balsamic vinegar or beef broth!
Viki S. says
May 2, 2019 at 11:54 amYes I’m Hungarian too… NO and NO brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Tomato sauce maybe in some places. This dish can remind to Goulash but definitely not traditional Hungarian one. 🙂
Joanna Cismaru says
May 2, 2019 at 12:36 pmI never said this is a traditional recipe, these are all my interpretation of the recipes. Feel free to adjust them as you see fit to your liking. 🙂
Lynda K says
May 2, 2019 at 8:17 amHi Jo, I like that you included other methods to cook this recipe. If I did want to use the pressure cooker, how would I add the veggies? With the beef?, After natural release? and for how long? Thanks!
Justine Beaulieu says
May 2, 2019 at 10:04 amFollow up to step 4 the exact same using the saute setting of your pressure cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Quick release the pressure, and turn the saute setting back on. Reduce for about 20 minutes or until the desired consistency has been reached.
Lynda K says
May 2, 2019 at 10:54 amThanks Justine, so if I’m reading it correctly, the veggies are added after the beef is done and you don’t pressurize, you are just sautéing veggies in the pot with the beef?
Nicole Beaulieu says
May 2, 2019 at 12:57 pmThere is only onion in this recipe for veggies! As Justine said, you will need to cook this on high pressure for 35 minutes. Just follow the recipe exactly up to step 4 using the saute setting on your pressure cooker. You can also check out the video in the recipe card! Enjoy 🙂
Lynda K says
May 2, 2019 at 1:12 pmSorry if I’m making it confusing. Jo said that though she does not add carrots or potatoes but that you could. So I’m just wondering if those are added with the beef at the same time as I know veggies and meat can cook differently in cooker. I did not want veggie mush if beef takes longer. Thanks
Nicole Beaulieu says
May 2, 2019 at 2:16 pmTotally up to you- you can add veggies after while everything simmers if you’re worried about over-cooking!
Christopher Wiebe says
April 7, 2019 at 7:26 pmI love the nutritional information but what is the serving size?
Nicole Beaulieu says
April 8, 2019 at 10:45 amAbout 2/3 cup 🙂 Serve over rice, pasta, polenta, or potatoes and you have a nice filling meal. You can use less olive oil if you’re looking to reduce calories.
bbj says
April 2, 2019 at 2:54 pmmy great-grandmother handed down the recipe for Hungarian goulash oh, but it got lost over the years. This is it! The absolute best I’ve ever tasted! I added a little extra paprika and a bit of red wine just because I like it strong. Thank you for the recipe. It’s a winner!
Trish says
April 2, 2019 at 12:26 pmExcellent / classic / I appreciate the different cooking times for different modes of cooking / thanks
Linda Lindsey says
March 23, 2019 at 9:36 pmVery yummy! I’ve tried to make several goulash recipes and this one was soooo easy and very flavoraful. Even my picky kids ate it. Thank you for sharing!! 😍
Bob says
March 11, 2019 at 1:46 pmVery simple and Very Good. Taste very similar to my moms, who was born is Hungary. Hungarian paprika is a must if you are going to make this recipe.
Vivian says
March 3, 2019 at 7:03 pmThe sauce sounds delicious! I want to make this recipe using ground beef as I have it on hand. I’m wondering if you would advise shortening the cook time or anything else if using ground beef instead?
Nicole Beaulieu says
March 4, 2019 at 11:59 amIf you use ground beef, you won’t need to braise the dish for as long. You can let it simmer and reduce without a lid. Keep an eye on it and take it off the heat once you have it down to your desired thickness 🙂
Jen Chadwick says
March 3, 2019 at 11:53 amLove this recipe! My friends raved about it so I’m making it again tonight.
Suzanne Lauberth says
February 26, 2019 at 5:32 pmFull flavor recipe. I bought a whole roast and cut my own stew meat. Tried to trim the Fat as best I could so had a bit of “skimming the fat” towards the end. Added carrots and served with garlic bread for sopping. This is a saved in my fav beef recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Joanna Cismaru says
February 27, 2019 at 12:19 pmMy pleasure, so glad you enjoyed it!