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Authentic Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Published October 6, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy .

This delicious Hungarian Goulash Recipe is jam-packed with roasted vegetables and beef in an amazing spice-filled broth that is loaded with flavor.

I don’t make beef recipes all that often, but when I do I make sure it’s an experience.  If you only occasionally eat beef as well but are looking to try out some incredible recipes then definitely try my steak au poivre or kofta recipe .

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian stew that has origins all the way back to Magyar shepherds in the 9 th century.  The stew back then was dried out and held in sheep stomachs which were the olden day’s version of a plastic container.  When it was time to eat they would rehydrate it with water and feast.

Fast forward several centuries and goulash finally made its way to a big pot or kettle where meat, vegetables, and of course paprika, were stewed for hours over a fire until everything was tender.  We take the same approach nowadays, but my guess is it’s on your stovetop.

Some very basic ingredients for goulash include beef, onions, carrots, potatoes, peppers, caraway seeds, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. 

What Cut of Beef is Best for Goulash?

There are several different cuts of beef that you could use when making a goulash.  The goal, as it was for the Hungarians when this recipe was created, was to use cheaper accessible cuts of meat that would tenderize with long cooking times.  Here are some of my favorites:

• Bottom Roast
• Top Sirloin

Is It the Same as Beef Stew?

Hungarian goulash is very similar to beef stew, but there are some differences.  While a typical stew consists of slow braising chunks of meat with root vegetables in a seasoned broth, goulash uses spices such as caraway, cumin, paprika, and peppers which really enhance and alter the flavor from a classic beef stew.

How to Make Hungarian Goulash

Follow along with these simple instructions for making a classic Hungarian Goulash from scratch:

Start by cooking some bacon in a large pot until it is browned.  Set them aside.

Add beef to the pot with rendered bacon fat and cook until they are well browned on all sides and then set them aside.

Next, add the onions to the same pot and cook over low heat until they are browned and caramelized.

• Pour in the garlic and peppers and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes while occasionally stirring.

• Place in the tomatoes and stew for 6-8 minutes or until a lot of the liquid has been absorbed.

Next, add back in the beef and bacon, along with the cumin, paprika, and optional caraway seeds, and cook for 4-5 minutes.  The flavor and color should really intensify.

Deglaze with red wine and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the amount of liquid is reduced by one-half.

Pour in some beef stock along with bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and place a lid on the pot and cook over low to medium heat for about 90 minutes or until the beef is tender.

• Add your desired root vegetables to the stew and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

• Serve in a bowl with a garnish of chopped parsley.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 4 to 6 hours ahead of time.  Keep the goulash warm over low heat until ready to serve.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating. You may also need to add more beef stock and re-season.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until it is warmed.  You can also reheat in the microwave until warm.

Chef notes + tips

• Serve the goulash with some homemade bread .
• Caraway seeds are classically used, but I personally am not a fan of using them in this recipe.
• Feel free to adjust the seasonings with more cumin, caraway, or paprika.
• I almost always use cabernet sauvignon when cooking with red wine.
• You can additionally add celeriac root, turnips, and parsnips.

More Beef Recipes

• Birria Tacos
• Salisbury Steak
• Corned Beef
• Steak Diane
• Beef and Barley Soup

Be sure to follow me on  Facebook ,  YouTube ,  Instagram , and  Pinterest , and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

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Ingredients  US Customary Metric

• 6 strips of chopped bacon
• 2 pounds of beef shanks cut into 1” cubes
• 2 peeled and medium diced yellow onions
• 3 finely minced garlic cloves
• 1 seeded and medium diced red bell pepper
• 1 banana or cubanelle pepper cut into rings or medium diced
• 3 cored and medium diced vine ripe tomatoes
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 peeled russet potatoes cut into 1” chunks
• 3 peeled and large diced or thickly sliced carrots
• optionally add 1 cup each of large diced peeled celeriac root and turnips
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Start by cooking some bacon in a large pot over medium heat until it is browned. Set the crisp-cooked bacon lardons aside.
• Add the beef to the pot with rendered bacon fat and cook over high heat until they are well browned on all sides and then set them aside, which takes about 10-12 minutes. The beef drippings will absorb after 5-6 minutes and the beef will be brown much better after that.
• Next, add the onions to the same pot and cook over low heat until they are browned and caramelized, which takes about 20-25 minutes.
• Next, add back in the beef and bacon, along with the cumin, paprika, and optional caraway seeds, and cook for 4-5 minutes. The flavor and color should really intensify.
• Deglaze with the red wine and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the amount of liquid is reduced by one-half.
• Pour in the beef stock along with bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and place a lid on the pot and cook over low to medium heat for about 90 minutes or until the beef is tender.

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56 comments

• Jeanette Hawthorne

This is soooo good I made this and it was gone the same day

• Ica van Eeden

One of our family favourites

My favorite beef stew ever…

• Charlotte Rinderknecht

Even though I forgot to add bay leaves AND had to dump all the veggies in at once (had an appointment), this STILL turned out amazing. Your recipes never fail and watching you make it is very helpful, so THANK YOU for sharing your recipes and your time. Blessings to you!

• Suzanne Chandler

This is sooo flavorful and delicious! I don’t think I can ever do regular beef stew again. I love the earthiness of cumin and paprika. Personally , skipped the caraway, I used two jalapeños with some seeds to add some heat-not too much though. Served with your homemade artisan loaf (which I’ve made many times) which paired perfectly! Thank you so much! Time for your cookbook!

Delicious homemade stew. Quite yummy

Looking forward to making this with what’s on-hand so will be using stew beef and a cabernet/merlot blend. Do love your recipes!

• Philip Legro

I just came across this receipe so have not made it. However, with about a foot of snow predicted from Saturday evening thru Sunday afternoon I definitely will be making it this very soon. I do have one question. I have read in a couple of versions of this receipe where the cook states the pot should be moved off the heat before mixing in the sweet paprika and then add the paprika along with about a half cup of water. This to prevent the paprika from turning bitter. Would you recommend doing this?

Try it out!

• Sonii Nagel

This is my second time making it. I had no issues with my paprika but it is nice quality Hungarian sweet paprika. I also use ghe caraway seeds. My hisband loved it! Such rich flavor!

• Julie Gotham

The Hungarian Goulash was very good. They while family- thumbs up! Thanks Chef!

Amazing food! We just got home from Budapest, and pretty close to what we eat there !!!

• CAROL SIMON

This is definitely more of a soup than a stew. Good flavor

• Chef Billy Parisi
• Carol wilson

This has a wonderful flavor! I made it with sweet potatoes because that’s what my husband prefers and with venison,which we had on hand. Superb Chef!

appreciate you trying this!

• Gregg Slayton

Made it this weekend and without question, this is the best Goulash or Beef Stew. The depth of flavor is fantastic and I’m already thinking about when I can make it again. In the end – I did a “Billy” – I threw my hands up a just walked away!!

Love it, thanks for trying this!

• Jeanie Kristek

My house smells delicious! Perfect dish for the fall . Used ribeye roast steaks and I have to say that was the best Sunday dinner.

Thank you for trying this!

Totally yummy with pumpernickel bread.

yes indeed, thanks for trying it!

• Sonii NagelS

This was fabulous! I used the caraway seeds! Absolutely perfect. My husband loved it and said the broth was amazing and he isn’t a soup guy!

• Darlene Carpenter

I made this for my very picky elderly parents yesterday and they loved it! I did use a couple of turnips and I did not use the caraway seeds. This honestly is a great way to “clean out the fridge”….. I had a lot of carrots and tomatoes that needed to be used up, so I wasn’t sticking too strictly to the recipe, but it still turned out delicious.

thanks for giving it a shot!!

• Carol Downard

I’m making it now! Smells heavenly!👍

• Melody Harvey

I haven’t found Hungarian Paprika in Guatemala as of yet, but this soup still hits the spot! Thanks Chef Parisi!

Hey BILLY I made this yesterday in my site Conner with a hunk of beef brisket and OMG it was DIVINE!

I only made 1 change and that was increasing the paprika to 3 tablespoons.

It really was super delicious even Miss Super Picky 16 loved it.

Thanks so much for sharing it with us! Beef and barley soup is next on my list!

• Leanne Vogt

Great recipe, but do not use a jalapeño pepper! (my bad) Mine was too spicey but I will make this recipe again.

• Crystol Burnett

Wonderful flavor so deep and rich. I left out caraway not a fan of it. This was so good the next day. Love your recipes

thank you so kindly!!

I just made this and thought it was really great. I loved it. I couldn’t stop eating it. I didn’t have any red wine but made it without. I still thought it turned out good. I will definitely be making this again very soon. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe

• Colleen Huthmaker

I made this recipe for my Hungarian mother as a surprise dinner. The only difference to the recipe was I added a few homemade basil dumplings. The recipe was a huge success and they not only finished the meal they wiped up the sauce with bread. The flavor was delicious and so easy to follow. Will be making this again in the future.

I lived in Hungry a number of years ago and go back every year. This recipe gives you authentic goulash.

• ALAN GERARD KAPULSKI

Absolutley delicious! I did a few things differently. I marinated the beef in flour,paprika ,salt and pepper for a 1/2 hour. I used habanero pepper.I sauteed the onions,garlic,tomatoes,and peppers together.followed the recomendation to use celery root and turnip and I chopped up a little watermelon radishand rutabega.Before adding the root vegetables, I pressured cooked everything for 20 minutes. Added root veggies after pressure for 10 minutes. Served it on thick pappardelle egg noodles.Thank you for this recipe. It is spectacular.

Great job on making it work for you.

Amazing 🤩

• Jinnie Grigsby

The best ! Thank you Chef.

Simply delicious. Great comfort food. Filling, nutritious and so flavourful. Can’t wait to have it again.

Do I chop up the bacon when i return it to stew?

Yes, that’s in the instructions. Procedure 6

• Hans Juergen Gorsler

Chop the Caraway Seeds with some Fresh Garlic and Lemon Zest with Butter until it is a Paste, add to the Goulash 1 hour before serving. Suggest to cook the Beef Goulash a Day before and keep it in the Fridge, reheat slowly!! Enjoy it. Chef Hansi

Made it and it was an absolut hit! My family absolutely loved it! Keep it up chef, I am a fan of your recepies!

I made this for dinner last night it is absolutely delicious! This is definitely a keeper!Thank You Chef Parisi!

• Ashley John

Hi, This is Ashley John, I really liked this video and looks really delicious. For this recipe, is it okay to leave out the wine and is there any substitutions because I don’t drink?

Just skip it.

• Martha Haveles

Thoughts on substituting chicken thighs for beef?

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Hungarian pork and beef goulash

Goulash is hungary's rich, heartwarming stew, made here with two meats for double the flavour and comfort-factor..

Hungarian pork and beef goulash Credit: Chris Middleton

preparation

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
• 3 onions, chopped
• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), finely chopped
• 1 green capsicum (bell pepper), finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp hot paprika
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• 400 g (14 oz) stewing beef, cut into 3 cm (1 ¼ inch) chunks
• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) chunks
• 25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) sweet paprika
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut lengthways into quarters
• sourdough bread, to serve
• green salad, to serve

Instructions

Cook's notes.

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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Published: Dec 28, 2023 · Modified: Mar 16, 2024 by Marwin Brown · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

Global Fusion Feast: Hungarian Goulash with a Caribbean Twist

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My fellow flavor-philes join me as I embark on a culinary journey that fuses the rich flavors of Hungarian tradition with the vibrant essence of Caribbean cuisine in this unique and delectable dish. Our Hungarian Goulash , renowned for its hearty and robust taste, takes a delightful twist as it is expertly seasoned with the bold and aromatic Haitian epis—a flavorful blend of herbs and spices.

The infusion of these diverse culinary influences creates a surprising and harmonious mix of tastes that tantalize the palate. But that's not all—this fusion masterpiece goes a step further by introducing the subtle sweetness of sweet potatoes and the crisp, mild flavor of chayote, transforming the classic goulash into a sensational and globally inspired delight.

Get ready to savor each spoonful as this dish transcends boundaries, offering a culinary experience that transcends borders and celebrates the diverse beauty of global flavors.

Related Beef Recipes:

• Dutch Oven Pot Roast
• Braised Beef Neck Bones
• Vegetable Beef Soup with Collards

Step into the groovy kitchen where tradition meets a Caribbean breeze in this electrifying authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe with a soulful twist. Picture the rhythmic simmer of tender beef , harmonizing with the lively dance of island-inspired spices.

What Is Goulash

It may be worth it to start by explaining what ain't goulash. Growing up what we called goulash was really a pasta and ground beef dish which was closer to hamburger helper than it was to beef stew .

Goulash is a hearty and flavorful stew that originated in Hungary (it's national dish level!), but it has become popular in various Central European and Eastern European cuisines. The dish typically features chunks of beef (though other meats like pork or lamb can be used), cooked with an assortment of vegetables such as potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

It is known for its rich and savory flavor , which comes from a combination of paprika, caraway seeds, and other spices. It is often slow-cooked to allow the flavors to meld, resulting in a comforting and robust stew.

Goulash is traditionally served over egg noodles, rice , or potatoes, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal. The versatility and warm, spiced profile of goulash have contributed to its popularity and adaptation in various culinary traditions worldwide.

The Importance of Paprika Spice

Paprika is an essential seasoning in soul food cooking so any dish that elevates this spice will be a favorite of mine. I put paprika in everything! In Hungary paprika love is next level ! It's as essential to Hungarian cuisine as allspice is to Jamaicans, chili peppers are to Mexicans, and herbs to the French.

Paprika holds immense importance in goulash as it is a defining ingredient that contributes both flavor and color to the dish. Hungarian sweet paprika, in particular, is traditionally used in goulash recipes. Its vibrant red hue imparts a visually appealing richness to the stew .

Beyond aesthetics, paprika infuses the goulash with a distinct, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor that is integral to the dish's character. The spice enhances the overall taste profile, complementing the slow-cooked beef and other ingredients to create the signature savory and aromatic experience that defines authentic goulash. In essence, paprika is a cornerstone of goulash, elevating it from a simple stew to a flavorful and iconic Hungarian culinary masterpiece.

Hungarian vs. Spanish Paprika

Hungarian paprika and Spanish paprika, also known as "pimentón," are both popular spice varieties, but they differ in terms of flavor, production methods, and regional characteristics. Here are some key distinctions between Hungarian paprika and Spanish paprika:

• Hungarian Paprika: Primarily uses Capsicum annuum peppers, such as Kápia and Fehérpaprika, which are sweet and aromatic.
• Spanish Paprika: Often made from specific pepper varieties like Jaranda, Jeromín, and Bola, with variations including sweet (dulce), bittersweet (agridulce), and hot (picante).
• Hungarian Paprika: Known for its rich, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor. The sweetness is a hallmark of Hungarian paprika, even in its hot varieties.
• Spanish Paprika: Exhibits a range of flavors, including sweet, bittersweet, and hot. Spanish paprika is also renowned for its distinct smokiness, especially in the case of the "pimentón de la Vera" variety, which is smoked using oak wood .
• Hungarian Paprika: Typically sun-dried, contributing to the development of its unique flavor profile. Sun-drying can take several weeks and allows for a gradual reduction of moisture content.
• Spanish Paprika: Often dried using a smoking process, especially in the case of "pimentón de la Vera." The peppers are dried over oak wood fires, infusing them with a pronounced smoky flavor.
• Hungarian Paprika: Known for its intense red color, which adds vibrancy to dishes.
• Spanish Paprika: Exhibits a deep red hue, with variations in color intensity based on the specific type and drying process.
• Hungarian Paprika: Typically available in sweet, hot, and smoked varieties.
• Spanish Paprika: Available in sweet (dulce), bittersweet (agridulce), and hot (picante) varieties. The smoked version, "pimentón de la Vera," is a popular choice.
• Hungarian Paprika: Integral to Hungarian cuisine, especially in iconic dishes like goulash and chicken paprikash.
• Spanish Paprika: Widely used in Spanish cuisine, including paella, chorizo, and various tapas dishes.
• Hungarian Paprika: A staple in Hungarian culinary tradition, reflecting the country's agricultural practices and historical significance.
• Spanish Paprika: A key ingredient in Spanish cuisine, deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of different regions, particularly in the southwest.

While both Hungarian and Spanish paprikas share similarities as versatile spice staples, the choice between them depends on the desired flavor profile and the specific culinary application. Hungarian paprika is renowned for its sweetness, while Spanish paprika offers a spectrum of flavors, including a distinctive smokiness.

How Is My Goulash Version Different

Typical goulash recipes are beef based, heavy on the paprika seasoning, and include traditional starches. However one of the things I like about goulash is the diversity in approaches and ingredient substitutions. I took this to heart when making my version which blends a bit of the Caribbean with it.

In addition to your standard smoked paprika, I included Haitian Epis seasoning as a seasoning base and used chayote squash and sweet potatoes for my starches. I love the flavors in goulash, but really just wanted to add a little bit of soul to the dish.

Beats and Eats (music to pair with Beef Goulash)

Pairing Rick James' song "Cold Blooded" with a Hungarian Goulash recipe infused with Haitian epis , sweet potatoes, and chayote creates a unique sensory experience. The funky and energetic beats of "Cold Blooded" add a lively and dynamic atmosphere to your cooking process, turning it into a culinary adventure.

The song's rhythm and soulful vibe can elevate the joy of preparing a complex dish like Hungarian Goulash, enhancing the overall cooking experience. Just as Rick James' music is known for its bold and distinctive style, the fusion of Hungarian, Haitian, and Caribbean flavors in the goulash mirrors that same boldness, creating a harmonious blend that tantalizes both the taste buds and the ears.

Together, the song and the dish become a celebration of diverse influences, creating a memorable and multisensory culinary journey.

Key Flavor Ingredients That Elevate This Recipe

• Beef - I prefer Chuck Roast over stew beef pieces. You don't always getting with stew meat.
• All-purpose Flour - is commonly used in beef goulash as a thickening agent for the sauce . When added to the dish, the flour combines with the fats and liquids to create a roux, which helps to thicken the sauce and give it a rich and velvety texture. This thickened sauce coats the beef and vegetables, enhancing the overall mouthfeel and making the dish more satisfying.
• Beef Fat or Pork Lard - adds richness and depth of flavor to beef goulash. As it renders during cooking, it infuses the dish with savory notes, enhancing the overall taste and mouthfeel. Additionally, beef fat contributes to the sauce's texture, creating a velvety and satisfying consistency.
• Beef Broth - serves as the base of the sauce, infusing the dish with savory notes and enhancing its overall taste profile. Additionally, beef broth provides moisture to the dish, ensuring that the beef remains tender and juicy during cooking.
• Sweet Hungarian Paprika - substitute with smoked sweet paprika if Hungarian paprika is unavailable to you. It adds an earthy flavor and vibrant color to beef goulash. Its unique taste enhances the overall depth of the dish, providing a subtle sweetness and a hint of smokiness. Additionally, sweet Hungarian paprika contributes to the authenticity of the goulash.
• Caraway Seeds - add a unique and aromatic flavor to beef goulash. Their addition helps to create a well-rounded and flavorful sauce that complements the richness of the beef and the sweetness of the paprika.
• Marjoram - Marjoram adds a delicate and aromatic flavor to beef goulash. Its subtle taste enhances the overall depth of the dish, providing a hint of sweetness and herbal notes. Additionally, marjoram contributes to the complexity of the goulash, balancing the richness of the beef and the sweetness of the paprika.
• Haitian Epis Seasoning Base - Haitian epis is a traditional seasoning base used in Haitian cuisine. It typically consists of a blend of fresh herbs, spices, and aromatics such as garlic, onions, bell peppers, parsley, thyme, and scallions. This flavorful mixture adds depth, complexity, and a certain amount of brightness to the goulash.
• Bell Peppers - provide sweetness, color, and depth of flavor to beef goulash. Additionally, bell peppers contribute to the texture of the goulash, adding a crisp and juicy bite to each spoonful.
• Diced Tomatoes (fire-roasted) - canned tomato sauce can be subbed. Bring a rich and smoky flavor to beef goulash. Additionally, fire-roasted tomatoes contribute sweetness and acidity.
• Sweet Potatoes - add sweetness, texture, and nutritional value to beef goulash. Their distinct taste enhances the overall flavor profile of the dish, providing a subtle sweetness that complements the savory richness of the beef and the spices.
• Chayote -adds a subtle sweetness and a unique texture to beef goulash. Its mild taste enhances the overall flavor profile of the dish. Additionally, chayote contributes to the heartiness of the goulash, adding bulk and substance to the dish. Its firm yet tender texture holds up well during cooking, adding a satisfying bite to each spoonful.

How To Make Hungarian Goulash

Prep the beef.

• Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in flour. Set aside.

Make the Epis

• Add tomatoes to the epis and puree in a blender or food processor.

Cook the Goulash

Mix all the spices together in a small mixing bowl or ramekin. Set aside.

• Heat lard in large saucepan or dutch oven pot over medium heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions and saute for about 2-3 or until just translucent. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Stir in a quarter of the spix mix and stir.

Add the beef broth to the pot and deglaze the pan scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add beef back plus half the remaining spices and mix.

• Cover, then reduce to a simmer for about 1 ½ -2 hours or until tender.

Add the epis mixture, bell peppers , sweet potatoes, chayote, bay leaves, and remaining spices mixing well. Cook for another 30-45 minutes. 

Serve Hungarian Goulash With...

Several delicious accompaniments pair well with goulash to create a balanced and satisfying meal. Here are some traditional options:

• Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are an excellent choice to soak up the flavorful goulash sauce. The combination of tender meat and savory sauce with the fluffy potatoes is delightful.
• Bread or Rolls: Crusty bread or rolls are perfect for dipping into the rich sauce of goulash. Consider serving a rustic loaf or baguette on the side .
• Rice: Goulash can be paired with plain steamed rice, offering a neutral base that allows the stew's flavors to shine.
• Cabbage Salad: A light and refreshing cabbage salad with a simple vinaigrette can offer a crisp contrast to the heartiness of the goulash.
• Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream on top of the goulash adds a creamy and tangy element that enhances the overall experience.

Best Beef Cut For Beef Stew

The best beef cut for goulash is one that becomes tender and flavorful through slow cooking. Traditional Hungarian goulash often uses tougher cuts of beef that benefit from long, slow simmering, allowing the meat to become fork-tender and absorb the rich flavors of the stew.

A popular choice for goulash is beef chuck or shoulder . These cuts have a good balance of meat and connective tissue, which breaks down during the cooking process, resulting in a tender and succulent texture. Other suitable cuts include beef shank or stewing beef .

When preparing goulash, it's essential to cut the beef into bite-sized chunks, ensuring that they have enough time to cook and become tender during the slow simmering process. If you're looking for the most authentic and traditional experience, choose a tougher cut of beef for its ability to develop rich and complex flavors as it cooks.

Ways To Maximize Flavor In Goulash

To maximize the flavor in Hungarian goulash, consider incorporating the following techniques and ingredients:

• Browning the Meat: Before simmering the meat in the stew , brown it in batches. This process caramelizes the exterior, adding depth and richness to the overall flavor.
• Generous Use of Paprika: Paprika is a key spice in goulash. Use a good-quality Hungarian sweet paprika for a robust and authentic flavor. Add it early in the cooking process to allow the spices to infuse into the dish.
• A Mix of Paprika Types: Combine sweet, hot, and smoked paprika for a complex flavor profile. The sweet paprika provides a rich base, while the hot and smoked varieties add depth and a hint of smokiness .
• Slow Cooking: Goulash benefits from slow cooking over low heat. This allows the meat to become tender and absorb the flavors of the spices and vegetables, resulting in a more flavorful stew.
• Vegetable Medley: Include a variety of vegetables like onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. These vegetables add sweetness , acidity, and depth to the goulash.
• Garlic and Onions: Sautéing garlic and onions at the beginning of the cooking process enhances the base flavors of the dish.
• Caraway Seeds: Caraway seeds provide a distinct earthy flavor that complements the paprika. Toast them lightly before adding to the goulash for enhanced aroma and flavor.
• Tomato Paste: Adding a small amount of tomato paste contributes umami and richness to the stew . Sauté the tomato paste briefly to deepen its flavor before adding liquids.
• Quality Beef Broth: If using broth, opt for a high-quality beef broth or make your own for a richer flavor. Ensure the broth complements the spices in the goulash.
• Red Wine or Vinegar: A splash of red wine or red wine vinegar can add acidity, balancing the richness of the stew.

Alternative Cooking Methods

I actually like to use my Instant Pot Pressure cooker for any meat or bean based stews/soups. A slow cooker or crock pot is another option and is very convenient. If using a crock pot you'll want to sear/brown the meat separately for optimal flavor.

Storage and Reheating Beef Stew

Store leftover Hungarian goulash in an airtight container and refrigerate. Leftovers will last about three days. Anything beyond three days you should dispose. I actually like to make my goulash a day ahead as it tastes better the next day after the ingredients have had a chance to sit.

Make Hungarian Goulash

This Caribbean-Hungarian fusion beef goulash is a true celebration of culinary creativity and cultural diversity. Combining the bold flavors of Caribbean spices with the traditional Hungarian goulash recipe, this dish offers a tantalizing blend of sweet, savory, and aromatic elements.

Each spoonful is a journey through the vibrant landscapes of two distinct culinary traditions, resulting in a harmonious fusion of flavors that is both comforting and exhilarating. Whether enjoyed on a chilly evening or as a special occasion meal, this unique goulash is sure to delight the taste buds and transport you to a world of culinary delight.

If you make this goulash recipe , please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

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Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients, for the beef.

• ▢ 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast cut into pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• ▢ Salt and Pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Pork Lard

For The Epis

• ▢ 1 cup Haitian Epis Seasoning Base
• ▢ 14 oz canned Diced Tomatoes fire-roasted

For the Goulash

• ▢ 2 tablespoon Sweet Hungarian Paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Marjoram
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ▢ ½ medium Red Bell Pepper diced
• ▢ 4 cloves Garlic minced
• ▢ 1 medium Yellow Onion diced
• ▢ 5 cups Beef Broth
• ▢ 2 Bay leaves
• ▢ 2 medium Sweet Potato peeled and chopped
• ▢ 1 medium Chayote chopped

Instructions

• Add the onions and saute for about 2-3 or until just translucent. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Stir in caraway seeds and a quarter of the paprika and mix well.
• Add the beef broth to the pot and deglaze the pan scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add beef back and mix.
• Add the epis mixture, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, chayote, bay leaves, and remaining spices mixing well. Cook for another 30-45 minutes.

Reader Interactions

December 28, 2023 at 6:49 pm

I love the addition of epis in this goulash. I can’t wait to try out this recipe!

veenaazmanov says

December 28, 2023 at 7:15 pm

Savita says

December 29, 2023 at 10:11 am

Mikayla says

December 29, 2023 at 4:38 pm

December 29, 2023 at 9:22 pm

Leslie says

December 30, 2023 at 2:53 pm

Kathryn says

December 30, 2023 at 5:06 pm

Krysten says

December 31, 2023 at 8:49 am

Carrie Robinson says

December 31, 2023 at 2:20 pm

Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says

December 31, 2023 at 8:20 pm

Hayley Dhanecha says

January 01, 2024 at 3:22 am

Your post reminds me my holiday to Hungary, what a flavourful and delicious dish from this region.

Cathleen says

January 01, 2024 at 4:53 am

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24 Easy Hungarian Food Recipes from Goulash to Hungarian Desserts

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Traditional Hungarian food forms the basis of what is known as modern-day Hungarian Cuisine. From Goulash to Hungarian Desserts, seasonal vegetables, meats, bread, cheeses, and dairy products are the main staples of the Hungarian Cuisine.

Traditional Hungarian Cuisine

Hungary, as a country, is rich in culture and tradition. Bread is and has been important in Hungarian food culture and diet. It is a part of almost all the meals in the country. Before the communist regime fell, white bread was the staple food of the region. Ever since then, there has been a proliferation of innovative pastries and baked Hungarian dishes.

Hungarian cuisine and food facts tells us that Hungarian cuisine is heavily influenced by Magyar culture. Additionally, it is also influenced by continental central European culture, though certain elements trace their origin from Eastern Europe. Poppy is a good example of the latter and is quite popular in Hungarian food. Additionally, kefir and quark also are cooking elements from eastern Europe.

Meats and cheeses are common elements in Hungarian food. Pork, chicken, and beef are the most common, while duck, turkey, fish, and game meat are mostly used on special occasions. In Hungary, sausages and salamis are relatively inexpensive since there is a lot of pork production.

The History of Hungarian Dishes

The prominence of meat in Hungarian cuisine directly traces its origins from the nomadic and livestock-keeping culture of the Magyar people. This is also reflected in Hungarian traditional food, such as the famous Goulash, which means cattleman’s meat. Another traditional food, the halaszle, a spicy fisherman, soup, is cooked in open fire cauldrons, as is the goulash.

The renaissance also had a huge effect on the cooking practices of Hungarian Recipes. Hungarian food history shows that it led to the introduction of things such as mace, saffron, garlic, and nutmeg. However, some of the spices, like saffron and garlic, are no longer used.

Hungary was an integral member of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Thus, it is no surprise that there are many food preparation methods and dishes that have been borrowed from Austrian cuisine. An example of this can be seen in certain cakes and sweets in Hungarian Desserts with strong German influences.

The foods and dishes present in Hungarian cuisine result from Hungary itself being a melting pot of Europe and holding its own in the Magyar culture.

Old Style Hungarian Food Preparation

Since past times, it is common for all the main Hungarian dishes to have a side dish, which is referred to as koret. Though you can offer the main dish without the side dish, it is very uncommon, as it is unusual to violate the conversation.

Some of the foods have a customary side dish to accompany it .An example of this is paprika chicken, which is always eaten with noodles, though some also use fried cheese.

Hungarian food is characterized by desserts, pastries, soups, and casseroles. However, most dishes are generally common to the entire region. That being said, there are usually nuanced differences between the method of preparation and presentation of the same dishes in different regions, and this has caused fierce rivalries.

Take, for example, a fisherman’s soup dish, known as Halaszle. For many years, and even right now, it is cooked differently on the banks of Hungary’s two main rivers; the Tisza and the Danube.

Smoking was the main way to cook pork and other types of meat, both game and domestic. A smoky taste characterized the foods and dishes. Smoked ham, sausages, and lard were consumed after smoking and no other preparation or presentation. Fresh vegetables and bread accompanied them. These same dishes are even today offered as starters in hotels and restaurants.

Pickled, or fermented vegetables are also another staple of old traditional Hungarian food. The most common of the said vegetables is sour cabbage, known as savanyu Kaposzta, and sour peppers. Alternatively, the Hungarians also used a mix of cauliflower, baby watermelon, green tomatoes, and other vegetables. They used to consume these vegetables mainly during the winter season, and they are the main source of vitamin ‘c’ during that season.

Modern Hungarian Recipes and Dishes

Like many cuisines worldwide, the modern Hungarian cuisine has its foundations deeply entrenched in old, traditional cooking methods and foods. Thus, you will find a plethora of dishes that have more or less remained the same, from their preparation to presentation and consumption, throughout hundreds of years.

This is facilitated by the entire culture actively trying to pass the traditions from one generation to another. Sous chefs will pass the perfected recipes and pass them onto novice chefs, and mothers will do the same with their children.

This is not to say that creativity and ingenuity in the kitchen are harbored. Quite the contrary. Over the last couple of years, Hungarian chefs have begun to incorporate creativity into their cooking and presentation to success.

Most of the Hungarian food recipes, dishes and foods prepared in modern-day restaurants, eateries and hotels acquiesce to today’s cooking standards. Thus, most of the said dishes become so unusual and unfamiliar to native Hungarians because they are used to prepare their meals using traditional methods.

Since bread is a staple of the Hungarian diet, modern bakeries have been set up worldwide. Now, the Hungarians can buy freshly baked bread every other day from the local bakery.

Traditional Hungarian food is healthy, whether you are a resident of Hungary or a visitor you can enjoy the traditional Hungarian food whether it has been prepared and cooked traditionally or in a modern way. For example, you can start your day with bakery products, served along with meat and heavy soups. Get to know that most Hungarian foods are spiced and it is the amount of spice in them that brings a difference between the Hungarian food and the Slavic Nations’ food.

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1. pörkölt (beef & onion stew) – hungarian food.

Pörkölt is Hungary’s national stew, its name derived from the word pörkölni, meaning to roast or singe. The stew is made from meat such as beef, lamb, pork, or chicken, simmered in a red sauce with lots of onions, garlic, and paprika powder. It is traditionally served with dumplings, boiled potatoes, or pasta, and it is recommended to pair it with a Hungarian fruit brandy. Pörkölt’s history is closely linked to the traditional Hungarian goulash, as both dishes were originally prepared as peasant meals that made hefty use of powdered paprika.

2. Gulyás (Goulash) – Hungarian Recipes

This Hungarian specialty is prepared with meat, traditionally beef, that is simmered in a rich paprika-infused broth, usually alongside onions, bell peppers, root vegetables, various spices, and occasionally tomatoes (in some regional variations).

Gulyás is a well-known dish that enjoys immense popularity even outside the Hungarian borders. In many countries, the word is synonymous with a thick stew, while in Hungary gulyás mostly represents a soup-like dish. It closely resembles pörkölt—a thick Hungarian stew consisting of meat, onions, and selected spices—which is what most people outside of Hungary associate with the word gulyás (goulash).

They both originated as traditional, rustic dishes that appeared in their modern-day form in the 18th century when paprika became a commonly used spice. In Hungary, gulyás is traditionally served accompanied by csipetke pasta or bread and is mainly enjoyed as a hearty main course.

3. Vadas Marha – Hungarian Dishes

Vadas marha is a traditional dish originating from Hungary. The dish is made with a combination of sliced beef and vadas, a creamy sauce consisting of carrots, onions, parsley, bay leaves, black pepper, and sour cream. The preparation of the dish takes a long time because the beef first needs to be cooked with the vegetables and spices for 3 hours and is marinated for 24 hours.

After that, the meat is separated and cut into thick slices, and the rest of the marinade is used as a basis for the vadas sauce. Vadas marha is often served with bread dumplings on the side.

4. Túrógombóc (Hungarian Cheese Dumplings) – Hungarian Cuisine

These traditional Hungarian dumplings are made with a combination of túró cheese, semolina, and eggs. The mixture is shaped into round balls that are coated in bread crumbs and fried until crispy. Even though they are often listed as a dessert, cheese dumplings are not overly sweet and can also be enjoyed as a filling main course.

If served as a dessert, they are usually accompanied by sour cream, fruit, and a dusting of powdered sugar. In Austria and Germany, similar dish goes under the name of topfenknödel.

5. Hurka – Traditional Hungarian Recipes

Hurka is a popular Hungarian sausage consisting of ground pork liver, lungs, rice, and onions. There are two main varieties: májas hurka, made with liver and rice, and véres hurka, made with blood, rice, and seasonings.

It is recommended to pan-fry or grill the sausages and enjoy them with fresh bread, sauerkraut, potatoes with parsley, and mustard, or alternatively, pickled vegetables such as cucumbers and peppers. Hurka pairs extremely well with a glass of cold beer on the side.

6. Hortobágyi Palacsinta (Stuffed Crepes) – Hungarian Food

This savory pancake is a specialty of the Hungarian cuisine. It is filled with meat (typically veal) which is prepared like a stew – sautéed with tomatoes, onions, spices, and (sometimes) mushrooms. The pancakes are first filled with the combination of meat and vegetables, then tucked at the ends and baked in the oven with sour cream and paprika. After the baking, the dish is usually garnished with chopped parsley.

7. Stefánia Szelet (Stefánia Meatloaf) – Hungarian Recipes

Stefánia szelet is a traditional Hungarian meatloaf stuffed with hard-boiled eggs in the middle, making the dish visually attractive once cut and the cross-section becomes visible. The meat mixture consists of ground pork, onions, garlic, caraway, paprika, parsley, and marjoram.

Instead of being fried in the pan, the meatloaf is baked in a loaf pan. When baked and sliced, the dish is often accompanied by boiled potatoes, but it can also be served on its own when it cools down a bit.

8. Sólet – Hungarian Dishes

Often considered to be the predecessor to cholent, sólet is a Hungarian-Jewish stew that is traditionally slowly cooked on Friday night before the Sabbath. The stew consists of beans, paprika, onions, boiled eggs, and meat such as smoked pork, duck, beef, or goose. The next day, this hearty and nutritious stew is ready to be consumed.

9. Töltött Paprika (Hungarian Stuffed Peppers) – Hungarian Cuisine

Traditionally prepared with yellow wax peppers, this Hungarian summer classic is both a common restaurant dish and a popular home-cooked meal. The peppers are usually filled with a combination of minced meat, rice, eggs, and different seasonings before they are cooked in a rich, paprika-infused tomato broth.

Stuffed peppers are always served doused in the accompanying broth and are usually enjoyed complemented by mashed potatoes or bread.

10. Töltött Kaposzta (Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage) – Traditional Hungarian Recipes

Hungarian stuffed cabbage consists of blanched fresh or sour cabbage leaves that are stuffed with a flavorful mixture of minced pork, onions, rice, and seasonings. Neatly tucked rolls are layered with sliced sauerkraut and slowly cooked. Traditionally, stuffed cabbage is cooked alongside smoked meat, and it can be slowly baked in the oven or cooked on the stovetop.

Often thickened with paprika-spiced roux and served topped with sour cream, these tender rolls are traditionally associated with Christmastime and are often served on other festive and special occasions.

11. Birkagulyás (Mutton Goulash) – Hungarian Food

Birkagulyás is a version of a traditional Hungarian goulash prepared with mutton as the key ingredient. The mutton is cooked in a mix of vegetables such as carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, and celery. The combination is usually flavored with parsley, paprika, black pepper, salt, and caraway seeds.

Some recipes also suggest the inclusion of red wine sauce to the mix. Birkagulyás, a delicious Hungarian comfort food, can be served with dumplings, sour cream, or spätzle noodles.

12. Spätzle – Hungarian Recipes

Spätzle is the German answer to pasta: thick noodles made from water, salt, flour, and eggs. They are very moist and have a soft texture, so it is not possible to roll them out – instead, they are shaped by hand, with a knife, or pressed through a variety of spätzle-presses.

The raw noodles are placed in boiling water and are finished as soon as they float up to the top. The first written recipe for spätzle dates back to 1725, although it is still not known who invented them. Spätzle are used in a variety of dishes and can be combined with ingredients such as cheese, lentils, sausages, sauerkraut, butter, and spinach.

13. Rakott Krumpli (Hungarian Potato Casserole) – Hungarian Dishes

Often described as the ultimate comfort food, this traditional casserole is one the most popular Hungarian dishes. Even though it is incredibly versatile, it usually consists of multiple layers of sliced potatoes, fried bacon, or csabai sausage intertwined with a creamy mixture of eggs and sour cream.

Shortly baked until golden brown and crispy, this hearty dish is usually enjoyed as the main course and it is commonly complemented with various pickled salads.

14. Paprikás Csirke (Paprika Chicken) – Hungarian Cuisine

Hungarian chicken paprikás originated as a rustic stew that was cooked in a large cauldron over an open fire. It is traditionally prepared with chicken thighs and legs that are braised alongside onions and cooked in a thick, paprika-flavored broth.

Although it is similar to the classic pörkölt stew, paprikás is characterized by the addition of sour cream and occasionally flour, which are always added last to create a smooth, creamy sauce. Paprikás is a common restaurant dish as well as a hearty home-cooked meal that is traditionally served complemented by galuska or csipetke dumplings, pasta, boiled potatoes, or polenta.

15. Meggyleves – Traditional Hungarian Recipes

This sweet chilled soup made with sour cherries and sour cream is a traditional Hungarian summertime dish. Also known as hideg meggyleves, meggykeszőce or cseresznyeleves, it is prepared throughout the country as soon as cherries come into season.

Although one might be tempted to eat it as a dessert, in Hungary, this tart and creamy soup is generally served before the main course, as it makes for a refreshing alternative to the standard meat and starch fare.

16. Pogácsa – Hungarian Food

Pogácsa is a popular Hungarian snack consisting of a small, bite-sized pastry that can be either sweet or savory. Preferably, it should be eaten while still hot. Although there are differences in size and flavor, all pogácsa pastries are commonly prepared in a round shape.

Their diameter may vary from that of a thimble to that of a drinking tumbler. There are numerous varieties of pogácsa – cheese, cabbage, potatoes, bacon, and pumpkin seeds, to name a few. In Hungarian folk tales, the main hero always takes a pogácsa baked in embers as food for his adventures and long journeys, which is a strong testament to the Hungarians’ love for these traditional snacks.

17. Lecsó (Tomato-Pepper Stew) – Hungarian Recipes

This hearty Hungarian vegetable ragout is made with a base of rendered lard or bacon fat, fried Hungarian wax peppers, tomatoes, onions, ground paprika, salt, and sometimes garlic. Lecsó can be eaten on its own with bread or with a side of rice for lunch, but it can also be served as an accompaniment to meat mains such as pork schnitzel or roasted chicken. Lecsó itself is much akin to the French ratatouille, and though this versatile dish is prepared in numerous variations, it is said that the very best lecsó is cooked over an open fire in a bogrács, the traditional Hungarian cast iron cauldron.

18. Halászlé (Fisherman’s Soup) – Hungarian Dishes

Halászlé or fisherman’s soup is made with mixed river fish cooked in a broth that is heavily spiced with hot paprika. The fish—mainly carp, catfish, perch, or pike—is locally sourced from the Tisza and Danube rivers, and though halászlé may seem like a simple dish, this rich soup is traditionally prepared outside and cooked in a kettle over an open fire.

Every region has their own version, but the two most popular are Szeged halászlé, made with four types of fish, and Baja halászlé, made mainly with carp and served with homemade pasta called gyufatészta.

19. Gulyásleves (Herdsman Soup) – Hungarian Cuisine

Gulyásleves is a popular Hungarian soup containing beef cubes, smoked bacon, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, paprika, pepper, and caraway seeds. Translated as herdsman soup, it can be traced back to the old nomadic tribe called Magyars, who used to cook it in big cauldrons (called bogrács) over an open fire.

Over the years, this typical Hungarian food has evolved and was adapted to make new dishes such as pörkölt and paprikás csirke (chicken paprikash). Today, there are as many recipes and variations of gulyásleves as there are Hungarian grandmothers.

20. Kifli – Traditional Hungarian Recipes

Kifli are crescent-shaped yeast rolls that can either be consumed plain, sprinkled with poppy, sesame, or caraway seeds, or topped with fruit jam or honey. Although not much is known about the origin of kifli, there is a legend saying that kifli were invented when Christians defended Buda from the Ottomans, and as a sign of celebration, the city bakers started selling fresh bread rolls in the shape of a crescent moon. Today, kifli are traditionally baked for Christmas in Hungary.

21. Dobos Torte – Hungarian Desserts

As an attempt to make a cake that would be able to keep longer than usual, the Hungarian confectioner named József C. Dobos first introduced the Dobos torte at the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885. It is a round cake consisting of six thin sponge cake layers and five layers of chocolate buttercream.

To prevent it from drying out, the cake also has a glistening layer of hard caramel on top, while the sides are often coated with ground nuts. Before it hardens, the layer of caramel should be cut into slices with a special Dobos knife, and the pieces of caramel are then arranged on top of the cake.

22. Krémes – Hungarian Desserts

The Hungarian version of the famous cremeschnitte goes under the name krémes, meaning creamy. It combines two layers of puff pastry held together with a generous amount of smooth pastry cream. Though the recipe has been slightly modernized, the classic krémes pastry cream should be light and airy, while the top is usually dusted with powdered sugar.

Traditionally served cut into large, rectangular slices, the dessert is a Hungarian classic and a staple at numerous pastry shops throughout the country.

23. Esterházy Torta – Hungarian Desserts

This decadent and popular Hungarian food is said to have been invented by Budapest confectioners in the 19th century. It is named after a member of the Esterházy dynasty, Prince Paul III Anton Esterházy de Galántha, a nobleman and diplomat, and also a well-known gourmand.

Traditionally, Esterházy torta consists of several layers of almond meringue and a rich, cognac-spiked vanilla buttercream, although in modern versions almonds are often replaced with either walnuts or hazelnuts. The cake is topped with a white fondant icing and decorated with chocolate in either a spiderweb or chevron marbling style.

24. Zserbó – Hungarian Dessert

This layered, chocolate-topped apricot and walnut cake was invented by a Swiss chocolatier named Émile Gerbeaud—pronounced zserbó in Hungarian, hence the name—who moved to Budapest in 1884 to take charge of Kugler coffee house and pâtisserie, which is now the famous Café Gerbeaud.

Soon after it was introduced, the delicious zserbó cake became a favorite all over Hungary. And although the original recipe calls for apricot preserve, it is not unusual to find other versions filled with ginger, apples, plum jam, or even honey and walnuts. In other words, Zserbi us a famous Hungarian food.

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Goulash Soup

Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Sep 16, 2022 · Modified: Jan 13, 2024

This traditional Hungarian Goulash Soup or Magyars Gulyásleves is authentic comfort food. A hearty beef stew mad with homemade Csipetke pinched noodles. This traditional soup is cooked over a fire, but you can use your kitchen stove!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Authentic - this is my aunt's traditional Hungarian Goulash soup recipe
• Hearty - chunks of beef and potatoes are the ultimate comfort food
• Feeds a Crowd - a large soup recipe that will feed up to 10 people
• One Pot Meal - an easy stew made in a single pot, making clean up easy

What is Goulash Soup?

This is the original dish of Hungarian herdsmen, and is usually made with beef (and all parts of beef were used). Cooking Goulash Soup over a fire adds an authentic smokey flavor, it's worth the extra effort. However, of course this recipe can be easily made in a large stockpot on your stove.

Ingredients

• Beef - cubed into ½" chunks
• Onion - the more the merrier
• Paprika Wax Peppers - a white Hungarian pepper, varies from sweet to spicy heat
• Hungarian Paprika Spice - bright red with no bitterness
• Tomatoes - blanched and peeled
• Carrots - add sweetness
• Parsnips - a nutty root vegetable
• Potatoes - for hearty substance

How to Make Goulash Soup

• Caramelize - fry onions until golden, add ground Paprika.
• Brown - add cubed beef, stir until coated. Cook until starts to brown (about 4-5 minutes). season with salt and pepper.
• Add Vegetables - mix in tomatoes and Paprika Peppers.
• Add Red Wine - simmer for 30 minutes.
• Simmer - Mix in carrots, parsnips, potatoes and Caraway. Fill pot with water and allow to simmer for 50 minutes. 
• Dough Balls - add Csipetke dough balls and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Taste - add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with parsley when serving.

How to Make Csipetke

Csipetke are Hungarian pinched noodles that are usually dropped into soups or stews. Like tiny pinched pieces of pasta, between a dumpling and a noodle. These ones are rolled into pea size balls, and are easy to make.

• Make Dough - using your hands, mix together ½ cup flour and egg, kneading into a dough ball. Add extra flour until you make a dough.
• Create - pinch small, pea size pieces from the dough, and roll them using your fingers.
• Place - put the Csipetke balls on a plate sprinkled with flour so they don't stick together.

Paprika Pepper Substitutes

Sometimes it can be hard to find the traditional white Hungarian Wax Peppers that are used in this recipe. They're also used in my Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (töltött paprika) . If your green grocer doesn't sell them, try a Farmer's Market.

• Bell Peppers - substitute with 2 Red or Yellow Peppers, don't use Green
• Banana Peppers - has a mild and tangy taste
• Anaheim Peppers - a mildy spicy pepper
• Cubanelle Peppers - a mild pepper with low heat

Types of Paprika for Goulash

There are different types of Paprika, and this traditional Hungarian Goulash recipe needs an authentic Hungarian Paprika. Trust me, there is a difference!

• Hungarian Paprika - a sweet red pepper flavor, with varying degrees of heat
• Sweet Paprika - great for color with minimal flavor (good for devilled eggs)
• Smokey Paprika - Spanish style, smoked over wood fire before grinding

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Animal Fat - skip vegetable oil and use lard, goose fat or duck fat
• Budget Tip - use ½ the amount of beef and substitute beef stock instead of water for richer flavor, which also makes it more soupy
• Remove Excess Fat - when trimming your meat, remove the visible fat to ensure your meat is tender and not chewy.
• Be Generous - It might seem scary, but be generous with the amount of onions and Hungarian Paprika you use. More is ok in this recipe, Hungarian style.
• Bell Peppers - the easiest peppers to find, use only 2 Bell Peppers for this recipe, as they are larger than Hungarian Wax Peppers

Can I Make Hungarian Goulash Ahead of Time?

Yes, just follow the instructions and allow to cool. Keep in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Re-heat on the stove before serving.

Best Cut of Beef?

Chuck Steak is often used for Goulash. It's tasty and affordable. It's easy to buy a Chuck Roast and cut the pieces into cubes. Chuck is also called a Blade Roast. Use best cut of beef you can afford.

How to Thin Goulash?

As the soup simmers on the stove, much of the broth evaporates. Add more water or beef stock to your soup to get the consistency right.

Can you Freeze Goulash?

Yes! As this is a large recipe, you will likely have leftovers! Allow to cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before re-heating.

Hungarian Goulash

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 onions diced
• 4 tablespoons ground Hungarian Paprika
• 4 lbs /2 kg beef or pork cut in ½" cubes
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper de-seeded and cut into cubes
• 4 Hungarian Paprika Peppers
• 2 tomatoes peeled and diced
• 2 carrots sliced
• 2 turnips sliced
• ½ cup red wine
• 4 potatoes cut in ½" cubes (about 1½ lbs/750g)
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway
• 2 litres water
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt

Instructions

Making csipetke .

• Using your hands, mix together ½ cup flour and egg, kneading into a dough ball. Add extra flour until you make a dough.
• Pinch small, pea size pieces from the dough, and roll them using your fingers.
• Place Csipetke on a plate sprinkled with flour so they don't stick together.

Making Goulash

• Heat oil in a large pot and caramelize onions for about 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in ground Paprika. You don't want the Paprika to burn while on the heat.
• Add cubed beef, stir until coated. Cook beef until starts to brown (about 4-5 minutes). Add salt and pepper.
• Mix in tomatoes and Paprika peppers. Juices will release while cooking, but can add 1 cup of water if too dry.
• Add red wine and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
• Mix in carrots, parsnips, potatoes and Caraway. Fill pot with water and allow to simmer for 50 minutes.
• Add Csipetke dough balls and cook for 15 minutes.
• Taste, add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with parsley when serving.

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• Braised & Stewed Beef
• Winter Mains

Goulash (Hungarian Beef and Paprika Stew) Recipe

This old-fashioned goulash is loaded with vegetables and beef for a hearty winter meal.

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

• Searing the meat in large steaks gives you browned flavor without overcooking or steaming.
• Gelatin adds body to the sauce without muddying flavors.
• Using two batches of vegetables ensures optimum flavor and texture in the finished dish.

I'm a fan of goulash in all its forms, and there are many. There's the American dish of ground beef, tomato sauce, peppers, and pasta—a dish that I knew as  American chop suey  while growing up in the Northeast. Then there's the classic Hungarian version, with small cubes of beef or pork in a brothy, soup-like stew flavored with paprika. But in the winter months, the version I'm after is the rich, hearty, rib-sticking Hungarian-American version, made with big chunks of beef, carrots, and potatoes in a stew flavored with onions, garlic, peppers, and plenty of great paprika.

Once you realize that, technique-wise, there's not a huge difference between goulash and beef stew, it's a pretty straightforward preparation. I go deep into  the new rules of beef stew in this article , but here's a quick summary of the most important techniques:

• Sear your meat before cutting it into cubes.  Searing beef that's been cut into steaks (we like to use boneless chuck, for its flavor and plentiful connective tissue) allows it to brown more efficiently, giving the stew more flavor while also ensuring that the beef stays very tender.
• Keep your thickeners to a minimum.  Stews loaded down with flour taste muddy and muted. We use only a small amount of flour, and rely instead on powdered gelatin to add body and richness to store-bought stock.
• If using store-bought stock, go with chicken, not beef.  Store-bought beef broth tastes nothing like real beef—its main flavoring agents are yeast extracts and other enhancers. Chicken stock has a more natural flavor that picks up the flavor of the beef well as it braises.
• Use two sets of vegetables.  We add one set of vegetables to the stew at the very beginning to flavor it as it cooks. We then discard those spent vegetables and add a fresh set to the pot toward the end of cooking. This delivers maximum flavor, while ensuring that the vegetables are perfectly cooked (and not turning to mush).
• Use umami bombs.  Adding a few glutamic acid– and inosinic acid–rich ingredients to your stew can beef up its flavor significantly.
• Cook it in the oven, keep the lid cracked, and don't overcook it!  The oven provides a more even temperature, with all-around heat that will help the stew develop more flavor as its surface undergoes the Maillard browning reaction. Keeping the lid cracked will enhance this effect, while also ensuring that the stew stays a little bit cooler during the cooking process (thus preventing the meat from drying out too much). And however you cook it, make sure to stop  as soon  as the beef is done. Even in a stew pot, beef will dry out and turn stringy or mushy if cooked for too long.

With those basic rules in mind, the rest is merely a matter of adjusting flavoring. To start, I sear the beef in a Dutch oven with a little oil, then add diced carrots to the pot, cooking them until lightly browned. I set aside both the beef and the carrots for later. Next, I add thinly sliced onions and red peppers to the pot, sautéing them until they've softened. I considered using Hungarian peppers for this, but they can be pretty difficult to find (feel free to use them in place of the bell peppers if you can!). In one  Cook's Illustrated  recipe  (paywall), the author suggests using a can of roasted red peppers that have been puréed. It's an interesting idea, and the stew tastes good, but roasted red peppers have a very distinct flavor that comes through even with all the other flavorings I add down the line. Fresh peppers are the way to go.

I also add a couple of celery sticks and carrot sticks (both will get fished out later on).

Next up, the paprika. From my testing for  chicken paprikash , that other Hungarian classic, I knew that the quality of the paprika would be of utmost importance to a dish like this, where there are really no other major flavoring elements. Many recipes I've found for goulash call for a meager few tablespoons of paprika. Tasting the dish when it's made with your typical supermarket-grade paprika makes me understand why: It's not a flavor you want a lot of.

Really great paprika, on the other hand, you want a lot of. I use a full half cup for my stew. If you have a local spice importer, buy your spices there fresh. If not, you can  order them online  from Penzeys, the best source I've found for real Hungarian paprika.

After the paprika goes in, I add a quart of chicken stock into which I've dissolved an ounce of gelatin. Next are my umami bombs: in this case, soy sauce and fish sauce (though Marmite or anchovies would also be great). Bay leaves and thyme also hit the pot.

Now back to that beef. Once it's rested a bit, I cut it into cubes for the stew. Meat for goulash is typically cut quite small—as small as half-inch cubes—but I prefer to use larger chunks, as I find it easier to manage their texture as they cook. (Plus, there's something very satisfying about breaking into a spoon-tender chunk of beef in a bowl of stew.) I toss the cubed beef with a little bit of flour, then into the Dutch oven it goes, along with any accumulated juices.

With all my ingredients added, I set the stew in a 300°F (150°C) oven to cook, with the lid of the pot slightly ajar. An hour and a half in, I fish out the spent carrots and celery stalks and replace them with the sautéed diced carrots I've set aside, along with some cubed Yukon Gold potatoes. Once those vegetables have softened (with a little luck, that happens exactly as the meat achieves ideal tenderness), I remove the pot from the oven.

I prefer my stews to be rich, but not stodgy—I want them to flow on the plate with plenty of brothy liquid—but, if you like your stews a little thicker, you can get there by rapidly reducing the stew on the stovetop right at the end of cooking. In any case, you'll want to skim off any excess fat that's accumulated on the surface.

A splash of cider vinegar helps brighten up the flavor, as does a sprinkle of parsley.

Comfort is served.

February 2016

This recipe originally called for an oven temperature of 275°F, which has worked for us through dozens of rounds of testing in multiple kitchens and ovens. But based on reader feedback, it has become clear that some home ovens are too unreliable at such a low temperature, leading to greatly prolonged cooking times. To address this, we've increased the oven temperature to 300°F.

Recipe Details

Ingredients

4 cups ( 950 ml )  homemade  or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

4 packets powdered unflavored gelatin (1 ounce; 30 g )

2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil

3 pounds (1.25kg) whole boneless beef chuck roast , cut into 3 steaks

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 medium carrots (10 ounces; 275g), 2 split lengthwise, 2 cut into bite-size pieces

2 small stalks celery (3 ounces; 85 g )

1 large yellow onion , thinly sliced (10 ounces; 275 g )

2 red bell peppers , thinly sliced (8 ounces; 225 g )

4 cloves garlic , thinly sliced

1/2 cup sweet Hungarian paprika (about 2 ounces; 55 g )

1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce

1 tablespoon (15ml) Asian fish sauce

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons flour (about 3/4 ounce; 20 g )

1 pound ( 450 g ) Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled and cubed

1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30ml) apple cider vinegar

Chopped fresh parsley leaves , for serving

Sprinkle gelatin over chicken stock and set aside. Adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season beef all over with salt and pepper and add to Dutch oven. Cook, turning occasionally, until beef is well browned on 2 sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer beef to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and set aside.

Add diced carrots to Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes, lowering heat as necessary to prevent scorching. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add split carrot, celery stalks, onion, peppers, and garlic and cook until onion and peppers are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Add paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken stock/gelatin mixture, followed by soy sauce, fish sauce, bay leaves, and thyme.

Cut seared steaks into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with flour. Add beef and any juices accumulated in the tray or plate to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine and return to a simmer over medium heat. Transfer to oven, cover with lid partially open, and cook until beef is starting to become tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Liquid should remain at a slow, steady simmer throughout. Adjust oven temperature if necessary during cooking.

Remove stew from oven. Using tongs, fish out and discard carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Add potatoes and reserved sautéed carrots to stew, return to oven, and continue to cook, partially covered, until beef, potatoes, and carrots are tender and broth has thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Using a ladle, skim off any excess fat from the surface of the stew and discard.

Remove stew from oven. If necessary, place over a burner and simmer for up to 15 minutes to reduce to desired consistency. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar (to taste). Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley. Alternatively, let cool overnight or refrigerate for up to 5 days and reheat to serve.

Special Equipment

• What Are the Best Cuts of Beef for Stew?
• Stew Science: What's the Best Way to Brown Beef?
• Stew Science: Is It Really Better the Next Day?
• The Best Chicken Paprikash

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