The flavour of paprika really shines in this delicious Hungarian Beef Goulash. Serve with a helping of homemade spaetzle or chunks of crusty bread to mop up the gravy. This meal is sure to become your new family favourite.
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Hungarian Beef Goulash
The first time I ate Hungarian beef goulash was many years ago on a snowy winter’s evening in a little cafe in Budapest, Hungary. I was on a business trip at the time, and had arrived late Sunday morning. After an afternoon spent sightseeing, I was more than ready for supper and was making my way back to the hotel. Quite close to the hotel, I passed a tiny cafe with a sign win the window which read ‘traditional Hungarian Goulash‘.
Looking through the glass, I could see several tables set for supper, in front of a roaring log fire. I was cold, tired and hungry. I went inside, sat down at a table and placed my order.
The food, when it arrived, was amazing. A huge steaming plate of Hungarian beef goulash, made with tender chunks of beef, liberally flavoured with paprika, and piled on a mound of homemade noodles. The beef was cooked to melt-in-the-mouth perfection, with added spice from the red peppers and smokey flavoured paprika.
The homemade noodles (in Hungary they are called nokedli) were little pillows of deliciousness. They were like tiny dumplings, silky smooth, with chewy texture. The perfect accompaniment to the beef goulash. If you’d like to try making your own, I’ve posted a recipe for spaetlze, which is the German version of these noodles, and made in exactly the same way.
It might have been the large glass of red wine that accompanied the meal, I can’t say for sure. But I can safely say that it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.
It is many years since that first taste of Hungarian beef goulash, and what I have tried to do here is recreate that same taste from memory. It might not be absolutely authentic, but I think I’ve managed to capture the essence of the dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
What is Hungarian Beef Goulash
Hungarian Beef Goulash is one of the national dishes of Hungary, dating back to the 9th centruy. It was originally eaten by herdsmen, who were called gulyas. Over time this word has evolved to mean both herdsmen, and also the stew they ate, which we know as goulash.
It is a slow-cooked stew, the main ingredients being beef and onions. Other vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips and red pepper can be added. The meat is normally the cheaper cuts of beef such as shin, chuck or stewing beef. This type of meat lends itself to slow cooking, the gelatinous fibres breaking down during the cooking process, resulting in tender, juicy meat.
Goulash is well-known for its strong paprika flavour. Hungary is one of the leading producers of paprika in the world, the flavour ranging from sweet and mild to spicy and firey. Sweet paprika is the version normally used in goulash.
How to make Hungarian beef goulash
You can get the exact measurements and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- This recipe is made in a pressure cooker, so you can use a cheaper cut of meat that benefits from this method of cooking. Stewing beef or chuck is ideal. You can also make the recipe in a slow cooker, or in a casserole dish in the oven. I’ve added instructions on how to cook in a slow cooker or in the oven further down the post.
- Peel the vegetables into chunks.
Secret tip for lovely thick gravy. Keep one potato aside and grate it instead of cutting it into chunks. During cooking the starch from the grated potato helps to thicken the gravy.
- Cut the meat into bite-sized chunks, and coating in seasoned flour.
- Brown the meat in a frying pan. Do this in batches in a hot pan. You want the meat to brown, not draw moisture, so use a hot pan and don’t overcrowd it.
- Set the browned meat aside and then add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan and fry the onions and garlic gently until the onions are translucent. Don’t allow the garlic to burn or it will become bitter.
To cook beef goulash in a pressure cooker
- Place the meat and onions in a pressure cooker, stir in the paprika and add the vegetables.
- Cover with stock and set the pressure cooker for 20 minutes on its highest setting. I have a Pressure King Pro electric pressure cooker and the highest setting is the ‘Stew’ function. If you have a different pressure cooker, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the highest setting.
To cook beef goulash in a slow cooker
- Place the meat and onions in the slow cooker, stir in the paprika and add the vegetables and other ingredients
- Cover with the stock and leave for 4 to 5 hours on a medium setting, or 5 to 7 hours on a low setting.
To cook beef goulash in a casserole or Dutch oven
- Place the meat and onions in your dish, stir in the paprika and add the vegetables and other ingredients.
- Cover with the stock then place the lid on the casserole dish and place it in a medium oven (160C / 320F) for 2 to 2.5 hours.
A note on thickening and seasoning
Once the goulash is cooked taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
If the gravy hasn’t thickened sufficiently, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornflour and 2 tablespoons water, and stir in gradually until the desired consistency is reached.
Sour cream is normally served with goulash, and this can be stirred into the finished dish, or spooned on top as a garnish.
And of course, don’t forget the homemade spaetzle to serve with it.
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Additional resources
Don’t forget to check out my handy Cookery Conversion Calculator if you want to convert any of your recipe measurements from grams to cups, ounces, tablespoons or millilitres and vice versa. You can also use the calculator for converting oven temperatures between Fahrenheit, Celsius and Gas marks.
If you live at a high altitude you may find you need to adjust your baking recipes to compensate for this. You can read all about it in this post on baking at high altitudes.
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Recipe – Hungarian Beef Goulash
Hungarian Beef Goulash
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
Goulash
- 1 lb (450g) stewing beef cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large carrots cut into small chunks
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 2 lb (900g) potatoes cut into chunks
- 1 medium potato grated
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 cups beef stock made with 2 beef stock cubes and 2 cups boiling water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sunflower oil for browning the meat
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, or you can use 1 teaspoon garlic paste.
- ½ cup sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and chop the vegetables with the exception of one potato. Grate the remaining potato.
- Cut the meat into bite-sized chunks and coat in flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Brown the meat in batches in the sunflower oil in a large frying pan. Use a high heat and do not over-crowd the pan. The meat should brown on the outside, and not release its juices.
- Set the browned meat aside.
- Add another splash of oil to the same pan and saute the onions and garlic until the onion is translucent. Do not allow the garlic to brown or it will become bitter.
- Now place the meat and onions into a pressure cooker, add the chopped and grated vegetables, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons tomato puree.
- Make a stock by dissolving 2 beef stock cubes in 2 cups of boiling water. Pour over the meat and vegetables in the pressure cooker and mix well.
- Set the pressure cooker to 'Stew' function and cook for 20 minutes. If your pressure cooker does not have a 'Stew' function, just follow the manufacturer's instructions for the highest setting.
- Once the time is up, release the pressure and do a taste test for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
- Stir in the sour cream, and serve with spaetzle or crusty bread to mop up the gravy. Alternatively serve topped with a spoonful of sour cream.
Notes
- Place the meat and onions in the slow cooker, stir in the paprika and add the vegetables and remaining ingredients.
- Cover with the stock and leave for 4 to 5 hours on a medium setting, or 5 to 7 hours on a low setting.
- Place the meat and onions in a casserole dish, or dutch oven. Stir in the paprika and add the vegetables and remaining ingredients.
- Pour in the stock, cover with a tightly fitting lid and place in the oven (160C / 320F) for 2 to 2.5 hours.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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This looks so warming and delicious. I’ve not had goulash since my friend’s Hungarian housemates made goulash on an open fire in their garden years ago. It was amazing but I think its time to try and make it myself. maybe just in my kitchen though!
Definitely give it a try and let me know when you make it. I’d be interested to see how my recipe compares to one actually made by Hungarians.
The article is nice. The recipe is so far from reality, like here to Rome.
I am Hungarian myself.
No flour is needed on meat, no stock is needed. The meat will have its own juices to cook in, you hardly need any water in the end.
If you want to make authentic gulyás, visit a Hungarian recipe website like mindmegette.hu or nosalty.hu.
Hi Ozzy, Thank you for the comment on my recipe. I’m sorry you feel that it is not a true Hungarian version. It is many years since I first ate a real goulash in Hungary, and what I have tried to do is to capture that same taste from memory, which I think I have managed to do. I had a look at the websites you mention, but unfortunately they are written in Hungarian and I could not understand them. But even if I had, I would not just copy a recipe from another website. All the recipes on this site are my own original creations that I have tried and tested.
If you decide to try this recipe yourself, I would be interested in hearing your opinion. Perhaps I should have named the recipe ‘Hungarian inspired Goulash’ 🙂
VJx
This looks perfection! I am hungry right now! 😀 Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy! It’s delicious – one of our favourite winter meals.
I love goulash. Perfect on these horrible cold days!
I agree – real comort food