Hungarian Goulash is a delicious beef stew (or soup) with a rich paprika broth. It is warm and comforting, perfect for a cold day.
Serve this over homemade noodles (or add potatoes) or with a side of bread or Biscuits to sop up any of the broth left in your bowl.
What Is Hungarian Goulash?
Hungarian Goulash is very different from an American Goulash Recipe which is a tomato, beef and macaroni dish (and also sometimes known as American Chop Suey).
Hungarian goulash (gulyás) dates back centuries and was originally made by shepherds drying out meat to store, which they would then add water to create a soup. Goulash is seasoned with paprika and other fragrant spices like caraway seeds. You will almost always find red meat in a Hungarian goulash, and because it is simmered at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time, it is the perfect way to turn a cheaper cut of meat into a tender and delicious meal.
A Cozy Cool Weather Soup
Hungarian Goulash is a staple in our family and could not be more comforting as the weather turns chilly! Traditional Hungarian Goulash is a soup or stew filled with tender chunks of meat and onions and heavily spiced with paprika.
Many families have their own variations of this dish, adding different vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Some Hungarian Goulash recipes are made without veggies other than onions, and some serve them on the side. Regardless, it’s pure comfort food.
In this version, tender chunks of beef, onions, and tomatoes are simmered until tender in a savory paprika beef broth. YUM!
What is Hungarian Paprika
Paprika is made from grinding dried peppers. Peppers can range from hot to mild, so paprika will vary from region to region. In many American cooking, like deviled eggs, paprika is mainly used as a garnish.
In Hungarian cooking, paprika is usually used to flavor the dish instead of a garnish. Some paprika is smoked, some may be sweet, some may be mild, and some may have a stronger flavor. In Hungarian cooking, usually a mild to sweet paprika is used.
How To Make Goulash
To make Hungarian goulash, you’ll need onions, beef, and plenty of Hungarian Paprika.
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, fry the onions in butter until they are translucent. Add beef to the pan and sear it on all sides. Next, deglaze the pan by slowly adding the beef broth to it. Once deglazed, add the tomatoes and broth and season to taste.
Bring the Hungarian goulash to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover it, and simmer it for about an hour and a half (this is where it starts to smell amazing).
While I most often simmer this on the stove, you can also make this easy Hungarian Goulash in the oven. A house filled with the aromas of this stew is probably the most comforting way to say goodbye to my patio until next summer!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the goulash on its own or over spaetzle, elbow macaroni, egg noodles, or Mashed Potatoes! Top it with a dollop of sour cream. I love a side of bread or 30 Minute Dinner Rolls to sop up any leftover gravy.
Hungarian goulash freezes perfectly, making it ideal to make in batches for the winter. I love quickly warming up a single serving of this goulash recipe for a quick lunch or dinner!
More Soups You’ll Love
- Stuffed Pepper Soup – So flavorful.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup – Comfort food in 15 minutes!
- Beef Barley Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Minestrone Soup – Classic!
Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 2 teaspoons salted butter or lard, preferred
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ pounds stewing beef trimmed and cut into 1" cubes, or chuck
- 2 cups beef broth or water
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional
- 1 ½ cup diced carrots optional
- 3 cups diced potatoes optional
- chopped fresh parsley and sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in caraway seeds and paprika.
- In a bowl, dredge the beef with flour and shake off any excess. Add the beef to the onion mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly add ¼ cup of beef broth while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining broth, diced tomatoes, and potatoes and carrots if using. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for about 1 ½ -2 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Hungary© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Can I make this gluten free by leaving out the flour? Is there a replacement I could use?
You can leave out the flour. If you’d like to thicken the soup, you can add a little bit of cornstarch slurry before serving.
How much cornstarch?
I would start with a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and then adjust as necessary.
Absolutely delicious. Totally different than Polish/German brown gravy goulash, but soooo good.
Delicious. I did add 2 tsp hot paprika for a little heat.
If you cannot find caraway seeds, what would you recommend?
You can leave them out. Other readers have tried cumin seeds in their place and had good results!
Can this Hungarian Goulash be made in a slow cooker/crockpot? How long should it cook if the answer is yes? Thanks for any help!
Hi Gail, we haven’t tried this recipe in the slow cooker but I would suggest 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 on high. I would love to hear how it turns out!
Why am I not able to view other peoples comments? Should the onions be sliced or diced?
Hi Ed! The onions should be diced, I have updated the recipe.
What kind of potatoes did you use – is gold or russet better?
Hi Julia, I would say gold are probably better for this dish but you can use any potatoes you have in your pantry! I would love to hear how it turns out for you :)
Holly, I made the Hungarian Goulash last night for dinner. My family loved it! I ordered genuine Hungarian paprika. This is the best recipe for Hungarian Goulash that I have found. Thank you
Penny P.
Texas
So glad you enjoyed it, Penny!
Bij de ingredienten staat niet wat het is ,2 eetlepel van wat , 1/4 theelepel van wat ?
Hi Peter, you should be able to scroll down or use the jump to recipe button at the top of the page to see the entire recipe with ingredients, quantities, and cooking instructions. I hope that helps!
I would add carrots and potatoes to cook in the last 30 min, to avoid overcooking.
Great recipe.
I LOVE this recipe. My husband always asks for it, especially during the cold months. Just to clarify – did you mean 2 teaspoons or tablespoons of butter/lard? I always use 2 tablespoons.
Hi Holly, we make this recipe with 2 teaspoons of butter/lard.
My father and I went to a diner last week and he ordered Beef Goulash. He told me it had no flavor and was very watery. I explained that what he was probably thinking of was Hungarian Beef Goulash. I promised him I would find a good recipe and make it for him. I found this recipe and it has good reviews, so I made it for him today. I had Hungarian Paprika. He’s 91 years old and has the heartiest appetite but never gives anything a great review. He always says that it could use this or that and so on…lol. He had this with noodles and loved it so much. I don’t eat meat so I personally can not give a description of the taste. I can say it came out perfect. I will make this for my dad again.
Wow, I’m so happy to hear he loved it, Elizabeth! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
My dad is also 91 (turning 91 in April) and are you sure we don’t have the same dad?? I say this because he, too, has a hearty appetite, but rarely gives anything my sisters or I cook for him, a great review (and we’re pretty good cooks!). He was also a very good cook when he starting cooking after he retired (and for my mom, when she got sick and could no longer cook herself). I plan to make this for ‘my’ dinner night with him tomorrow night. Fingers crossed!
I hope he loves it, Lisa!
Mine is a little watery. How can I thicken?
Hi Nancy, to make a little thicker, you could increase the flour slightly. Or if it isn’t thick enough towards the end of cooking you could add a flour and water mixture then to thicken it.
This turned out well, and my teens both devoured it and said I should make it again, including the picky one. I added the potatoes in the last half hour so they wouldn’t get too mushy. I think I’ll order some Hungarian paprika before making it again (used just standard grocery store brand paprika this time).
you can order the Hungarian paprika on Amazon.
Could this goulash be made in the slow cooker or in a roasting pan in the oven?
Hi Elaine, we haven’t tried this recipe in the slow cooker but it should work just fine! I would suggest 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 on high. Let us know how it goes!
This is a fantastic goulash recipe! My daughter and I traveled to Budapest and fell in love with both the city and its cuisine. Upon returning home, I wanted to recreate the wonderful foods I fell in love with in Hungary and found this recipe. It did not disappoint, its flavor and texture are just as I remember, a truly delicious and authentic experience!
Just made this exactly according to recipe but I added bell peppers with the onion and I used a venison roast. My kids aren’t necessarily picky eaters but man did they scarf this!!
very good. I did add a little garlic and onion powder and a dab of garlic paste to mine. I also sliced potatoes into chips and baby carrots.
are baby potatoes ok to use?and baby carrots….thanks
Yes! Those should work well in this recipe.
can I use stewed tomatoes?
That sounds be fine. Enjoy!