When the temperature drops, a pot of Hungarian Goulash is always on our menu. It is made with tender beef, sweet onions, and a savory broth that fills the house with the best cozy aroma.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Rich and hearty with sweet onions and tender chunks of beef in a delicious paprika broth.
- Technique: Cooking the soup low and slow tenderizes the meat.
- Budget Tip: Hungarian goulash is a great way to turn a less expensive cut of meat into a tender and delicious meal. Adding potatoes and carrots will stretch the meal further.
- Recipe Note: Hungarian Goulash is very different from an American goulash recipe, which is a pasta and ground beef dish!
Ingredient Notes For Goulash
- Paprika: Hungarian paprika is made from ground dried peppers that range from mild to hot, so its flavor varies by region. Paprika can be smoked, sweet, or hot, but this recipe usually uses the mild or sweet varieties.
- Vegetables: Families often customize this dish with potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, peppers, or tomatoes. Some Hungarian Goulash recipes use only onions or serve veggies on the side.
- Beef & Broth: Use chunks of either stew beef or chuck roast.
How to Make Hungarian Goulash
- Sauté onions in butter until soft, then sear the beef until browned.
- Add broth to deglaze, then mix in tomatoes, more broth, and spices.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer (full recipe below) until the meat is tender.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the goulash on its own or over homemade egg noodles, elbow macaroni, or mashed potatoes. Top it with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley.
Add a side of crusty artisan bread and butter, 30-minute dinner rolls, or biscuits to soak up any leftover gravy.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of beef broth if it is too thick. Or, reheat single servings in the microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally, and adding liquid if needed.
Must-Try Soups and Stews
Did you make this Hungarian Goulash? Leave a rating and comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons salted butter oil, or lard (preferred)
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1½ pounds stewing beef or chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth or water, divided
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes drained
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced, optional
- 3 medium carrots diced, optional
- chopped fresh parsley and sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, 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 or zip-top bag, 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 and diced tomatoes. Add 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 1½ -2 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, 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!