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.
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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.
I just loved this recipe…felt like I was back for a visit in Hungary.
I didn’t have caraway seeds so used cumin instead.
Thanks, Ingrid! So happy you loved this recipe.
Wouldn’t you want to crush up the caraway seeds in a mortor I would cook the meat first to brown then add onions and possibly some garlic the add the broth to get the fond goodness from the bottom of the pan then add the meat back in. Would buttered noodles be good with this
I’ve made Hungarian Goulash before but this recipe calls for Caraway seeds. We’ve never had them and thought we’d give it a try. It was so bad we had to throw it all away.
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that Heath. If you make this recipe again you can definitely leave them out.
Caraway seed are traditionally used in Hungarian goulash did you crush them and toast them first
No mushrooms!?!?
No Kidney beans?
Heresy I tell you!
Just kidding, there isn’t a proper recipe for it.
I love it with mushrooms, and combined with the kidney beans it can be tough to beat for nutritional value.
Haha, so happy you enjoyed it Daya!
How long and at what temperature would you put this in a dutch oven for ?
I would cook this at 325°F for about 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
This looks delish. I will be making this tonight for dinner.
Made this yesterday exactly as recipe plus the carrots (no potatoes). Ate it tonight with crusty bread and butter, the flavour was gorgeous. My husband and I both thoroughly enjoyed this meal and will certainly be making it again – soon.
I made this recipe but my goulash doesn’t have much flavor. I expected it to have more pizazz, it’s kind of bland. I made a trip to the store to get the caraway seeds and broth because I did have those. I had just bought a new can of premium Hungarian paprika, and followed the directions which were easy. Not sure what I can add to pep it up.
Try cayenne pepper or cumin or both or chili powder. I did this bc I ran out of paprika. Still awaiting results but I tried this recipe the original way and my family loved it. And they’re avid stew eaters
This recipe was outstanding! Well done!
I love this recipe. Do you drain the canned diced tomatoes or include the liquid? Thank you.
I include the liquid. Enjoy Sharon!
I love soup and I’m always looking for a new recipe. My husband has type 2 diabetes and I have fibromyalgia. Therefore healthy recipes that are low in sugar are very welcome!
While I don’t have recipes tailored specifically to diabetics, please check out the Healthy Recipes section of Spend With Pennies. You may also be interested in my Easy Low Carb website. Enjoy!
To make a nice beef dtew
Love your receipts !
Looks good
I love homemade soups, stews, dumplings and biscuits
Do you use regular paprika or Hungarian paprika?
I use Hungarian Paprika Jenn. Enjoy!
It’s been my experience that in order to get a nicecsearnon the beef, you have to do this step first, or in a separate pot. Then brown the onions after removing the meat, adding the meat back in after the onions have softened. Your thoughts?
You could do it in that order if you prefer Patricia. We have found that it works as written, but both will work. Enjoy the goulash!
I’m most definitely trying this today.
This recipe is a new addition to our recipe book. My husband loves this. I made it for my father and he was hooked. It comes out perfect every time and has the best flavor. I never found caraway seeds so I haven’t used them but the dish is delicious just the same. Thank you!
Tried this today. It was awesome. Made it with home made spätzle. Real winter comfort food. Thanks.
You’re welcome Nicholas!