Classic Hungarian Goulash with tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich broth for a delicious comforting meal! Serve it as is, or over cooked pasta noodles.
My fellow soup and stew lovers, this Hungarian beef goulash recipe is here to enhance your fall and winter!
Featuring tender beef and veggies, a flavorful broth and plenty of potatoes to balance out the meal, this easy recipe makes a cozy dinner that makes you feel full and satisfied.
If you saw the American Beef Goulash recipe I shared, you already knew this Hungarian version was coming!
As mentioned in my recipe for American goulash, the two dishes may share a similar name, but they couldn’t be more different.
What is Hungarian Goulash:
An authentic Hungarian goulash recipe features chunks of beef, vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers, a rich beef broth, and sweet paprika in a hearty stew.
It is considered a national dish of Hungary, and each family and region of Hungary have their own version of goulash.
You could compare a traditional goulash recipe to what we refer to as beef stew in the U.S., although there are some key features that set the Hungarian version apart.
First, Hungarian goulash is known for its generous amount of sweet Hungarian paprika, which is a signature ingredient in the dish.
Secondly, Traditional Hungarian goulash uses pork lard to cook the vegetables and brown the meat. Because pork lard isn’t customarily used in the U.S. and isn’t easy to find, I replace the lard with bacon drippings (which is basically the same thing).
I also add the cooked bacon into the soup, which isn’t a traditional way of preparing authentic Hungarian goulash recipes. This is my own personal spin, and I love the way it turns out!
Lastly, some traditional recipes for Hungarian goulash include carraway seeds, but some people leave them out.
Some serve Hungarian goulash over egg noodles or pasta noodles, but it is customary to enjoy it as a soup.
Difference Between American Goulash and Hungarian Goulash:
So, what is the difference between a traditional Hungarian goulash recipe and an American goulash recipe?
As mentioned above, the Hungarian version is a meat soup or stew, whereas American beef goulash is more of a pasta dish.
American goulash uses ground beef, a tomato based sauce, and is cooked with pasta noodles, which is a far cry from the traditional version. Nevertheless, both dishes are delicious!
Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for Hungarian Goulash.
Hungarian Goulash Ingredients:
Pork Lard or Bacon Fat: Authentic recipes for Hungarian goulash call for pork lard in order to sauté the vegetables and brown the meat.
If you have access to pork lard, you’ll need 3 tablespoons. Otherwise, do as I do, and render bacon fat from some delicious thick-cut bacon.
If you’re looking to save time and you aren’t concerned about taking the traditional approach, swap out the pork fat for avocado oil or olive oil.
Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: Onion and garlic enhance the flavor of everything! The duo is magical here in generating maximum flavor.
Beef Stew Meat or Beef Chuck Roast: Traditional goulash typically includes chopped up boneless chuck roast, but stew meat works great in a pinch. Plus, it saves time!
Sweet Hungarian Paprika: One of the main ingredients that makes a goulash a goulash! Be sure to use Hungarian sweet paprika, not regular paprika, hot paprika, or smoked paprika for the authentic recipe.
Caraway Seeds (optional): Some people add caraway seeds to goulash, and some don’t. If you have them on hand, toss them in! Otherwise, you can skip them.
Ripe Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add a little acidic touch to the soup.
Beef Broth or Beef Stock: The liquid portion of the recipe. I like using beef bone broth, but any kind of broth or stock will work.
Sticking with beef broth or beef stock will yield the most beefy flavor. You can also add beef bouillon for extra flavor if you’re into it.
Bell Peppers: Pick two bell peppers of any color. I use one red bell pepper and one yellow bell pepper. Bell peppers add a sweet, slightly smoky flavor. Green pepper or two red bell peppers are great.
Potatoes: Bringing an infusion of carbohydrates to balance out the meal, we need some kind of white potatoes. I like using Yukon gold potatoes, but russet potatoes or red potatoes work too.
Carrots: Heart carrots add sweet flavor and comforting texture to the stew.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the soup to your personal taste using salt and pepper.
Looking for ways you can change up the recipe? Here are some suggestions.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add any of your favorite root vegetables. Parsnips, turnips, celery root, and kohlrabi are great options.
- Use one can of tomato sauce to replace the tomatoes.
- Add 1 to 2 bay leaves if you have them.
- While red wine is not a customary addition to goulash, add in 1/2 cup if you enjoy cooking with wine.
- Add fresh herbs if you have some on hand.
- For thick stew, add 1-4 tablespoons of flour after the cooking process, or make a roux from the beginning.
Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for Hungarian goulash, let’s make it!
How to Make Hungarian Goulash:
Chop up 6 slices of thick-cut bacon and add them to a large thick-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven. Heat over medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot to use as oil. Note: transfer the cooked bacon to a small bowl or plate to be eaten separately or add it back into the stew with the broth. I add it to the soup with the broth because I enjoy the added flavor.
Transfer the chopped onion to the large pot with the bacon drippings and sauté over medium high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the beef stew meat (or chopped chuck roast) to the pot and allow it to brown, stirring every couple of minutes.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, paprika, and caraway seeds.
Pour in the beef broth, and add in the chopped bell peppers, potatoes and carrots. Note: if you’re adding back the bacon, do so now).
Cover the pot and bring it to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil (low heat or medium heat) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Taste the goulash for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
If you’d like to thicken the goulash, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir well until the flour is dissolved and cook at a gentle boil until the stew reaches your desired thickness.
Serve goulash with dinner rolls or crusty bread with butter and a dollop of sour cream on top. You can also garnish with fresh parsley.
Store leftover goulash in the same pot you used to prepare it (with the lid on top) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Goulash tastes even better the next day and the 2-4 days following preparation!
If there isn’t a whole lot leftover, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. You can also freeze goulash double bagged in zip lock backs for up to 3 months.
What to Serve With Hungarian Goulash:
Looking for side dishes to enjoy alongside your authentic Hungarian goulash? Here are my top suggestions.
- Apple Broccoli Salad with Walnuts
- The Best Potato Salad
- Italian Salad
- Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
And that’s it! Hungarian goulash is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for chilly weather.
The next time you’re craving a beefy soup recipe, be sure to whip up this classic favorite!
Be sure to try my Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon if you love delicious stew recipes, and also check out these popular soups.
More Cozy Soup Recipes:
- Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables
- Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup
- Crock Pot Beef Stew
- Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup
Hungarian beef goulash is what’s for dinner!
Hungarian Goulash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon or 2-3 Tbsp pork lard or cooking oil of choice*
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 to 2 lbs beef stew meat
- 3 Tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika**
- 1 tsp caraway seeds optional
- 2 large tomatoes diced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 red bell pepper cored and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper cored and chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes chopped into large chunks***
- 2 large carrots
Instructions
- Chop up 6 slices of thick-cut bacon and add them to a large thick-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven. Heat over medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot to use as oil. Note: transfer the cooked bacon to a small bowl or plate to be eaten separately or add it back into the stew with the broth. I add it to the soup with the broth because I enjoy the added flavor.
- Transfer the chopped onion to the large pot with the bacon drippings and sauté over medium high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the beef stew meat (or chopped chuck roast) to the pot and allow it to brown, stirring every couple of minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, paprika, and caraway seeds. Pour in the beef broth, and add in the chopped bell peppers, potatoes and carrots. Note: if you’re adding back the bacon, do so now). Cover the pot and bring it to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil (low heat or medium heat) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
- Taste the goulash for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
- If you’d like to thicken the goulash, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir well until the flour is dissolved and cook at a gentle boil until the stew reaches your desired thickness.
- Serve goulash with dinner rolls or crusty bread with butter and a dollop of sour cream on top. You can also garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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