Best Traditional Hungarian Goulash
The Best Traditional Hungarian Goulash is when the meat is so tender, it’s like butter, and the gravy is savory and exquisite. This is a delicious beef stew that’s cooked in paprika gravy with lots of onions. And, it’s by far the BEST goulash we have ever had! This goulash can be made with 3 methods: on Stovetop, in a Slow-Cooker, and with the Instant Pot.
Hungarian Goulash vs. Beef Stew…
Hungarian Goulash is traditionally made with either beef or pork. It is cooked with a lot of onions, beef broth, and one traditional spice, sweet Hungarian paprika.
The sweet Hungarian paprika gives this stew its distinctive color of reddish-orange and a delicious flavor to the goulash.
I’m always looking for a new recipe for beef stew because it’s my family’s favorite comfort food.
While searching, I found a few and came across this traditional Hungarian goulash and just had to try it. It is different from our family’s recipe for our Beef Stew in Half Time Served with Rice, which is loaded with vegetables.
Well, let me tell you. This Hungarian goulash was by far the BEST we have ever had!
It was soooooo good, we even enjoyed the leftovers all week long!
Like other beef stews, this one can be prepped, simmered, and slowly cooked on either: Stove-top, in a Slow-cooker, or with an Instant Pot.
Originally, goulash was a staple dish made with pork because it was and still is inexpensive meat. It’s usually made with the shoulder part, which is the most tender part. But I prefer to use beef for this recipe.
Best of all …this recipe is budget-friendly. It will feed a family of “six” for about 20.00 dollars.
What You’ll Need for Traditional Hungarian Goulash:
Staple ingredients are what make this goulash so darn easy!
- beef stew meat – 2 pounds (up to 2.5 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
- extra virgin olive oil
- seasonings – salt, some black pepper, and cayenne pepper
- yellow onions – you will need at least 3 large ones
- garlic cloves – you will need about 5 large cloves
- red bell pepper – one is enough
- red wine – any leftover red wine is fine
- beef broth – or vegetable broth
- ripe tomatoes – I used 2 small ones
- traditional spice – Hungarian paprika powder < is linked to Amazon
- bay leaves
How to Make Traditional Hungarian Goulash? (*Full recipe card below!)
*QUICK NOTE: No matter what method is chosen to make this traditional Hungarian goulash, this is NOT a recipe you can dump everything into the pot, and let it go for a few hours.
Here are the Easy Steps to Make This Hungarian Goulash…
1. First, if the pieces or chunks of beef are too large, take the time to cut them into smaller chunks. Then allow them to sit on the counter to warm up to room temperature, for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prep and chop all the vegetables.
2. & 3. Next, saute the meat first, and brown the meat until the pieces are no longer pink.
4. & 5. Add in the onions and chopped bell pepper and saute for at least 10 minutes, until the vegetables softened.
6. Then add in the remaining ingredients, and seasonings, including both liquids, cover with a lid and simmer for the time needed (about 2 hours total).
7. Final Step: Uncover the pot for the last 30 minutes to allow the gravy to reduce and thicken.
A few years ago, my husband had the opportunity to work in Prague for a few months and while we enjoyed the many sites of this gorgeous city of Prague we also enjoyed the local traditional goulash at many restaurants.
We even experienced many variations of serving goulash, with a side of dumplings, spaetzle (noodles), or roasted baby potatoes.
It’s a hearty dish that works best during the winter season and it’s served all winter long.
I served it the other night with a side of noodles and my family went nuts over it. I loved it too!
It’s now the BEST goulash we have ever had!
This recipe for goulash will feed about 6 people and will leave enough for lunch the day after, or another dinner during the week.
Plus, there’s absolutely nothing cozier this time of year.
This Hungarian goulash will also freeze beautifully.
Serve with some crusty bread to dip into the sauce, or serve with noodles, zoodles, rice, or quinoa on the side. A hearty dish and delicious comfort food for the whole family.
ENJOY!!
COOK’s NOTES and TIPS…
- For the most tender meat for stew, always buy good quality beef. The leaner cut of meat, the more tender it will be and the faster it will cook.
- I recommend purchasing the beef stew at your local butcher shop, or you can purchase it (as I did) at Whole Foods, the meat market.
- It’s extremely important to allow the meat to sit on the counter to warm up to room temperature, for at least 20 minutes.
- For my family, I prefer to trim off excess fat left from some of the pieces, simply because my family will not eat it if the pieces are too fatty. But that’s your choice.
- If cooking this stew on the stovetop, keep in mind, that it is slowly cooked, and covered for most of its cooking time. If the gravy is still too watery, I recommend allowing the stew to simmer “uncovered” during the last “30 minutes” of cooking. This will help thicken the gravy.
Additional Faves of Comfort Food!
- Braciole – Sicilian Style
- Mom’s Sunday Meatballs
- Easy Chicken Casserole (Cordon Bleu)
- Easy Veal Stew with Wine, Peas and Carrots
- Sicilian Sausage and Peppers
- Best Rice Ball Casserole Stuffed with Meat and Peas
- Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta & Caramelized Onions
Yield: 6 servings
Best Traditional Hungarian Goulash
Best Traditional Hungarian Goulash is when the meat is tender like butter and the gravy is savory and totally delicious. This beef stew is slowly cooked in a paprika gravy sauce with lots of onions. Most flavorful and comforting beef stew ever!
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (up to 2.5 pounds) beef stew meat - cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. salt
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3 large onions - diced
- 5 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 red bell pepper - seeds and ribs removed, then diced
- 1/3 cup of red wine
- 3/4 cup beef broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 small ripe tomatoes - diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 + 1/2 Tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika powder
- dash of cayenne pepper
- cooked egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
FIRST, PREPARE THE MEAT:
- 1. Examine the chunks of beef, if you find some are too large, cut them in half to make them smaller, bite-size pieces.
- 2. Next, allow the meat to sit on the counter to warm up to room temperature, for at least 20 minutes.
- 3. Meanwhile, prep and chop all the vegetables.
Recipe for Traditional Hungarian Goulash on STOVE-TOP:
- In a large (6-quart size) Dutch oven pot, (or any large saucepan) and on moderate heat, heat olive oil. Toss in the meat and scatter the salt and freshly cracked black pepper over the meat. Brown the meat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Next, add in the onions, garlic, and red pepper. Cover and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent.
- Pour in the red wine and beef broth. And add in the chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, Hungarian paprika powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir with a large wooden spoon until the mixture is well combined.
- COVER with a lid and simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours, then remove the cover and simmer the remaining 30 minutes uncovered. Stirring occasionally. This will help thicken the stew and its gravy.
- Turn off heat. Taste and adjust with salt to your taste. Fish out and discard the bay leaves, then serve in individual plates. Serve with a side (or over) rice, noodles, or fettuccine pasta.
Recipe for Traditional Hungarian Goulash in a CROCKPOT or SLOW-COOKER:
- Follow the same recipe, but brown the meat in a large skillet or pan, and saute the onions, garlic, and red pepper as well. Then transfer everything into the crockpot or slow-cooker and add the rest of the ingredients.
- Cover and cook for 4 hours on "High" or "low" for 6 hours.
- Then serve into individual plates and serve with a side of noodles, zoodles, roasted potatoes, or quinoa.
Recipe for the INSTANT POT:
- First, pour the olive oil into the Instant Pot and press the " SAUTE" button.
- Next, brown the meat, add in the salt and black pepper, and stir frequently.
- Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper and continue to cook until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and Cancel the "Saute" button.
- Close the pot and set it on "STEW."
- NOTE: for tender meat, it's best to cook the stew, about 20 minutes per pound, of high pressure ( the manual setting), plus 15 minutes of natural release.
- Serve this stew with some crusty bread for dipping, or serve with any of the sides we suggested.
- Yields: 4 to 5 servings
Notes
If you feel the gravy is too watery, I recommend uncovering the pot while simmering for the last 30 minutes.
Also, if the gravy is reduced too much and you feel you need more liquid while it's still simmering, then pour in additional beef broth ( about 1/4 cup).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4 to 6 servingsServing Size:
1 serving (about 1.5 cup)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 17.8gCarbohydrates: 6.5gFiber: 1.5gSugar: 3.1gProtein: 35.7g
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Whats the major reason for the hungarian paprika vs regular paprika from walmart? Do i need to buy the sweet one? Thx
Hi Kimberly! That’s a good question, thanks for asking. Paprika is the Hungarian word for pepper, and Hungarian-style paprika is not smoked, but rather fairly sweet. Our regular paprika is smoked. I think you can use either one with our recipe, and still enjoy this fabulous meal. I hope this helps! 🙂
How much sodium does this have in it?
Love the recipe. Made it last night.
Thanks
Donna
HI Donna, thanks so much for making our recipe. With our recipes, we don’t like to salt our food too much, and tend to use sodium minimally. Which is the reason I mention for everyone to taste the food, and adjust the seasonings to their taste. I hope this helps. Have a great week! 🙂
Very close to what I grew up eating German/Austrian. I use 3 T tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes, and we add mushrooms. No measurements for anything though.
Hi Mamazita! That is awesome! So glad you hear you enjoyed our recipe for the goulash amd the addition of mushrooms sounds delicious. Have a great day! 🙂
I do not like stewed or canned tomatoes can I use puree or sauce
Hi Christine,
This recipe only requires 2 small ripe tomatoes and chopped. Can you add in sauce or purée instead? I guess you can and I would take a guess about 1/2 cup. If you want you can omit the tomatoes, and it will make this goulash a little different, but you can adjust the seasonings, if you need to. I hope this helps. Enjoy! And tell us how it turns out! Thanks again xo
It is almost the same recipe as we use in Denmark, but here we eat mashed potatoes for this dish
Hi Susanne! Welcome to our recipe blog, it’s so nice to meet you! There are so many variations of this dish from every European country, and it has to be even better with mashed potatoes next to it. YUM! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a sweet comment! 🙂
What can i use in place of red wine? Or can i just leave out?
Hi Susan! You can use white wine, if you don’t have red. And yes, you can leave it out. Wines are used to deglaze the pans and give flavor to the sauce. I hope this helps! Enjoy!
This sounds like the perfect comfort food for this time of year (especially in my chilly area!). I like that you can use either beef or pork in this recipe!
Thanks, Susan! I will be making this goulash again and testing it with the pork. It’s a simple recipe and the flavors turn out so tasty, we didn’t mind eating leftovers during the week – especially, my husband who is so fussy, he never eats leftovers…. but he did with this goulash. 🙂
It’s a winner,enjoy!
This is wonderful. I don’t think I’ve ever made traditional goulash, and my best friend is Hungarian! It sounds wonderful. I love sweet paprika.
Thank you Mimi! Give this recipe a try, and let me know how you like it. Thanks again. 🙂
we had goulash a few times in Hungary, including in someone’s (probably) illegal backyard restaurant. or maybe we just gatecrashed someone’s party? i remember all the gristle … 🙂
Lol, we love your stories, Sherry. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it. Thanks so much again! 🙂