German Goulash Soup: A Hearty Beef Recipe

German goulash soup is a paprika-rich beef soup with potatoes, vegetables, and a generous, savory broth. This slow-simmered version draws on the Hungarian-influenced goulash tradition found in Germany, while allowing for the regional and family variations that make the dish so adaptable.

Ingredients

2½ lb beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes (1.13 kg)
2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola (30 ml)
3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped, about 3 cups (450 g)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
4 garlic cloves, minced (12 g)
2 tbsp tomato paste (32 g)
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (14 g)
1 tsp smoked paprika, optional (2 g)
1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed (2 g)
1 tsp dried marjoram (1 g)
6 cups low-sodium beef broth or stock (1.42 L)
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juice (240 g)
1 bay leaf
1½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste (9 g)
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 g)
2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup (130 g)
1 lb waxy or all-purpose potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into ¾-inch cubes (450 g)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste (15 ml)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for serving (8 g)
Sour cream for serving, optional, about ½ cup (120 g)

Instructions

Prepare the beef and vegetables. Pat the beef dry with paper towels; a dry surface browns more readily than a damp one. Cut the cubes to a similar size so they cook evenly. Chop the onions, bell pepper, garlic, carrots, and potatoes before you start cooking, and keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water if you are preparing them well ahead. Drain and dry them before adding to the pot.
Brown the beef, about 14 minutes. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven or other large, lidded pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pieces have space around them, brown the beef on two or three sides, turning as needed. Transfer each batch to a plate. Avoid crowding the pan: packed-in meat releases moisture and steams instead of developing browned edges. If the pot looks dry between batches, add a small splash of oil.
Soften the aromatics, about 9 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and bell pepper with a pinch of the measured salt. Cook, stirring regularly and scraping up the browned bits, until the onions are soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute, until the paste darkens slightly and smells savory.
Add the spices and broth. Stir in the sweet paprika, smoked paprika if using, caraway, marjoram, black pepper, and the remaining salt. Let the spices warm for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly; do not let the paprika scorch, since burnt paprika can taste bitter. Pour in a little of the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot, then add the rest of the broth, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf. Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the pot.
Check the beef and simmer, about 81 minutes. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar. As the beef cooks, check the center of the largest cube with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS gives 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; allow the checked piece to rest for 3 minutes, then return it to the soup and continue simmering until the beef is tender enough to break apart easily with a fork. The full simmer at this stage is about 81 minutes, but chuck can take a little longer depending on the size of the cubes and the steadiness of the heat. Stir occasionally and lower the heat if the soup boils hard.
Add the carrots and potatoes, then cook 20 minutes. Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Cover the pot again and keep the soup at a gentle simmer until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, usually about 20 minutes. Check the potatoes near the end; smaller cubes may finish sooner. If the broth has reduced more than you like, add hot water or broth in small splashes.
Finish and season, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the red wine vinegar, then taste the broth. Add more salt, pepper, or vinegar a little at a time until the flavor is balanced. The soup should taste warmly seasoned and savory, with a slight tang, rather than sharply sour. Let it stand off the heat for 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and finish with parsley and a spoonful of sour cream if desired.

Tips

Choose chuck for a tender result. Beef chuck has enough connective tissue to become succulent during a slow simmer and gives the broth body. Stew meat is convenient, but packages can contain different cuts, so cube sizes and tenderness may vary. If using leaner beef, keep the simmer gentle and begin checking for tenderness early rather than extending a hard boil.
Keep the paprika sweet and fresh. Sweet Hungarian paprika is the central seasoning, but it is not always stocked in every grocery store. Ordinary sweet paprika is a suitable substitute; the flavor may be less fragrant but the soup will still work. Smoked paprika is optional and adds a smoky note, so leave it out if you want a more traditional, clean paprika flavor. Store paprika away from heat and light, and replace it if it smells faint.
Control the simmer, not the clock alone. The soup should show occasional small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A vigorous boil can make the beef tighten and break the potatoes apart. Start checking tenderness when the recipe says, then keep cooking in 10-minute increments if needed; the meat, rather than a fixed timer, tells you when it is ready.
Adjust thickness at the end. German goulash soup can range from brothy to quite hearty. For a thinner bowl, add warm broth. For a thicker one, mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot and stir them in, or simmer uncovered briefly. Avoid adding flour directly to the hot soup, which can clump; this recipe gets body from the beef, onions, and potatoes.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, making sure each portion gets a good share of beef, vegetables, and broth. A slice of crusty rye or sourdough bread is useful for soaking up the paprika-rich liquid. Soft bread rolls, pretzels, or a simple green salad also make a good meal alongside it. If you serve bread, keep the portions modest at first: this soup is filling, especially when the potatoes are generous.

Offer chopped parsley, sour cream, and extra black pepper at the table so everyone can finish a bowl to taste. Sour cream softens the spices and adds a creamy contrast, but it is not essential. For a casual gathering, keep the soup warm over low heat and set out the garnishes separately. Avoid letting it boil while holding, since prolonged bubbling can make the potatoes mushy and reduce the broth more than intended.

Variations

Make it more brothy or more stew-like. Add an extra cup of beef broth for a lighter soup, or use less broth and let the pot simmer uncovered for a few minutes at the end for a thicker consistency. Keep in mind that the potatoes will absorb some liquid as the soup stands, so a soup that looks loose on the stove may thicken after resting.

Use a different cut or protein. Boneless beef shoulder or brisket can work in place of chuck, cut into similarly sized cubes; cooking time may change. For a pork version, use pork shoulder and cook it until tender, following the same gentle-simmer method. The result is a variation rather than the same beef-forward flavor. For a meatless pot, omit the beef, use vegetable broth, and add extra mushrooms and beans; the broth will be lighter and will not have the same richness.

Change the vegetables carefully. Parsnips or celery root can replace some of the carrots or potatoes, though their flavor will be more pronounced. Add firm root vegetables with the carrots, and add quick-cooking vegetables only near the end so they do not collapse. A little chopped hot pepper can bring heat, but add it sparingly and taste before adding more.

Adjust the spice profile. Caraway and marjoram contribute a familiar Central European character. If caraway is hard to find, omit it rather than replacing it with a large amount of another spice; the soup will still be flavorful, though less distinctive. A small pinch of dried thyme can stand in for marjoram, but it gives a slightly different herbal note. Do not increase smoked paprika dramatically, since it can overpower the beef and sweet paprika.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, divided into shallow, covered containers so they cool more quickly. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The potatoes may soften and absorb broth as they sit, so stir in a little water or beef broth when reheating if the soup has thickened. For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room for expansion; use within about 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when possible.

Reheat only the portion you plan to serve in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it is steaming throughout. Use a food thermometer to confirm leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS reheating temperature. If reheating in a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, stir halfway through, and check the temperature in more than one spot because microwaves can heat unevenly. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer only after it is hot; avoid repeated cooling and reheating of the full pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is German goulash soup the same as Hungarian goulash?
They are related, but recipes are not identical. Goulash has roots in Hungarian cooking, and German-style goulash soup is one of several adaptations that became popular in Central Europe. German versions often serve it as a hearty soup with beef, paprika, and sometimes potatoes; ingredients and thickness vary by region and household.

Can I make this soup in advance?
Yes. The flavor often becomes more rounded after a night in the refrigerator, and the soup reheats well. The potatoes will continue to take up broth, so keep extra broth on hand to loosen it. Refrigerate within 2 hours, store covered, and reheat the amount you need to 165°F (74°C).

Why is my beef still tough after simmering?
It may need more time, especially if the cubes are large or the simmer was very low. Chuck becomes tender as its connective tissue softens, and that process does not happen at exactly the same rate for every piece. Keep the pot covered at a gentle simmer and check again every 10 minutes. If the liquid is boiling vigorously, reduce the heat.

Can I make German goulash soup in a slow cooker?
Yes, though browning the beef and softening the onions in a skillet first gives the soup more developed flavor. Transfer those ingredients and the broth, tomatoes, and seasonings to the slow cooker; cook until the beef is tender, then add the potatoes and carrots for the final stretch so they do not overcook. Appliance temperatures and cooking times vary, so use tenderness as your guide and check the beef with a thermometer.

What can I use instead of caraway?
You can simply leave it out. Caraway has a distinctive warm, slightly anise-like flavor, so there is no exact one-for-one replacement. A small pinch of ground fennel can provide a related aromatic note, but use very little; too much can make the soup taste sweet or licorice-like.

Can I freeze the soup?
Yes. Freeze it in meal-size portions in freezer-safe containers and thaw it in the refrigerator. Potatoes can become softer or slightly grainy after freezing, but the soup remains useful and flavorful. Reheat thoroughly to 165°F (74°C), adding broth or water if the thawed soup is thicker than you prefer.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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