Hungarian goulash, or gulyás, is a paprika-scented beef soup traditionally cooked with onions and often potatoes or other vegetables. This home-style version stays brothy rather than thick, with slow-simmered chuck, caraway, and sweet Hungarian paprika building a savory, warming flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (900 g)
- 2 tbsp lard or neutral oil (28 g)
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 300 g)
- 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika (about 14 g)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed (2 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 9 g)
- 1 medium ripe tomato, chopped (150 g)
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 150 g)
- 6 cups beef stock or water (1.4 L)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tsp kosher salt (about 9 g), plus more to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (about 1 g)
- 1 lb waxy or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (450 g)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds (about 180 g)
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving (8 g; optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and cut it into even cubes so they cook at a similar rate. Chop the onions, tomato, and pepper; mince the garlic; and prepare the potatoes and carrots. If the beef is very wet, drying it well helps it brown instead of releasing liquid straight away. Keep the vegetables ready beside the stove, since the paprika is added quickly and can scorch if left unattended.
- Brown the beef. Heat the lard or oil in a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, brown the beef on a few sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Avoid crowding the pot; packed-in cubes steam and will not develop much color. Transfer browned beef to a plate. If the pot looks dry between batches, add a small splash of oil, but leave the browned bits on the bottom.
- Cook the onions and bloom the paprika. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions with a pinch of the measured salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. Take the pot off the heat for a moment, then stir in the paprika, caraway, garlic, and black pepper for about 30 seconds. Paprika can become bitter when fried hard, so the brief off-heat pause helps protect its sweet, earthy flavor.
- Build the broth and simmer the beef. Return the pot to medium-low heat and stir in the tomato and green pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the beef and any juices on the plate, then pour in the stock or water. Add the bay leaf and remaining salt. The liquid should mostly cover the meat; add a little water if needed. Bring just to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes. Keep the surface at a quiet bubble rather than a rolling boil. For food safety, check a representative large piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; the longer simmer here is needed to make chuck tender.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Stir in the potatoes and carrots, cover partially again, and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender when pierced and the beef yields easily to a fork. Stir gently once or twice so the potatoes do not break apart. If the soup has become thicker than you like, add hot water or stock a little at a time. If it tastes thin, leave the lid off for the last few minutes; goulash should still be spoonable and brothy, not reduced to a dense gravy.
- Season and serve. Remove the bay leaf and taste the broth. Add salt or pepper as needed. Let the pot stand for 5 minutes before ladling so the surface settles and the hot broth is easier to serve. Sprinkle with parsley if using, and bring the pot to the table with bread or another accompaniment.
Tips
- Choose paprika with a fresh aroma. Sweet Hungarian paprika is the classic choice and gives the soup its characteristic color and gentle pepper flavor. If it is hard to find, use fresh, good-quality sweet paprika from a grocery store; the result will be close, though the aroma may be less distinct. Do not replace all of it with hot paprika, which can make the whole pot fiery.
- Keep the simmer low. A vigorous boil can make beef tighten and break potatoes apart before the meat becomes tender. A few small bubbles at the surface are enough. If the liquid drops too quickly, lower the heat and add a little hot water or stock.
- Use chuck and cut evenly. Chuck has connective tissue that softens during a long simmer, giving the broth body and making the beef succulent. Lean stew meat can work, but it may turn dry before becoming tender. Uniform cubes make it easier to judge doneness and serve consistent portions.
- Adjust the broth at the end, not with flour. Traditional gulyás is generally a soup, so it does not need a flour-thickened gravy. Add liquid if it has reduced too much, or simmer uncovered briefly if it is more watery than you prefer. Season only after the vegetables are tender, since stock and reduction can concentrate salt.
Serving Suggestions
Serve goulash hot in wide bowls, making sure each portion gets beef, potatoes, carrots, and plenty of paprika-rich broth. Crusty bread is an easy match for soaking up the soup, while a simple cucumber salad or lightly dressed green salad adds a cool, crisp contrast. A spoonful of sour cream is a common table-side option in some households, though it is not necessary and is best added to individual bowls so the pot stays dairy-free.
For a more substantial meal, serve the soup with small egg dumplings or buttered noodles on the side. Keep accompaniments simple: the broth is already deeply savory, and heavily seasoned sides can compete with the caraway and paprika. If serving a group, place parsley, sour cream, and extra bread on the table separately so guests can choose what they like.
Variations
Hungarian goulash has regional and family variations, and the word can describe dishes that are soupier or more stew-like. This recipe follows a brothy gulyás approach. For a thicker, more stew-like bowl, use 4½ cups (1.1 L) of stock instead of 6 cups and keep the same simmering method; the flavor will be more concentrated, but it will be less like a soup.
For gentle heat, add ½ teaspoon of hot Hungarian paprika alongside the sweet paprika, or serve hot paprika at the table so each person can adjust a bowl. You can replace the green pepper with a mild red pepper; it makes the broth slightly sweeter and less grassy. Parsnip, celery root, or extra carrot can be added with the potatoes, but keep the total amount of vegetables close to the listed quantity so the broth does not become crowded.
Some Hungarian-style versions include csipetke, small pinched egg dumplings. To add them, prepare a firm dough from 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, 1 large egg (about 50 g without shell), and a pinch of salt; pinch off pea-sized pieces and simmer them in the soup during the final 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through. This addition makes the soup heartier and uses more of the broth, so add a little extra stock if needed.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The potatoes will soften slightly as they sit, and the broth may thicken; stir in a splash of water or stock when reheating. If you expect leftovers, you can cook the potatoes separately and add them to individual portions, which helps them keep their texture.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. In a microwave, cover loosely, stir partway through, and check the temperature in more than one spot. Freeze the soup in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C); potatoes may be softer after freezing, but the broth and beef remain suitable for a comforting meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hungarian goulash a soup or a stew?
Gulyás is commonly served as a hearty soup in Hungary, though recipes vary by region and household. Outside Hungary, “goulash” is often used for a thicker beef stew or even a different ground-meat dish. This recipe is deliberately brothy, with vegetables and beef in a paprika-seasoned soup base.
Can I make this goulash without Hungarian paprika?
Yes. Use sweet paprika that smells fresh and has a vivid red color. Hungarian paprika can have a distinctive fragrance, but ordinary sweet paprika makes a practical substitute. Avoid smoked paprika as the full replacement because its smoke flavor changes the character of the broth; if you enjoy it, use only a small portion alongside sweet paprika.
Why is my beef still tough after simmering?
Chuck often needs more time than the vegetables do, and the timing can vary with cube size and the simmer temperature. Continue cooking the beef gently, checking every 15 minutes, until it yields easily when pressed with a fork. If the liquid is bubbling hard, lower the heat; a steady, gentle simmer gives the connective tissue time to soften without drying the meat.
Can I make Hungarian goulash ahead?
Yes. The flavor often becomes more rounded after a night in the refrigerator. Cool and refrigerate it within 2 hours, then reheat it gently to 165°F (74°C). For the best potato texture, cook the beef and broth ahead, chill them safely, and add freshly cooked potatoes and carrots while reheating or prepare the vegetables separately.
What can I serve instead of potatoes?
You can leave out the potatoes and serve the soup with bread, egg dumplings, or buttered noodles. If you omit them, the broth will be lighter and less filling, so you may want to add another carrot or serve a more substantial side. Avoid adding a large amount of pasta directly to the pot if you expect leftovers, because it absorbs broth as it sits.
Can I use a slow cooker?
You can adapt the recipe, though browning the beef and cooking the onions with the paprika on the stove first gives the broth more depth. Transfer those ingredients to the slow cooker with the stock and simmer until the beef is tender, then add the potatoes and carrots for the final stretch so they do not turn mushy. Follow your appliance’s instructions for timing, and check that the beef is tender before serving.
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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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