StewsHungarianEasy

Beef Goulash Stew

Name: Beef Goulash Stew
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 28 min
Total time: 2 h 58 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat pieces, cut into 1¼-inch (3 cm) cubes and patted dry; 3¼ tsp (16 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tsp for the beef, ½ tsp for the onions, 1 tsp for the simmer and ¾ tsp to finish (use half as much if using table salt); ¾ tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbsp (44 ml) lard or neutral oil, divided; 3 large (about 1.5 lb) (680 g) large yellow onions, peeled and chopped into ½-inch (1.5 cm) pieces; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (21 g) sweet paprika, fresh; 1 tsp (2½ g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed; 1 tsp (1 g) dried marjoram; 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warm; 1 cup (245 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves; 3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) chunks; 2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; 2 tsp (10 ml) red wine vinegar; ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, cold (optional); ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory Hungarian-style stew of tender beef chuck, slowly melted onions and plenty of sweet paprika, simmered with bell pepper, carrots and potatoes until the sauce turns rich and brick red.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2 hr 28 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 3 hr 8 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), 6 generous servings

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat pieces, cut into 1¼-inch (3 cm) cubes and patted dry
3¼ tsp (16 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tsp for the beef, ½ tsp for the onions, 1 tsp for the simmer and ¾ tsp to finish (use half as much if using table salt)
¾ tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp (44 ml) lard or neutral oil, divided
3 large (about 1.5 lb) (680 g) large yellow onions, peeled and chopped into ½-inch (1.5 cm) pieces
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (21 g) sweet paprika, fresh
1 tsp (2.5 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp (1 g) dried marjoram
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warm
1 cup (245 g) canned crushed tomatoes
2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves
3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) chunks
2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1¼ lb (570 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 tsp (10 ml) red wine vinegar
To serve
¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, cold (optional)
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

Equipment (5)

6-quart (5.5 L) heavy lidded pot (enameled cast-iron or stainless)
Wooden spoon
Cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Measuring spoons and cups
Instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Use fresh, bright red sweet paprika (Hungarian if possible). Old, brownish paprika tastes dusty and bitter.
Pat the beef very dry with paper towels and let it sit out for 20 minutes while you chop; dry meat browns instead of steaming.
Plan about 3 hours start to finish. Most of that is unattended simmering. This is a stovetop recipe, so no oven is needed.
Use a heavy 6-quart (5.5 L) lidded pot, such as an enameled cast-iron casserole.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Trim and cube the beef into 1¼-inch (3 cm) pieces, pat very dry, and toss with 1 tsp of the salt and the black pepper.
- Chop the onions, mince the garlic, lightly crush the caraway seeds with the flat of a knife, and peel and cut the carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
- Keep the peppers, carrots and potatoes in separate piles from the onions; they go in later.
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Ready when: Beef is dry on the surface and all vegetables are cut to the sizes listed.
Tip: Cut the potatoes last, and keep them in cold water if you're working ahead, then drain well.
2
Brown the beef
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add about one-third of the beef in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Sear without moving for 2 minutes, then turn and cook about 3 minutes more, until all sides are deeply browned.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with 1 more tbsp oil and the remaining beef in two batches, adding a splash of oil only if the pot looks dry.
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Ready when: Beef is dark brown on most sides and releases easily from the pot; brown film (fond) coats the pot bottom.
Tip: Crowding the pot steams the meat and turns it gray. Work in batches.
3
Melt the onions
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and all the chopped onions with ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, for 12 to 15 minutes.
- The onions should release moisture, collapse and turn soft and golden.
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Ready when: Onions are very soft, translucent and light golden, with about half their original volume.
Tip: If the onions start to scorch, add 2 tbsp water and lower the heat. Burnt onions make the stew bitter.
4
Bloom the paprika
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, caraway and marjoram to the onions.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.
- Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the paprika, and stir for 30 seconds.
- Immediately pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot.
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Ready when: The mixture smells sweet and fragrant, and looks like a thick, dark red paste.
Tip: Paprika scorches in seconds and turns bitter. Always add it off the heat and add liquid right away.
5
Simmer the beef
- Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the pot.
- Add the remaining 2½ cups (600 ml) broth, the crushed tomatoes, the bay leaves and 1 tsp of the salt.
- Stir, bring to a boil over high heat (about 5 minutes), then reduce to low so the surface barely bubbles.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 25 minutes or so.
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Ready when: A beef cube is nearly tender when pressed with a spoon but still holds its shape, and the liquid has turned deep red.
Tip: A gentle bubble keeps the meat tender. A hard boil makes chuck stringy and tough.
6
Add the vegetables
- Stir in the carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
- Add up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water if the liquid doesn't come at least halfway up the solids.
- Return to a simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook on low for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: A potato chunk slides off a fork when pierced, the beef shreds easily with a spoon (about 195°F/90°C inside), and the sauce coats a spoon.
Tip: If the stew is too thin, uncover for the last 10 minutes. If too thick, add a splash of water.
7
Finish and rest
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the vinegar.
- Taste and add the remaining ¾ tsp salt, or more, plus pepper as needed.
- Take the pot off the heat, cover, and let the stew rest for 10 minutes so it thickens slightly and the flavors come together.
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Ready when: The sauce tastes rounded and savory, with a slight tang and no raw paprika flavor.
Tip: Stews taste flatter than they should until salted and brightened with acid, so don't skip the vinegar.
8
Serve
- Ladle the goulash into warm bowls.
- Top each with a spoonful of cold sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley, if using.
- Serve with crusty bread, buttered egg noodles or spaetzle.
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Ready when: Stew is steaming hot throughout.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the long onion cooking. The onions are what thicken and sweeten the sauce, with no flour needed.
Buy a whole chuck roast and cube it yourself. Pre-cut stew meat is often a mix of cuts that cook unevenly.
For a thicker stew, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot and stir them in.
Season in layers (beef, onions, simmer, finish) rather than all at the end for a better-seasoned stew.

Make ahead

Goulash tastes even better the next day. Cook through the finishing step, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (potatoes soften slightly). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding water to loosen if needed.

Substitutions

boneless beef chuck → bone-in beef short ribs or boneless beef shank. Use the same weight of boneless meat. Short ribs add richness. Simmer time may rise by 15 to 30 minutes.
Yukon Gold potatoes → egg noodles or spaetzle served on the side. Omit the potatoes and cook the noodles separately. Reduce the final broth slightly if you prefer a thicker stew.
sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Same amount. Spoon on cold at the table, never boil it into the stew.
sweet paprika → 2 tbsp sweet paprika plus 1 tsp hot paprika. Adds mild heat without losing the sweet pepper flavor.