StewsHungarianEasy

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Name: Hungarian Beef Goulash
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 25 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients: 2½ lb (1130 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of hard fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes; 2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (40 g) lard or neutral oil; 3 large (about 1.5 lb) (700 g) yellow onions, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp (2 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed; 3 tbsp (24 g) sweet Hungarian paprika; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) ripe tomato, cored and chopped; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium beef broth, hot or room temperature; 2 whole (1 g) bay leaves; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, cold (optional); ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory, paprika-rich stew of tender beef chuck, slow-cooked onions, caraway and potatoes. The onions melt into the sauce to thicken it naturally, with no flour needed. It is made entirely on the stovetop.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 2 hr 25 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 3 hr
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2½ lb (1130 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of hard fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt
3 tbsp (40 g) lard or neutral oil
3 large (about 1.5 lb) (700 g) yellow onions, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (2 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed
3 tbsp (24 g) sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) ripe tomato, cored and chopped
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium beef broth, hot or room temperature
2 whole (1 g) bay leaves
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
To serve
¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, cold (optional)
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (4)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot with a lid (enameled cast iron or similar), for the stovetop
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

This recipe is cooked entirely on the stovetop. No oven is needed.
Use fresh sweet paprika, ideally Hungarian. Paprika that is old or has no aroma will make a flat, dusty goulash.
Have the broth measured and ready before you add the paprika. Paprika burns quickly and turns bitter.
Pat the beef dry and let it sit at room temperature while you chop the vegetables.
Plan on about 3 hours from start to table. Most of that is unattended simmering.

1
Prep the beef
- Pat the beef cubes very dry with paper towels.
- Toss them in a bowl with the salt so it coats every piece evenly.
- Leave at room temperature while you prep the vegetables.
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Ready when: Beef surfaces look dry and evenly speckled with salt.
Tip: Wet meat steams instead of browning, so dry it well.
2
Chop the vegetables
- Chop the onions into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic and lightly crush the caraway seeds with the flat of a knife or a mortar.
- Seed and chop the bell pepper, core and chop the tomato, and peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks.
- Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water until needed.
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Ready when: All vegetables are cut and set aside in separate piles.
Tip: Cut the onions small so they dissolve into the sauce and thicken it.
3
Cook the onions
- Heat the lard in the heavy pot over medium-low heat until shimmering.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring every minute or two, for about 15 minutes.
- They should turn soft, translucent and pale golden.
- Reduce the heat if they start to brown deeply.
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Ready when: Onions are very soft, translucent and pale gold, reduced to about half their volume.
Tip: Dark brown onions will make the goulash taste bitter rather than sweet.
4
Bloom the spices
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the garlic, caraway and paprika and mix for 30 seconds so the paprika coats the onions.
- Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of the broth right away to stop the paprika scorching.
- Return the pot to medium-low heat and stir for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture smells sweet and fragrant, with a deep red, paste-like texture.
Tip: Paprika burns in seconds over direct heat. If it smells acrid, start again.
5
Add the beef
- Add the beef and tomato paste to the pot.
- Stir to coat the meat in the red onion mixture.
- Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- The beef will release juices and the surface will turn grayish-brown.
- Don't try for a hard sear.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir.
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Ready when: The meat is no longer raw pink on the outside and the sauce has reduced to a thick coating.
Tip: If the bottom starts to stick or darken, add a splash of broth.
6
Add liquid and simmer
- Add the bell pepper, tomato, bay leaves, black pepper and the remaining broth (about 3½ cups/830 ml).
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low so the surface barely bubbles.
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Ready when: The liquid is just boiling, then settles to small, lazy bubbles at the edges.
Tip: A hard boil makes chuck tough and stringy. Keep the simmer gentle.
7
Braise until tender
- Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer on the stovetop over low heat for 75 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.
- The beef should be almost tender but still hold its shape.
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Ready when: A beef cube is nearly fork-tender and yields when pressed with a spoon.
Tip: If the liquid drops below the meat, add ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
8
Add the potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and stir them into the stew, pressing them below the liquid.
- Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
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Ready when: A knife slides into a potato with no resistance and the beef is fork-tender (about 195°F/90°C).
Tip: Add a splash of hot water if the potatoes are not fully covered.
9
Thicken and season
- Remove the lid and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Stir gently so the potatoes don't break up.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
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Ready when: The sauce is glossy and brick red, and coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: If it is too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of hot water.
10
Rest and serve
- Take the pot off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the flavors settle.
- Ladle into warm bowls.
- Top each with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley if using.
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Ready when: The stew has stopped bubbling and is thick but spoonable.
Tip: Goulash tastes even better the next day.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the slow onion cook. The onions are the thickener and a big part of the sweetness.
Take the pot off the heat before adding paprika, and add liquid straight away to avoid bitterness.
Keep the simmer gentle throughout. Boiling toughens the beef.
For a hotter goulash, stir in 1 tsp hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne with the sweet paprika.

Make ahead

Make the goulash up to 3 days ahead, since the flavor improves overnight. Cool completely, refrigerate in an airtight container, and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.

Storage & reheating

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

Substitutions

lard or neutral oil → Sunflower or vegetable oil. Lard is traditional and adds richness, but oil works well.
boneless beef chuck → Bone-in beef shank or short rib (boneless weight). Both give a richer sauce. Add 15–20 minutes to the braise.
sour cream → Plain Greek yogurt. Tangier; stir in off the heat to avoid curdling.
Yukon Gold potatoes → Egg noodles or small dumplings (csipetke). Skip the potatoes and cook the noodles separately, then add them to the bowls.