Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian goulash is a paprika-rich beef dish that falls somewhere between a soup and a stew, with chunks of tender beef and vegetables simmered low and slow in a deeply flavorful broth. Traditional versions tend to be fairly brothy, but for my Hungarian goulash recipe, I make it a little thicker, similar in consistency to a classic beef stew, with plenty of onions, carrots, and potatoes.

The defining flavor comes from a generous amount of Hungarian paprika, along with caraway, garlic, and a few other seasonings that give the broth its warm, earthy flavor. It takes a few hours to cook, but most of that time is hands-off, and the beef becomes meltingly tender as it simmers.

What You’ll Need To Make Goulash

• Boneless beef chuck: My go-to cut for long-simmered stews. Its marbling and connective tissue break down during cooking, leaving the beef wonderfully tender.
• Onions & garlic: Form the savory base of the goulash.
• Balsamic vinegar: Not traditional, but a small amount adds acidity and a subtle sweetness that balances the richness of the beef.
• Tomato paste: Adds concentrated tomato flavor and savory depth without making the broth overly tomatoey.
• Flour: Thickens the broth and gives my version its more stew-like consistency.
• Beef broth & water: Form the base of the broth. Using some water keeps the beef broth from overpowering the paprika and other seasonings.
• Hungarian sweet paprika, caraway, thyme & bay leaf: Paprika is the defining flavor of goulash, so I recommend using Hungarian sweet paprika if you can find it. It’s available in the spice aisle of many well-stocked supermarkets or online. If you can’t find it, regular sweet paprika will still work well. Caraway, thyme, and bay leaf round out the broth with warm, earthy flavor.
• Carrots & boiling potatoes: Add heartiness and make the goulash a complete meal. The potatoes are optional if you plan to serve it over noodles.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How To Make Goulash

Brown the beef: Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown it in batches. Give the pieces enough room in the pot and let them develop a good brown crust before turning—crowding or moving them too soon will prevent them from searing properly. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.

Build the flavor base: Add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot as the onions soften. Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to blend it into the mixture.

Add the beef and flour: Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the beef is evenly coated and no dry flour remains. The flour will help thicken the broth as the goulash simmers.

Add the broth and seasonings: Add the beef broth, water, caraway, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and sugar, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any remaining browned bits.

Simmer the goulash: Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently until the beef is beginning to get tender.

Add the vegetables and finish: Add the carrots and potatoes, if using, and continue cooking until the vegetables and beef are tender and the broth has thickened.

Serve: Remove the bay leaf, then serve the goulash with crusty bread, or spoon it over buttered egg noodles with a dollop of sour cream. Like most stews, it gets even better as it sits, so feel free to make it ahead; it freezes beautifully, too.