This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe is packed full of slow-cooked flavor, melt-in-your-mouth tender chunks of beef in a rich, thick broth.
Unlike a traditional beef stew, there are very few vegetables in this recipe. So I usually serve it with a simple Spinach Salad or my copycat Olive Garden Salad.
My grandfather lived in Hungary until his early 20s when he moved to Germany after World War II. He met my grandmother, started a family, and eventually moved his family to the US in 1955. He kept a little bit of his home country close, through bits and pieces of treasured history, like a family tree poster and a few classic Hungarian dishes that my grandmother would cook for him. She was also pretty famous for sharing the German recipes from her own heritage, like Authentic German Spaetzle, German Potato Salad (Swabia Style) and Cucumber Salad.
Tragically we no longer have some of those recipes to pull from, so this Hungarian Goulash recipe is the closest thing we’ve been able to recreate. And it is absolutely delicious and comforting, and reminiscent of long talks around the family table.
What is the Difference Between Hungarian Goulash and American Goulash?
Authentic Hungarian Goulash is a tender beef stew, simmered with red peppers, onion, tomato paste, and beef broth and seasoned with Hungarian paprika. Grandma always added a bay leaf for the extra punch of flavor. Everyone seems to have their own way of making this dish and my grandma was no different! It feels very rustic, and pairs well with a crusty loaf of bread.
American Goulash is more of a simple dish, made with ground beef, tomatoes and macaroni. Sort of like a Chili Mac without the cheese.
How to Make Authentic Hungarian Goulash
If you search the internet for a traditional Goulash recipe, you’re likely to come up with thousands of different recipes, including simplified recipes made with ground beef, like my Goulash Soup.
To make this classic recipe, however, you’ve got to follow all the steps – no shortcuts here, and they’re mostly about time. There are two methods I use: Stove top and slow cooker.
For both stove top and slow cooker methods, you’ll first soften some chopped onion and red bell pepper,and toast garlic and a bay leaf. Then add the beef, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for several minutes to brown the exterior of the meat.
Stove Top Goulash
- Stir in beef broth and tomato paste.
- Boil, then reduce the heat and let the stew simmer until the meat is tender.
- The longer you can let it simmer here the better, but at least an hour and a half to two hours.
Slow Cooker Goulash
- Add the beef to your slow cooker and stir in the beef broth and tomato paste.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
Top Tips and FAQs for Authentic Hungarian Goulash
Use Hungarian Paprika
Not all paprikas are created equal. For this recipe, you’ll want to use only the sweet Hungarian paprika (this is the specific brand that we always use). That’s not to say that you absolutely cannot use a regular or smoky paprika, but it will alter the taste somewhat, as it is the base of the flavor.
Don’t cut the cooking time
This stew requires a cooking time of around 2 hours on the stove-top. A lot of that time is just baby-sitting the pot, but you’ll want to make sure you have the time. Alternatively, you could make this recipe in the slow cooker. Just brown the meat and vegetables first for several minutes on the stove and add the other ingredients into your slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
The longer you can let the meat cook, the better. Low and slow is best; it allows the fibers to be broken down, making the stew extra tender and easy to chew.
What Cut of Beef is Best for Hungarian Goulash?
The great thing about a stew like this is that it simmers and cooks for a long time, making it perfect for cheaper cuts of meat that would otherwise be tough. A thick flank steak or chuck roast work great.
Packaged stew meat can also work and is usually pretty budget friendly. Keep in mind though that packaged stew meat contains discards from when the butcher is cutting up large roasts and may contain more than one type of meat (chuck, top round, etc) which can result in some pieces becoming more tender than others.
How do you thicken goulash?
If your gravy is too thin for your liking and you’d like to thicken it, you can do that by adding a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of water, then pour that into the bubbling stew. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for at least 5-10 minutes.
Make it creamy
Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl as you serve them, or a ¼ cup of heavy cream during the last several minutes of cooking time. The paprika flavor can be quite intense, and the cream can help tone that down a bit.
My grandma added sour cream to almost everything, even her homemade chicken soup!
How to serve Hungarian Goulash
Serve your traditional Goulash in shallow bowls. It pairs best with classic egg noodles, spaetzle or make ahead mashed potatoes. Since it is bright red in color, a pinch of fresh minced parsley adds some nice contrast and freshness to this dish.
Make sure to remove the bay leaf before serving. It adds great flavor but cannot be eaten.
Here are some more recipes with a European flair:
And a few more soups and stews to try:
Classic Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 sweet red pepper seeded and diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-2 inch chunks (chuck roast)
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika or regular is fine but will change taste somewhat
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste or a 6-ounce can
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and red pepper and cook until soft; about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and bay leaf and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Add beef to the pot and stir in paprika, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until meat is browned; about 5 minutes.
If Making on the Stove Top:
- Stir in broth, tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until meat is tender; about 2 hours. Remove the bay leaf.
If Making in a Slow Cooker:
- Transfer meat mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in broth and tomato paste. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Remove the bay leaf.
Serving:
- Serve over cooked egg noodles and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. For a creamy goulash, add a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
I am making this recipe as I write review. This will be my third time making this delicious goulash and I’m sure I’ll make it many more times!
Thanks for leaving your feedback Andrea. I love hearing that others love this family recipe!
Could this be made in an instant pot/pressure cooker?
Sure, I don’t have instructions for that but you can use an Instant Pot.
There is a Westphalian „equivalent“ called „Pfefferpotthast“. No vegetables but beef : onion ratio 1:2 to 1:1. Cumin, bayleaf, salt and pepper (not peppers). You need to sear the beef until brown/camarelised on high heat. And you add some lemon juice and 2 or 3 lemon slices. Some recipes also ask for cloves. Best served with pickled cucumbers and potatoes. Sometimes I swap the lemon with green beens. Can also provide recipe for cucumber salad and (South or North) German potato salad if interested.
My father was from Zalaapati Hungary.
He and my mother came to the US in 1956. This recipe is very close our family
Hungarian goulash Recipe. The Hungarian paprika definitely makes it authentic!! Thanks!! ♥️
You are so welcome Rose! Thank you for the wonderful comment.
I am going to make this Goulash and I know for a fact it is going to be fabulous. I make a recipe of Hungarian Veal Paprikash because I wanted to make something from my husband’s grandfather’s Hungarian culture. It was a hit with my family. Now I’m making this wonderful beef hungarian goulash which I believe he would enjoy as well. I am Ukrainian and my mother made a Goulash that was so different from any goulash made where I make my own sauce out of the water that all the vegetables and meat are cooked in at the end. I’ve learned that tinkering with a recipe to curtail it to your special ideal meal is authentic to your taste buds. Thank you for this recipe.
You are so welcome Lesa! Thank you so much for stopping by. (Fantastic feedback)
So long this reciepe is the the closest to authentic. But in hungary this is not goulash. Goulash is a soup. I saw Jamie Olivers goulash and I wanted to cry. Try to replace olive oil. Authentic hungarian cuisine never use olive oil, but use lard of pork, or smoked hungarian bacon type of meat, that is greasy enough to put your ognion and garlic in to cook. But there is no need to add any Bell pepper or tomatopaste or any kind of broth. The only thing that makes this food red, is hungarian Red pepper. But this dish is great anyway 🙂 I hope you gonna try it in the real authentic way 🙂 ( I am a native hungarian who loves to cook)
Thanks for your feedback Barbara! My grandfather was a native Hungarian and after they moved to the US my German grandmother would make this recipe for him.
It’s not goulash, it’s stew. In hungarian pörkölt.
100% correct.
This looks like my Hungarian grandmothers recipe?
Then your grand mother was not making goulash but porkolt.
I don’t understand the instructions. Do I add the broth and tomato paste to the pot on the stove or when it’s transferred to the slow cooker. You say to do it with both steps.
Those are two separate methods, you would be doing one or the other. So either you’re making it on the stovetop and then serving, or making it in the slow cooker and then serving. I edited the recipe to try and clarify that a little better.
Can’t find the number of people your recipe is for?????
It will feed about 6 people, served with noodles.