Traditional Hungarian Goulash Recipe

traditional hungarian goulash stirred with a wooden spoon in a pot.

4.48 from 53 votes

Traditional Hungarian Goulash Recipe

This is an authentic Hungarian goulash recipe for one of Hungary's most famous dishes. It consists of tender beef pieces in a rich, delicious sauce made with lots of paprika and caraway seeds.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 45

Course: Meat Recipes

Cuisine: Hungarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 602kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot

Ingredients

2 lbs stewing beef beef chuck
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil, divided, Note 1
2 onions about 300 g/ 10.5 oz
3 large garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper about 100 g/ 3.5 oz
2 tomatoes about 200 g/ 7 oz
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika powder
¼– ½ teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika powder to taste, the goulash should not be too hot (not smoked paprika)
¾ teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth or water, Note 2
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

US - EU

Instructions

Cut the beef chuck into small cubes, about 0.7 inches/ 2 cm. Place them onto paper towels and pat them dry with more paper towels. Chop the onions very finely.
2 lbs stewing beef + 2 onions
Sear the beef: Melt some of the lard (or oil) in the pot. Sear the beef cubes in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your pot. Cook them for about 5 minutes per batch or until nicely browned on all sides. Add more of the lard before each batch. Transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside.
2 tablespoons lard, divided
Cook onions: Add about 1 teaspoon more lard to the pot and fry the chopped onions until very lightly colored, about 5 minutes, stirring often and keeping an eye on them. If they threaten to catch, add a splash of water and continue cooking.
Add the minced garlic, chopped peppers and tomatoes, and bay leaves, and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times in between.
3 large garlic cloves + 1 red bell pepper + 2 tomatoes + 2 bay leaves
Add both sorts of paprika and ground caraway. Stir well for about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir well again. Add the meat cubes and the beef broth, stirring again.
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika powder + ¼– ½ teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika powder + ¾ teaspoon ground caraway seeds + 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste + 2 cups beef broth
Simmer Hungarian goulash: Cover the pot, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer the goulash until the meat is very tender, about 1 ½ – 2 hours. Check to make sure that the meat is really tender.
Reduce: Uncover the pot and continue cooking the goulash for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Notes

You can substitute lard for vegetable oil if you like. However, if using oil, you might need more than two tablespoons. Add as necessary between the batches and add a little bit more when cooking the onions.
Broth: It's best to use low-sodium broth to ensure the Hungarian goulash doesn't become too salty. Water works well, too.

Nutrition