Authentic Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)
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A thoroughly authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe with a depth and richness of flavor that will satisfy both body and soul and transport you back to Hungary! Hungary’s national dish, the depth and richness of this traditional gulyás is simply out-of-this-world delicious!
For more traditional Hungarian recipes be sure to also try my Chicken Paprikash, Babgulyas, Pörkolt, and Szegedin Goulash!
Traditional Hungarian goulash is a prime example of how a few simple ingredients, cooked properly, can yield an incredible flavor. Though many variations of Hungarian goulash exist, and every cook makes it just a bit differently, this is an authentic recipe from the heart of Hungary.
Hungary holds a special place in my heart and in my family’s hearts. My brother lived there for a couple of years and would always describe its beautiful scenery and architecture and his love for the Hungarian people. When I visited Budapest for the first time I immediately fell in love with it. Its name comes from the two sides of the city (Buda and Pest) separated by the Danube River running through it. With its striking chain bridge, stunning parliament building, and its incredible Buda Castle, Budapest is a breathtaking city.
Hungary’s history has been one of hardship and heartbreak. But the passion and stamina of soul has remained in the hearts of the Hungarian people. I’ve always been touched by Hungary’s national anthem, Himnusz, or “hymn”, written by the poet Kölcsey. Their anthem is a poetic prayer and unlike most anthems that focus on an expression of national pride, the Hungarian anthem is a direct, heartfelt plea to God. In the mid-20th century, during the years of strongest communist rule in Hungary, the words were not sung, only the music was played. The communist government asked two of the most acclaimed artists of that time, a poet and composer, to rewrite the national anthem. Both refused. The next communist leader also tried, unsuccessfully, to have it changed. And so Hungary’s national anthem remains Himnusz and its first three lines read:
O God, bless the nation of Hungary
With your grace and bounty
Extend over it your guarding arm
I also love Hungarian food. Their breads and smoked sausages are fantastic as are their meats, stews, sauces, and desserts. Today I’m going to share the national dish of Hungary: Goulash.
What is Hungarian Goulash?
Contrary to popular belief here in the U.S., Hungarian goulash is NOT made with ground beef or macaroni noodles! Traditional Hungarian goulash is an entirely different dish.
Goulash, or as Hungarians call it, gulyás, means “herdsman.” Its origins date back to the 9th century Magyar shepherds as a simple meat and onion stew prepared in heavy iron kettles known as bogracs. In the 15th century invading Ottoman Turks introduced a new spice to Hungary, paprika. While the rest of Europe remained lukewarm towards this red chili pepper from the New World, Hungary embraced it and paprika has since become a defining element of Hungarian cuisine.
Goulash is kind of in between a soup and a stew. Unlike some stews, Goulash is not overly packed full of beef and vegetables, it is a little more brothy. But through the cooking process, the broth becomes a little thicker and very rich in flavor.
Tips for Authentic Hungarian Goulash
To achieve the ultimate flavor, the cooking method is important and quality, real Hungarian paprika is essential. And lots of it! None of this “2 teaspoons of paprika” jazz. Hungarians use very generous amounts of paprika, and that’s key. A Hungarian once told me, “however much paprika the recipe calls for – at least double or triple it!”
For this size batch of Goulash, you want to use a full 1/4 cup of it. When I lived in Germany, Hungary was just a few hours away and I would stock up on it when I visited. Now I order it online and recommend this genuine imported Hungarian paprika imported from Hungary. There is no comparison in flavor. It has an extraordinarily rich flavor and an exceptionally vibrant red color. Many of our readers have tried it and agree that quality Hungarian-imported paprika makes all the difference.
I mentioned earlier, many variations of goulash exist. Some include turnip or wine or caraway seeds, to name a few. But this recipe is a very old, very traditional way of making Goulash that my brother and I learned from older generations of Hungarian women and it needs no embellishments. It’s simple and simply delicious!
What’s the Best Dutch Oven to Use?
For this recipe, I recommend using a Dutch oven because it seals in the flavors and heats evenly, ensuring consistent cooking results. I love this 6-quart, budget-friendly option from Lodge, which you can get on Amazon for around $80. Or, if you’re looking for a worthy splurge, I also have this one from Le Creuset, which sells for around $300.
Hungarian Goulash Recipe
Let’s get started!
Melt the lard or butter/oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium high heat and cook the onions until beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the beef is just starting to brown, 7-10 minutes.
Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic and cook for another 6-8 minutes. (Note about peppers: Outside of Hungary it’s very difficult to find the peppers they use there. The best ones to use in their place are red and some yellow/orange. Avoid regular green bell peppers as they have a starkly different flavor profile.)
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt, pepper and caraway (if using) (note: paprika becomes bitter if at all scorched).
Add the beef broth, bay leaf, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until the beef is nice and tender. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
Serve with some crusty bread and, if desired, a dollop of sour cream.
Enjoy!
For more authentic Hungarian dishes, be sure to try my:
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Authentic Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons pork lard , or butter or bacon grease (pork lard is traditionally used and imparts a great flavor)
- 1 1/2 pounds yellow onions chopped
- 1/4 cup quality genuine imported Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 pounds stewing beef , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic ,minced
- 2 red bell peppers ,seeded/membranes removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper ,seeded/membranes removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 2 tomatoes ,diced
- 2 carrots ,diced
- 2 medium potatoes ,cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 5 cups beef broth (traditionally just water is used but beef broth adds so much more flavor)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds (optional, not traditional in all regions)
Instructions
- Melt the pork lard or butter/oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium high heat and cook the onions until beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the beef is just starting to brown, 7-10 minutes. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt, pepper and caraway (if using) (note: paprika becomes bitter if at all scorched). Add the beef broth, bay leaf, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until the beef is nice and tender. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on March 18, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This is absolutely the best-sounding recipe! You mentioned adding the tomatoes at two different steps, and I have a feeling there is an error in the recipe somewhere related to adding the tomatoes. I am making the recipe tonight and I added the tomatoes in the first step where you mentioned adding them. Is there something else that should be done instead?
I used butter and vegetable broth instead of beef (just what I happened to have). I still can’t stop tasting the broth for this one either.
I’m so glad, Rebecca, thank you! :)
A pound and a half of onions is this right or should it be one and a half onions?
Hi John, a pound and a half is correct!
A perfect recipe for the coming winter…
Hi there Kimberly, I’m thinking of making this for about 60 people. I was going to make my own noodles, but after your comment….I shall make my own crusty bagettes. Thanks for the heads up. Thank you so much for this recipe and the informtion on it.
Homemade crusty baguettes sound terrific, Adrien! That’s a big crowd you’re feeding; I wish you stamina and success and please let us know how it goes!
The recipe sounds amazing.I was thinking of making if for a large group. Could I make it a few days ahead and freeze it?
Thanks!
You sure can, Oriana! Happy cooking and eating! :)
Your recipe sounds great. I will try it. I was wondering about marjoram, though. I thought that goes into Hungarian Goulash. What is your opinion?
Thanks, Lena. Some versions definitely do, yes. As with many traditional dishes there are regional differences and that is true for goulash. Another example of that in goulash is the inclusion of caraway seeds. Different traditions, slightly different flavor profiles, and in the end it just comes down to personal preference.
I made this with chicken, 2.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs from which a removed the visible fat. It was absolutely delicious! Everyone raved about it. I used a half teaspoon of caraway. It blends in and adds some depth but no distinctive caraway taste. Even though I used chicken, I did use reduced sodium beef broth. I used 28 0z of tomatoes and some extra carrots and potatoes but kept the paprika, bell peppers and beef broth the same. And I used 2 lbs of yellow onions fried in a mixture of half and half butter and olive oil. I served it over egg noodles with a dollop of sour cream. The suggestion for that real imported Hungarian paprika was another game changer. I bought it from the link to Amazon. So rich and smooth. This one is a keeper. You will be so glad if you make it!
Thanks so much for this feedback, Gail, and I’m happy you enjoyed it!
This is magnificent!!!
I want to make this tonight but I only have the HOT Hungarian paprika that I bought on a recent trip to Hungary. Will that work for this recipe? Thank you.
Hi Linda, it won’t. With the amount of paprika you need to make goulash, it will be scorching hot if you use all hot paprika. It’s fine to add “some” hot paprika in addition to regular paprika for some heat, but definitely don’t use all hot paprika.
I did cut back on the paprika just to be on the safe side for my younger granddaughters. They loved it, as do I
This recipe is absolutely wonderful!!!! I make it exactly as-is. It needs no embellishments. I’ve also bookmarked more of your recipes because they all sound divine. Thank you so much for the link to the Hungarian paprika. It is now my favorite spice in my kitchen.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Vicki, and am thrilled that you plan on making more recipes. Thank you so much and happy cooking! :)
I’m part Hungarian on my dad’s side of the family and I remember my great great grandmother making this thank goodness I looked it up
i have a bunch of sweet paprik peppers in the garden. im wondering how to use those instead of the powder?
Hi Tara, I’m growing Hungarian paprika peppers in my garden this year, the variety specifically used to make paprika powder. What I’m doing is waiting until they’re very ripe, slicing them open to remove the seeds, dehydrating them in my dehydrator, and then grinding them to a powder in my spice grinder.
Hi Kimberly I read your post about growing your paprika. I have been growing my own paprika for several years. Once you smell the fresh ground paprika,there is nothing like it. And the taste,is the best. I also clean and smoke some paprika with a fruit wood. It’s my favorite. Enjoy your paprika
That’s exciting, Andrew. Yes, making some smoked paprika will be my next project. I make my own chipotles en adobo by smoking jalapenos with fruit wood and I’m looking forward to trying the smoked paprika. Is there a particular variety of paprika you grow that you like?
I made this recipe today, following it as closely as possible. It is delicious and exactly as I was hoping it would be. The paprika is mild but absolutely so flavorful. I served it over buttered egg noodles with a dollop of sour cream. If I had fresh homemade bread I would just eat it like a soup.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathi, thank you!
If I buy 1 of the sweet paprika that you have the link to will it be enough to make this recipe or will more be needed?
Hi, yes one package of the paprika I linked to is enough. 1/4 cup of paprika is about 27 grams and this package of paprika contains 50 grams, so you can make two batches of this goulash with one packet. Happy cooking! :)