Hungarian beef and paprika stew with potatoes — warming, smoky, the heart of Magyar cuisine.
Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás) is the soul of Hungarian cuisine — chunks of beef slow-simmered with onions, sweet paprika, caraway, and potatoes into a rich, smoky stew. The key is high-quality Hungarian sweet paprika, which gives the dish its signature deep red color and warm, earthy flavor. Served with crusty bread or in deep bowls with extra paprika sprinkled on top, it's pure comfort.
Serves 6
Heat lard in heavy pot. Add onions and cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes until deeply golden. This is critical — depth of flavor starts here.
Remove pot from heat. This is essential — paprika burns easily. Add garlic, sweet paprika, hot paprika, ground caraway, and marjoram. Stir vigorously 30 seconds.
Return to heat. Add cubed beef. Stir to coat with paprika-onion mixture. Cook 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and bell peppers. Cook 5 minutes.
Pour in beef stock. Add bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer.
Cover and simmer over very low heat for 75 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beef should be very tender.
Add cubed potatoes. Continue simmering 25-30 minutes until potatoes are tender and stew is thick.
Adjust salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve in deep bowls topped with parsley and optional sour cream dollop. Crusty bread on the side.
Use authentic Hungarian paprika — it makes huge difference. Find at specialty stores or online.
Pull pot off heat before adding paprika — it scorches easily and turns bitter.
Pörkölt: same dish without potatoes, even thicker.
Add csipetke (Hungarian pinched egg noodles) instead of potatoes.
Refrigerate up to 5 days. Tastes even better next day. Freezes 3 months.
Goulash originated as a cattle herders' stew on the Hungarian plains in the 9th century. Originally cooked over open fires in cauldrons.
Paprika burned during cooking. Always remove pot from heat when adding paprika, and don't use too high heat.
Per serving (480g) · 6 servings total
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