Czech Gulas (Czech-Style Beef Goulash)

About This Recipe

Czech Gulas is a real, traditional Czech dish, known as Czech-Style Beef Goulash. A thick, dark beef stew flavored with paprika and caraway, distinctly less soupy than Hungarian gulyás, served with bread dumplings.\n\nCzech gulas developed from the same Hungarian gulyás tradition shared across the Austro-Hungarian empire, but evolved into a thicker, darker stew in Czech kitchens, typically served with sliced bread dumplings rather than as a soup.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Czech home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbeef chuck(cubed)
• 4 tbsplard or neutral oil
• 1 kgyellow onions(diced)
• 3 tbspsweet paprika
• 1 tspcaraway seeds
• 3garlic cloves(minced)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 600 mlbeef stock
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 8bread dumplings (houskove knedliky)(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the onions

   Heat lard in a heavy pot and cook the diced onions over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until deeply golden and soft.

2. 2

   Brown the beef

   Push the onions aside, add the beef cubes, and brown on all sides.

3. 3

   Bloom the paprika

   Remove the pot from heat, stir in paprika, caraway seeds and garlic, then return to low heat briefly.

4. 4

   Braise

   Add tomato paste, stock and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 2 hours until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened.

5. 5

   Reduce

   Uncover and simmer for another 15 minutes if the sauce needs further thickening.

6. 6

   Serve

   Season with salt, remove bay leaves, and serve hot with sliced bread dumplings.

Variations

• •

  Some households add a splash of dark beer for extra depth, a common Czech twist.

• •

  Use venison or wild boar for a more traditional hunter's-style variation.

• •

  Serve over potato dumplings instead of bread dumplings for variety.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions