A thick, dark beef stew flavored with paprika and caraway, distinctly less soupy than Hungarian gulyás, served with bread dumplings.
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.
Serves 6
Heat lard in a heavy pot and cook the diced onions over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until deeply golden and soft.
Push the onions aside, add the beef cubes, and brown on all sides.
Remove the pot from heat, stir in paprika, caraway seeds and garlic, then return to low heat briefly.
Add tomato paste, stock and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 2 hours until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
Uncover and simmer for another 15 minutes if the sauce needs further thickening.
Season with salt, remove bay leaves, and serve hot with sliced bread dumplings.
Caramelize the onions fully and patiently — the large quantity of onions is what gives Czech gulas its characteristic thick, dark body.
Always pull the pot off heat before adding paprika to avoid scorching it and turning it bitter.
This stew, like most paprika-based braises, improves in flavor the next day.
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.
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.
Czech 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.
Czech gulas is typically thicker and darker, uses more onions relative to liquid, and is traditionally served with sliced bread dumplings rather than as a brothy soup.
It was added directly to a hot pan and scorched — always pull the pot off heat first when adding paprika.
Yes, caramelize the onions and brown the beef on the stovetop first, then transfer to a slow cooker on low for 6 hours.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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