Gulyás (Hungarian Beef Goulash Soup)

About This Recipe

Gulyás is a real, traditional Hungarian dish, known as Hungarian Beef Goulash Soup. A brick-red paprika-forward beef and vegetable soup, closer to a hearty stew, simmered low and slow with sweet Hungarian paprika.\n\nGulyás originated with Hungarian cattle herders (gulyás means 'herdsman') who cooked meat in cauldrons over open fires on the plains, and paprika was added to the dish only after the pepper spread widely through Hungary in the 18th and 19th centuries.\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 Hungarian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gbeef chuck(cubed)
• 3 tbsplard or neutral oil
• 2yellow onions(diced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 3 tbspsweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tspcaraway seeds
• 2tomatoes(diced)
• 1green bell pepper(diced)
• 3carrots(diced)
• 3potatoes(diced)
• 1.5 Lbeef stock
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the beef

   Heat lard in a heavy pot and brown the beef cubes in batches over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook onions

   Reduce heat to medium and cook the onions until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Bloom the paprika

   Remove the pot from heat briefly, stir in paprika and caraway seeds, then return to low heat for 30 seconds — this prevents the paprika from scorching and turning bitter.

4. 4

   Build the soup

   Add the beef back in along with garlic, tomatoes, bell pepper, stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.

5. 5

   Simmer long

   Cover and simmer gently for 1.5 hours until the beef is nearly tender.

6. 6

   Finish with vegetables

   Add carrots and potatoes and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes until everything is tender. Season with salt and serve hot with crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Add a few small dumplings (csipetke) in the last 15 minutes for a heartier version.

• •

  A spicier version adds a spoonful of hot paprika alongside the sweet.

• •

  Some regions add a splash of red wine to the broth for extra depth.

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