Hungarian Goulash

Name: Hungarian Goulash
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Capocollo beef 1.1 lbs; Onions 3; Potatoes 2; Carrots 2; Bell peppers 1; Parsnip 1; Cluster tomatoes 1; Garlic 1 clove; Sweet Paprika 3 spoonfuls; Hot Paprika 1 spoonful; Cumin seeds ½ spoonful; Ground black pepper 15; Bay leaves 2 leaves; Water to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste

it de es fr br

Gluten Free
Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Hungarian goulash is a classic dish, born right in the heart of Hungary. You know, it all started with cattle herders out on those vast, windy Puszta plains. Real, old-school cooking. They’d simmer beef chunks over an open fire for hours. Super tender, right? The beef just soaks up all the spices, becoming a hearty, flavorful meal. And the sauce? It’s all about paprika. This spice gives the stew that bold red color and a rich kick. Seriously, you'll savor every bite.

A traditional Hungarian goulash is about patience, letting everything cook super slowly so the beef and veggies develop this moist, hearty texture. Honestly, in Hungary, the authentic goulash recipe is a huge point of pride. It's all about nailing that perfect spice balance and letting the stew meld together over time.

By the 18th century, this aromatic dish moved from campfires to Hungarian homes. It went from humble herder food to beloved family meals. And here’s the thing: one standout feature of the Hungarian goulash recipe is its ability to bring folks together. Whether enjoyed as a thick stew or a more soup-like dish, it’s about sharing something warming, steeped in tradition.

While beef’s the usual base, the real heart of the beef goulash is in the slow-cooked, savory broth packed with onions, potatoes and of course, loads of paprika. And look, it’s not just a classic Hungarian dish. It's a comfort symbol that shows up everywhere—family dinners, local gatherings. Some might call it a paprika beef stew—which is great—but whatever you call it, this dish offers a deep, satisfying flavor. You get a taste of Hungary’s history in every bowl. When you enjoy a homemade goulash, you're experiencing more than just a meal. You're part of a story that’s been simmering for centuries. Pretty amazing, right?

How to prepare Hungarian Goulash

To make Hungarian goulash, first clean and finely chop the onions 1. Heat a generous splash of oil in a cast-iron pot, then add the onions 2 and stew them gently, stirring often 3.

Meanwhile, cut the meat: you will need to obtain chunks of about 1.5 inches 4 5. Clean the peppers and cut them into diamond shapes 6.

Dice the tomato into chunks as well 7. When the onions are stewed, add the sweet paprika 8 and mix well; if the onions appear orange, enhance the color with spicy paprika so that they become red 9.

At this point, add the meat 10 and briefly stir over medium heat 11, then add the peppers 12.

Add the tomatoes 13 and season with bay leaves 14 and peppercorns 15.

Cover with water 16, salt 17, and stir, then cover with a lid and cook for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally 18.

Meanwhile, prepare the other vegetables: peel the parsnip 19 and cut it 20 into cubes of about 0.8 inches 21.

Do the same with the potatoes 22 and carrots 23, trying to achieve pieces of the same size as the parsnip. Remove the internal sprout from the garlic clove and chop it finely 34.

Finally, crush the cumin seeds in a mortar 25 to reduce them to powder 26. After the cooking time, add the potatoes to the pot 27.

Add the carrots 28, parsnip 29, and garlic 30.

Flavor with the ground cumin 31, stir 32, and cover again with the lid. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes 33.

The goulash will be ready when the potatoes are soft but not mushy 34. Plate 35 and serve your Hungarian goulash immediately 36!

Storage

The goulash can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it.

Advice

If you can't find parsnip, you can substitute it with celery root.

You can purchase ground cumin directly, as an alternative to cumin seeds.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Hungarian Goulash

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Hungarian Goulash

Storage

Advice

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