Hearty German Goulash - Recipes From Europe (2024)

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This German Goulash Recipe Will Have You Returning For More!

If you’re looking for a thick and hearty beef stew, you’ve got to make this German Goulash.

Made with thick-cut stewing beef and fresh vegetables like carrots and celery, this authentic German goulash recipe makes good use of a little red wine in the delicious broth!

This German beef goulash is a versatile dish. You can enjoy German goulash with spaetzle, semmelknödel (bread dumplings), potatoes, or other noodles (e.g. fusilli pasta).

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Different Versions Of Goulash

We’re big fans of all kinds of goulash since it’s something we both grew up eating.

Although goulash originated in Hungary, nowadays there are lots of different goulash variations across Central and Eastern European countries.

Even within a countries, there are often lots of different versions of this popular beef dish.

In Lisa’s family, the German goulash is more like a stew with a thicker consistency. Her family usually enjoys it with Spaetzle and the goulash itself doesn’t have potatoes in it.

This is in contrast to Eric’s family’s Hungarian Goulash. This version is thinner in consistency (it’s a soup) and has potatoes in the soup.

Some people like to add bell pepper to their goulash, while others don’t use red wine or a thickening agent (like corn starch).

In general, though, goulash in Europe is made with beef that is cut into small cubes. This is in contrast to the American version of goulash where ground beef is cooked with elbow macaroni.

As you can see, there are lots of different versions of goulash out there and we’re sure you’ll find a recipe that suits your taste!

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How to Make German Goulash – Step by Step Recipe Instructions

If you want to make authentic German goulash, then you can follow the Goulash recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact measurement.

And in case you’d like to see each step of the process, you can check out the recipe process photos below. This way, you can compare your goulash to ours each step of the way!

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Start by peeling your onions and cutting them into small cubes.

You might think that three onions is a bit much – but they will boil down when simmering. They help thickening the broth and give it extra flavor.

Also peel the carrot and wash the celery stick. Then cut both into slices. If you like having lots of vegetables in your goulash, feel free to add more.

On the other hand, if you don’t like that many vegetables in your goulash, you can reduce it by some. However, we would recommend adding at least a small carrot and a celery stick for the flavor.

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Also cut the stewing beef into approx. 3/4 inch cubes. Our goulash contains relatively little meat compared to some other recipes since for us it is mainly a side eaten with filling noodles or dumplings.

So feel free to adjust the amount of meat you use – just remember to adjust spices and broth accordingly as well.

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Melt some butter or oil in a large pot and fry the beef on high heat for a few minutes until the outsides appear to be cooked (there can still be some raw meat shining through).

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If you want some extra flavor, you can also fully sear it until the outside has a browned crust.

We don’t usually do that since we want our beef to be extra tender later, but we know some people prefer it this way.

Either way, don’t forget to stir regularly. Once the meat has browned to your liking, remove it from the pot and place it into a bowl for now.

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Now add the onions to the large pot and sauté them until translucent or lightly brown.

Once again, that’s a personal preference – browned onions usually mean more flavor.

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Then add the carrot and celery slices and sauté them for a few minutes as well. Remember to stir regularly.

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Now add the paprika powder, tomato paste, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and cook them on medium-heat for a minute as well.

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Next, add the red wine in three increments (so 1/3 cup at a time). Add some wine, stir it in, then wait until the liquid has reduced noticeably.

We’d recommend using a red wine that you’d also drink – aka a decent quality once – since it will have a noticable impact on the flavor.

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Then add some more wine. Repeat until you have used up the whole cup of wine. Stir regularly and wait until the liquid has reduced.

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Now re-add the beef to the pot, give everything a stir, and add enough beef broth so that it just covers the contents in the pot.

For us that is usually between 1 1/2 – 2 cups of broth, but it might vary slightly for you.

Make sure to use a good-quality broth as this will significantly impact the flavor.

Bring the broth to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and add the lid. Let the goulash simmer on low for around 2 hours until the beef is very tender.

Stir regularly (but not too often since you don’t want the beef to fall apart) and add more broth as necessary. We don’t usually have to add more broth but depending on your pot and how much steam is evaporating, you might have to.

When you are happy with the tenderness of the meat, add salt and pepper to taste.

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If you want the broth to be thicker, dissolve approx. 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a little bit of cold water in a mug. This is completely optional though.

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Add the mixture to the pot with the goulash and stir regularly while the broth is simmering until it has thickened.

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You can serve your goulash with spaetzle (or other pasta like fusilli), potatoes, bred dumplings or fresh bread.

Storage Tips

Store any leftovers in an airtight container with a lid in the fridge. Consume within 2-3 days.

While goulash tastes great fresh, it is actually one of the dishes that can taste even better a day later.

Simply reheat the goulash in a pot on the stove. Depending on how much cornstarch you added when making it (if any), you might want to add a little bit more water when reheating.

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German Goulash

German Goulash is one of those classic, versatile dinner ideas. This beef stew is packed with carrots and celery and done up in a thick red wine broth. German goulash pairs perfectly with spaetzle dumplings or potatoes – and a bit of chopped parsley on top!

4.62 from 26 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound stewing beef
  • 1 tablespoon oil or butter
  • 3 medium-sized onions
  • 1 carrot, optional
  • 1 celery stick, optional
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • a pinch of sugar
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 bay leaf, optional
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups beef broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional

Instructions

  • Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces. Also, peel the carrot and wash the celery stick (optional). Cut the carrot and celery into slices.

  • Cut the beef into approximately 3/4 inch cubes.

  • In a large pot, melt some butter (or oil) and fry the beef on high heat for a few minutes until the outside appears to be cooked. If you want a more intense flavor, you can also fully sear the outsides. Stir regularly. Remove the beef from the pot and place the cubes into a bowl for now. Set the bowl aside.

  • Add the onions to the large pot and sauté them until translucent (or lightly brown if preferred). Add the celery and carrot and sauté these vegetables for a few minutes as well.

  • Now add the paprika, tomato paste, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and cook on medium-high heat for a minute as well.

  • Next, add the red wine in three increments – approx. 1/3 cup at a time. Add some wine, stir it in, and then wait until it has reduced noticeably. Then add some more wine and repeat until you have used up the whole cup.

  • Re-add the beef to the pot, stir everything and then add enough beef broth so that it just covers the contents in the pot. In our case, this is usually between 1 1/2 – 2 cups of broth – it might vary slightly for you. At this stage, also add your bay leaf if you want some more flavor (optional).

  • Bring the broth to a boil, then turn down the heat to low, add the lid and let the goulash simmer on low heat for around 2 hours until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally and add more broth as necessary (we don’t usually need to do this).

  • When you are happy with the tenderness of the meat, add salt and pepper to taste.

  • Optional: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a little bit of cold water in a separate mug. Add it to the pot with the goulash and stir regularly while simmering the broth until it has thickened.

  • Serve your goulash with Spätzle (egg noodles), fusilli pasta, potatoes, bread dumplings, or fresh bread.

Notes

  • This is how Lisa ate goulash in Germany growing up – there are many other versions as well. Some people like to add bell peppers, others don’t add any vegetables at all.
  • It’s important that the beef simmers on low heat to make it tender. If the heat is too high, the meat might dry out and/or become tough and rubbery.
  • We’d recommend using a good quality wine (one that you’d also drink) and beef broth since that will impact the taste of the goulash quite noticeably.
  • Since for us, this goulash is mainly a side/sauce eaten with filling spaetzle or bread dumplings, it doesn’t contain as much meat as some other goulash recipes. You can always add more beef than just one pound if desired.
  • You don’t have to add cornstarch at the end to thicken the broth. This is just what we do since Lisa always likes her German goulash to be quite thick and she ate it this way growing up in Germany.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 802mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.

Course Dinner

Cuisine German

Author Recipes From Europe

Hearty German Goulash - Recipes From Europe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between American and European goulash? ›

American goulash is a one-pot dish of ground beef, pasta (often elbow macaroni), tomatoes and cheese. Sometimes it includes paprika, like its Hungarian counterpart. Since American goulash calls for ground beef, it cooks much faster than Hungarian goulash which relies on low-and-slow cooking to render the beef tender.

What is the difference between Hungarian goulash and regular goulash? ›

Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew with a broth that's heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It also goes by the name of American Chop Suey.

What is German goulash made of? ›

German Goulash, known as Rindergulasch (“beef goulash”) in German, is comprised of beef and onions that are slow-simmered in a gravy seasoned with paprika, garlic, wine and other seasonings. It is eaten as a sauce, served with German potato or bread dumplings, Spätzle, egg noodles or boiled potatoes.

What is the difference between Austrian and Hungarian goulash? ›

Goulash became popular in Austria during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Of course, the Austrians modified it to make it their own. They took out the carrots and potatoes from the stew. However, they did not change the two most important ingredients: sweet Hungarian paprika and lots of onions.

Is goulash Russian or German? ›

Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

What's the difference between goulash and paprikash? ›

Both paprikash and goulash are paprika-based stews, but goulash is made with beef and vegetables, while paprikash is most typically made with chicken. Recipes vary, but goulash is usually not thickened with flour like paprikash is, and goulash typically isn't enriched with cream or sour cream.

What is Austrian goulash made of? ›

Austrian goulash is traditionally made with beef. Tomato paste and sweet ground paprika are then added for better color. The typical taste of the dish is completed by goulash seasoning, which consists of dried marjoram, crushed caraway, and grated lemon zest.

What is Czech goulash made of? ›

Goulash originated in Hungary, but has become a popular dish in the Czech Republic. Here, it's a dish based on onions cooked for a very long time to be caramelized, with beer and beef with the perfect texture. With a touch of cumin and paprika, this makes for an extremely tasty dish.

What is Polish goulash made of? ›

This authentic Polish beef goulash, also called gulasz (stew), has just a handful of ingredients and cooks the old-fashioned way – simmering on the stovetop. Here is your shopping list if you want to try this Polish goulash: beef stew meat, flour, onion, butter, garlic, mustard and broth or water.

What is the difference between goulash and pörkölt? ›

A soup with meat, lots of onions, garlic and lots of peppers. The real Pörkölt, on the other hand, is not a goulash soup because of the long cooking time in the goulash kettle. However, the ingredients are mostly the same. Beef and, depending on the region, some red wine serve as a meat accompaniment.

What is goulash called in America? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, is an American comfort food dish, similar to American chop suey. American goulash is usually referred to in the midwestern and southern United States as simply "goulash".

Which European country gave us the dish of goulash? ›

goulash, traditional stew of Hungary. The origins of goulash have been traced to the 9th century, to stews eaten by Magyar shepherds.

Why is American goulash so different? ›

American goulash is more of a pasta and ground beef dish

Owing more influence to Italian-American cuisine than Hungarian, paprika isn't even a consistent addition, per Syracruse.com. The nostalgic family meal is synonymous with American chop suey, another macaroni-based one-pot dish.

What is the difference between American style and European style eating? ›

You hold the fork in your left hand and cut with the knife in your right. The knife does not leave the right hand, meaning all the pauses required by switching hands in the American dining style do not exist in European dining. In Europe, the fork is typically faced down, and you curve it up to your mouth.

What is traditional goulash made of? ›

Some very basic ingredients for goulash include beef, onions, carrots, potatoes, peppers, caraway seeds, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.

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