When you think about Hungarian cuisine, goulash or goulash soup is likely the first dish to come to mind.

Undeniably a staple food in Hungarian cuisine, we don’t eat goulash as often as you might think. Like any other normal food, we prepare it once in a while.

But if you have a good goulash recipe, you can work real wonders in your kitchen. With just a few ingredients, you’ll be able to prepare one of the most flavorful dishes that you’ve ever tasted.

But if you still believe in fairy tales and think that we do eat goulash every other day, please refer to my article What is goulash? – and make sure you get straight what goulash really is in everyday Hungarian cuisine.

How to Cook Goulash?

Although traditionally goulash was prepared over an open fire, you can make it at home on a traditional stove. Of course, you’ll definitely miss the smoky flavor, but try this goulash recipe and you’ll understand why Hungarian cuisine has some of the tastiest recipes in the world.

Use pork or beef cuts (see below) that need at least an hour and a half of cooking. Goulash is cooked slowly, usually for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. This way the meat gets really tender, and the flavors from the different ingredients have enough time to form a unique flavor.

Goulash is essentially a soup (hence the name goulash soup). Thicker than an average Hungarian soup, but thinner than a stew, it’s really up to you how soupy you make your goulash.

Goulash Soup Ingredients

Authentic goulash has very few ingredients, and only 3 spices other than salt. The result is still a very savory dish; hence, goulash is one of the miracles of Hungarian cuisine.

Goulash Meat

Originally, goulash was made with beef (the original Hungarian word “gulyás” means “cowherd”). As beef is less popular in Hungary today, you mostly get goulash made with pork in restaurants, and this is how most Hungarian families prepare this dish. You can use beef, pork, or a mix. I like to use 50% pork and 50% beef, as I did in this recipe.

Buy pork shoulder, maybe leg; or beef shank, leg, brisket, or neck.

Vegetables

To make a perfect goulash, you’ll only need onions to thicken your soup, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes as the main vegetables. Add some tomatoes and green or yellow bell peppers for seasoning, and you’re done. No need to add any other ingredients if you want to cook real, authentic Hungarian goulash.

Vegetable Oil or Lard?

You may use either one as you wish. Making goulash with regular vegetable oil (e.g., canola or sunflower) will result in a perfect dish.

But if you’d really like to prepare a traditional Hungarian dish, just forget all that b.s. you hear about using lard and go ahead and put it in your goulash! (Pork, duck, or goose lard are perfect.)

Adding Dumplings to Your Goulash

Whether you add dumplings to your goulash or not is totally up to you and your taste.

I do like them, and I figure that most people and restaurants do add them. Still, most goulash recipes don’t mention adding dumplings, so this is just a matter of taste.

And of Course: Paprika

To make the best goulash, you’ll definitely need high-quality, preferably Hungarian paprika. Check out Bende Hungarian Paprika Powder Sweet 8oz/226g.

I figure most restaurants use more paprika than we do when making goulash at home. It’s up to your taste; this goulash recipe uses a moderate amount, but you can use more if you like.

Goulash Soup

Authentic Hungarian goulash soup from Hungarian home cook

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 45

Total Time 2 10

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Hungarian

Servings servings

Ingredients

1 pound beef diced (shank, leg, brisket, neck recommended) – approx 500 g
1 pound pork diced (shoulder, maybe leg recommended) – approx 500 g
2 onions large, chopped (approx. 12 oz)
3-4 carrots 300-350 g
2-3 parsnips 200-250 g
2 lbs potatoes or 1 kg
5 tbsp oil or lard
5 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground caraway seed
2 bay leafs
¼ tsp ground pepper
2 ½ tsp salt
1 green pepper

Instructions

Chop the onions, dice the meat (about 1/2 – 1 inch or 1-2 cm), slice the carrots and parsnips (about 1/5 – 2/5 inch or 0.5-1 cm thin), cut the pepper into 8 pieces, and dice the tomato.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions over medium heat until golden, about 7 minutes.
Take it off the heat, add the paprika and ground caraway seed, and stir.
Return to the heat, add the meat, and stir. Turn the heat to high and brown on each side, until the meat starts to sweat, for about 6-7 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper, add the bay leaf, tomato, and green pepper, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 16 oz. (about 500 ml) of water, cover, and cook over low heat for about an hour.
Add the carrots and parsnips, stir, and cook for another 20 minutes, covered.
When the meat is almost done, add the potatoes and 16 oz. (about 500 ml) of water. Bring to a boil and cook for another 15 minutes, covered.
If you like dumplings: roughly mix 2 eggs, 16-18 tbsp (120-130 g) all-purpose flour, and 1/2 tsp salt (you don’t need to process the dough too much). Remove the lid, add 8 oz. (250 ml) of water to your goulash, wet a teaspoon, and drop 1/2 – 1 teaspoon portions of dough into the lightly boiling goulash. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.