German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (2024)

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Goulash frequently showed up on my childhood dinner table. Why not? My mom’s recipe tasted delicious, and the meal fills everyone up without argument. Fun added bonus… when things were “tight”, the meal could be stretched ….. more sauce, some added veggies, and less meat. Served over everyone’s favorite homemade Spätzle, Goulash was a crowd pleaser. I can hear it now, “Goulash isn’t German, it’s Hungarian”. Well, I’m sure that at one point the concept of cooking pieces of meat in a sauce flavored with paprika floated west from Hungary to Germany… but that time was very long ago, and now you’ll find Goulash with all of its variations (Wild, Pork, and even Würstchen!) on restaurant menus and dinner tables across Germany.

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (1)

Now, I realize that like Potato Salad, there isn’t one “official” German Goulash Recipe. Regional differences, personal preferences from the cooks, even availability of ingredients means that what my mom makes might be different from what your Oma makes. But the beauty of a dish like this, is that it’s open to interpretation and variation. Don’t like carrot? Leave them out. Want it “spicey”? Add a dash of Cayenne pepper (it’s delicious, trust me). I’ve even seen a Silesian version made with Sauerkraut (intriguing). I started using Ghee (an Indian clarified butter) for browning the meat, instead of oil, because I like the flavor it imparts. (Don’t panic, oil is just fine.) Use this recipe as a starting place, then experiment, if you like.

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (2)

German Goulash Recipe

A delicious way to warm hearts and fill stomachs.

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (3)

German Goulash Recipe

This rich and tasty German Goulash is made with chunks of tender beef in a delicious sauce flavored with paprika. Serve with Spätzle, Klöße, or even mashed potatoes.

5 from 3 votes

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven or Soup Pot

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Ghee I love the rich flavor Ghee imparts
  • 1 1/2 lbs Lean Rump Roast
  • 1 Yellow Onion diced
  • 2 clove Garlic chopped
  • 1 Carrot cut to 1 inch chunks
  • 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 3/4 cup Red Wine
  • 3 Tablespoons Sweet Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Marjoram
  • 1 3/4 cups Beef Stock
  • Salt to taste I used 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions

  • Slice the beef into 1 inch chunks. It's best to start by cutting with the grain, then go to across. I find the outcome is better this way. (And yes, you can purchase stew meat... leaner is better)

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil (or Ghee) in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot over high heat. Add half of the beef chunks to brown. Don't crowd it. You want the beef to just brown, not cook. Remove the pieces to a bowl and set aside, then brown the other half. When done add to beef in bowl. Reduce heat to medium.

  • Add remaining oil or Ghee to pot. Add onions and garlic, stir to scrape up any bits in the pot. Cook 3-4 minutes to soften. Add carrot pieces if using. Add tomato paste, stir and cook for another minute.

  • Add red wine, stir, scraping up any cooked bits from the bottom of the pot. Keep the heat on medium, and stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half.

  • Add the beef, paprika, marjoram, and beef stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Put the lid on the pot, and let it cook for 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.

  • Take the lid off of the pot, and let the Goulash simmer for another 30 minutes to reduce. Taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed. It should thicken a bit as it reduces. If you want it thicker, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water, and add to the pot. Stir. It will thicken right up.

  • Serve over Spätzle, Klöße, or even mashed or boiled potatoes..

Notes

Carrots may not be traditional in all families. My mother always added carrot to the Goulash, both to add flavor, and also to "stretch" the meal a bit further. You can leave them out without affecting the flavor.

The recipe says 4 portions, but these aren't MASSIVE portions. Feel free to multiply the ingredients to fill/feed your family properly.

Goulash always tastes great hot off the stove, and is extra tasty as leftovers. You can also freeze it.

Keyword Goulash

Learn how to make Spätzle here… Spaetzle Recipe

Stretch Goulash Flavor Even Farther… Make Goulash SOUP

Like this Recipe? Find more in my Easy German Cookbook

80 Traditional German recipes made simple for the American Kitchen

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (6)Easy German Cookbook: 80 Classic Recipes Made SimpleGerman Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (7)Easy German Cookbook SIGNEDGermanGirl Shop

Make this German Goulash Recipe

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (9)

Cut the lean beef into cubes… go with and across the grain.

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (10)

Brown the meat… don’t COOK it, just brown it

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Soften the onion and garlic, then add the carrot (if using)

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After wine reduced, add beef, paprika and marjoram

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (13)

Add beef stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer… put a lid on it and walk away for a bit.
Stir occasionally

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (14)

For last 30 minutes, remove the lid so that the liquid reduces

Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed

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You will end up with rich thick sauce
(If you find it isn’t reducing quickly enough, help it along with a cornstarch slurry)

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (16)

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (17)

German Goulash Recipe- A Love Letter From the Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is German goulash made of? ›

This German Goulash is what the Swabians in Germany call “Hungarian Goulash”. Ha! A juicy and tender beef stew made with paprika, peppers, and a red wine sauce. Originally goulash (gulyás) is from Hungary but over the centuries this traditional stew obviously traveled into different cuisines, including German cuisine.

What is the difference between German and American goulash? ›

American goulash is heavy on tomatoes and often uses ground beef. German goulash, on the other hand, is predominantly all about big chunks of meat, cut about 1 ½ inches big, and uses just a little bit of tomatoes in the form of tomato paste.

What country has the best goulash? ›

Hungary's most famous food, the goulash, is a crimson-hued beef soup laced with vegetables and imparting the sweet-sharp flavor of fresh paprika. The dish is named after the herdsmen in eastern Hungary — the gulyás — who prepared this hearty soup in large cast-iron kettles.

What country did goulash originate from? ›

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. Its origin may be traced back as far as the 10th century, to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds.

What is goulash sauce made of? ›

Hearty ground beef is cooked in an intense sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and many spices. Melty cheddar cheese is added for richness and texture. And of course, there's the classic elbow macaroni! Every time I eat old fashioned goulash, I'm transported back to my childhood.

What are the two types of goulash? ›

There are two kinds of goulash: Hungarian goulash, which calls for the slow-simmered beef to be served alongside egg noodles, and American goulash, which pulls in ground beef and cooks the noodles in the pot alongside the sauce.

What is goulash called in the South? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, American Chop Suey, or even Beef-a-Roni, is an American comfort-food dish popular in the Midwest and South.

What does goulash mean slang? ›

goulash in American English

2. a heterogeneous mixture; hodgepodge; jumble.

What is the main food of Germany? ›

Of all these regional and national dishes, Germany is most famous for Currywurst, sausages, pretzels and Black Forest Gateau, but as you can see, there is plenty more to German cuisine than just these.

What is a good accompaniment for goulash? ›

What to Serve with Goulash [10 Side Dish Ideas]
  • Meat. • 1 Cheese & bacon scones.
  • Produce. • 1 Brussels sprouts. • 1 Garlic broccoli. ...
  • Pasta & grains. • 1 Spätzle dumplings.
  • Bread & baked goods. • 1 Bread, Crusty. • 1 Hungarian potato pancakes.
  • Frozen. • 1 Rice pilaf.
  • Deli. • 1 Garden salad, Green. • 1 Hungarian cucumber salad.

Which country has the most delicious meat? ›

Argentine beef is widely regarded as the best beef globally, with its grass-fed and hormone-free farming methods resulting in leaner, healthier, and more flavorful meat.

What is another name for goulash? ›

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".

What is American goulash called? ›

American chop suey is an American pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni and a seasoned tomato sauce, found in the cuisine of New England and other regions of the United States. Outside New England it is sometimes called American goulash or Johnny Marzetti, among other names.

Is there another name for goulash? ›

While the mixture of ground beef, macaroni, and tomato sauce seems simple enough, thousands of users responded with a slew of different names. Beefaroni, goulash, slumgullion, Johnny Marzetti, American Chop Suey—the list goes on.

What exactly is goulash? ›

The classic “kettle goulash” is prepared by frying cubes of beef or mutton with onions in lard. Garlic, caraway seeds, tomatoes, green peppers, and potatoes complete the stew. Székely gulyás, another Hungarian specialty, is a stew of pork and sauerkraut flavoured with tomatoes, onions, caraway seeds, and sour cream.

What's the difference between goulash and Hungarian goulash? ›

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 German word for goulash? ›

Translations
  1. Translations. EN. goulash {noun} volume_up. gastronomy. Gulasch {m} goulash.
  2. goulash soup {noun} volume_up. gastronomy. Gulaschsuppe {f} goulash soup.
  3. veal goulash {noun} volume_up. gastronomy. Kalbsgulasch {n} goulash.

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