Top-Rated Hungarian Goulash — The Meal I Made the Night We Finally Said Yes

The small severe-storm Wednesday afternoon was the first severe-weather event of the family-of-four life. Tornado-warning sirens at three PM. The family-of-four (Brayden, Eden, Dustin, me) in the small apartment-interior-bathroom for forty minutes. The all-clear at three-forty PM. The Hungarian goulash was the meal I made Wednesday evening after the small adrenaline-stretch had passed. Brayden is one hundred and forty-nine weeks old. Eden is seven weeks old.

The Hungarian goulash is a small Eastern-European braised-stew — beef chunks, onion, paprika (sweet Hungarian paprika is the small differentiating ingredient), garlic, caraway seed, bell pepper, tomato paste, beef broth, simmered for ninety minutes until the beef is tender. The dish is the small comfort-meal-of-the-pantry that the small post-storm evening asked for.

The technique question on Hungarian goulash is the paprika. The paprika needs to be Hungarian sweet paprika (not Spanish smoked paprika or generic-American paprika) for the authentic flavor. The paprika is added to the pot off-heat after the onions soften and before the liquid goes in — off-heat to prevent the paprika from burning. The paprika-bloom is the small foundational-flavor step.

Wednesday evening I made the goulash. The four of us at the kitchen table at seven PM. The dinner was small and quiet.

Top-Rated Hungarian Goulash

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 45 min | Total Time: 2 hrs 5 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into coins
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Sour cream and fresh parsley, for serving
• Egg noodles or crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the beef. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Soften the onions. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Bloom the spices. Remove the pot from heat briefly and stir in sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and caraway seeds, coating the onions. Return to low heat and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not let the paprika burn.
4. Build the braise. Return the browned beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes (with juices), beef broth, bell pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Add the vegetables. Add carrots and potatoes. Stir, cover, and continue simmering for 35–45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and beef is fork-soft. Remove bay leaf.
6. Taste and adjust. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. If the broth is thinner than you prefer, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce slightly.
7. Serve. Ladle over egg noodles or alongside crusty bread. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 520mg