Hungarian Goulash Recipe (2024)

As a Hungarian, I am cooking goulash all the time. This recipe is the closest I have ever read in an English language description.
However, I never used lemon juice or flour. But more onion, never sliced but chopped, 1 small fresh tomato and a slice of yellow or green pepper. We always serve it with gnocchi, or boiled potato.

There is one essential thing to know about Hungarian cooking: never just stir in the paprika: always pull the pot off the heat, stir in the paprika, then return to heat. Otherwise your food will taste bitter!

Just wondering: Why use low sodium broth and then add two teaspoons of salt???? that's a lot of salt? I'll probably go with regular broth.

By lucky accident I used 2/3 hot paprika and 1/3 sweet paprika. It had a lovely spicy warm flavor that could be mellowed with a dollop of sour cream. I also added a few carrots and red pepper when sauteing the onion -- it lightened the dish nicely.

this recipe isn't correct, because butter not acceptable. The correct is the pork fat.second problem: 2 medium onions few, if I cooking goulash, I'm using about same quantity onion as meet, because the good gravy origin from the onion.My opinion need plus 2 segment sliced garlic, a little bit more hungarian paprika powder, one medium size sliced tomato, and one sliced green pepper and chili, and not need the lemon juice and pepper.

As a Hungarian, I can also attest that this is a decent version of the recipe. The quality of the paprika matters a lot, though, and can make or break the dish. Always look for the brightest red you can find. That's more important than that the paprika is Hungarian. If it's brick red or brownish, it has oxidized and will either have very little flavor or worse, will be bitter.

My Austrian mother always uses lemon zest rather than juice, adds a much more refined flavor component.

Adding sliced carrots in with the onion gives the dish extra sweetness and crunchiness!

I've eaten goulash in several countries, but the kind I liked best was served in Budapest. It was quite spicy. I got a very similar taste when I made this recipe using hot (Hungarian) paprika instead of sweet. I also put in some garlic (although that may be more characteristic of Austrian goulash) and more onion than the recipe calls for. I've been told that the secret of goulash is onion--use the same amount by weight as meat. Try it; you'll like it.

I live near the Hungarian border in Austria so gulyas (gulash) is of course omnipresent. The caraway seeds are actually not so important for taste but are added in order to aid digestion of this rather heavy food. Try grinding them to a powder with a morter and pestle and hubby might not realize their addition if he can't see them.

My father was from Hungary and taught me to add sour cream at the end. I temper it with the sauce, stir it into the pot, and bring it up to temperature. And don't be bashful with the amount.
In case you're interested goulash in Hungary is pronounced Gooyahsh and is sometimes celebrated as a cookout in the backyard using a wood fire and copper pot. Goulash goes well with a Hungarian wine called "Bull's Blood." I don't know if wine can get any more Macho than that?

This is delicious substituting smoked paprika for 1 tablespoon of the 2. If this is sacrilegious, oops. Still tastes good.

My recipe calls for 4 red peppers, cut into strips, and 2-3, not one teaspoon of paprika. And then, cook it the day before you serve it, and then just heat it up. But that is a must in our kitchen for all stews and many soups.

"We" are Hungarian and this recipe is sooooo close to home. Made it in new Instapot pressure cooker and it was super good. Note: Reduce broth to 1 cup and add 1/2 cup red wine. I always add extra paprika near the end. And PS: if you can't get fresh Noble Rose, substitute Spanish smoked, easy to find on shelves.

Very nice recipe, and very easy. It doesn't quite seem like goulash without sour cream, though.

It has a nice flavor but it's a very heavy dish. Mine ended up very saucy too. It has a nice flavor but not something I will crave after it's gone.Recipe is easy to follow.

Maybe double it? It seems to only serve two. Soooo goooood

Made a double batch over tornarelli and finished with lemon zest, otherwise as indicated. Next time will use more onions (as per the comments) for a thicker gravy. Pairs really well with Y. Komolafe’s slightly sweet cornbread (obviously far from not traditional, but still). A winner!

Used more paprika, added some celery seed since I didn't have caraway seeds on hand, and also put in some snack size carrots near the end of the cooking time. Result was delicious and I'd make it again! If sauce not thick enough, add some tomato paste.

I like this recipe as a base for how I think of Hungarian Guljash. First, tomato. Second, potato. Third, bell peppers . . . I use red and yellow. Lastly, stir in some sour cream before serving. Lovely meal for nights when there are single digit temps outside and you just need to wrap yourself around something warm and soothing.

Trader Joe’s usda stew beefCook onions, pull out, add beef, 2 mins on 2 sides. Add onion back to pot, add paprika and cook for one minute. Then add broth.

Brown the meat first

Made with potatoes instead of noodles. Didn’t add flour to make it GF. Added carrots once it started to simmer. Delicious!

This was delicious. I took another reader's suggestion and ground up the caraway seeds because I don't really like them. I have to admit their flavor was nice in this stew. I forgot to add the lemon but didn't miss it. Thank you!

Added mushrooms, fresh and dried porcini with liquid

The reaction here to this dish was, "Meh." It lacked a depth and complexity of flavor of other simmered dishes I make. If I make it again, I will add some tomato, some sour cream, and perhaps use half smoked paprika to add to the flavor. Agree with the other posters that the quality of the paprika is very important to the final flavor of this dish, and less salt would be better

Followed recipe and not much flavor. I used Hungarian paprika. Cooked for nearly 3 hours and meat was still not tender. Put it in the crock pot today. Added another tablespoon of paprika, more onions, can of whole tomatoes, garlic/onion powder and it now tastes great!

Followed the recipe and added some ingredients that were in the cooking notes section - added a sliced red pepper, a medium sized sliced tomato, two nice sized sliced cloves of garlic, one extra tablespoon of sweet paprika, 1/2 cup red wine. I did not add the lemon juice. Ate it the next day, and it was delicious.

I just read my post and realized I had added two more things to the recipe - one pound of sliced onions instead of just two, and one carrot finely chopped.