⏱ Prep: 20 min · 🔥 Cook: 120 min · 🍽 Serves: 4 · 📊 Medium

A deeply aromatic and hearty Hungarian classic slow-cooked with tender beef, paprika, carrots, and potatoes — a humble shepherd's stew elevated to iconic status.

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🥬 Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 500 g beef tenderloin (or preferably shank, shoulder, or brisket for longer cooking)
• 2 pieces large onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pieces carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 pieces potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Fats & Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Spices & Seasoning

• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (pul biber)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

Liquid & Aromatics

• 700-800 ml hot beef stock (or water)
• 2 pieces bay leaves (optional)

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👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Finely chop the onions. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter together with the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until completely softened and lightly golden — about 10-12 minutes.
2. While the onions cook, cut the beef into roughly 3-4 cm (1.5 inch) cubes. Heat a separate skillet over high heat with a drizzle of oil and sear the beef in batches, browning all sides until a deep golden crust forms, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Set aside.
3. Add the minced garlic to the softened onions in the pot and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the roughly chopped carrots and potatoes and stir to combine.
4. Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
5. Reduce the heat to low-medium before adding the sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, and black pepper. Stir quickly to coat everything in the spices for about 30-60 seconds — be careful not to burn the paprika on high heat as it will turn bitter.
6. Add the seared beef back into the pot, pour in the hot beef stock, and tuck in the bay leaves. Stir to combine, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
7. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat until the beef is completely tender and the stew has thickened: approximately 1.5-2 hours for tenderloin, or 2.5-3 hours for tougher collagen-rich cuts like shank or brisket. Check and stir occasionally, adding a splash of water if needed.
8. Once the meat is fork-tender and the broth has reduced to a rich, velvety consistency, remove the bay leaves, taste the goulash, and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot.

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💡 Tips & Variations

• For the most authentic and flavourful goulash, use tougher collagen-rich cuts like beef shank, shoulder, or brisket instead of tenderloin — the long cooking time breaks down the connective tissue into a silky, luscious sauce.
• Never add paprika over high heat or let it burn — always reduce the heat before adding it, as burnt paprika turns acrid and bitter and can ruin the dish.
• Goulash tastes even better the next day as the flavours deepen overnight. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — freeze without potatoes if possible, as they can become mushy after thawing.

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📝 Personal Notes

Add your tweaks, ratings, and observations after making this recipe.

Source: Instagram