One Pot Rustic German Goulash Recipe

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German goulash is a hearty beef stew, seasoned with onion, paprika and caraway seed. It’s a simple but rich and comforting one pot meal that’s great over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or spaetzle. Learn how to make this easy German goulash recipe in one pot with a Dutch oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot. It only takes 30 minutes of hands-on prep for a delicious, home cooked meal.

History of Goulash

The term “goulash” has evolved over time to mean a “soup or stew”, but it’s origins date back to the 9th century gulyás (shepherds) who raised cattle on the plains of Hungary and sold their herds on cattle drives.

On those long treks to market their steers, goulash sustained the shepherds. Goulash, traditionally a soup, was made with the weaker cattle that couldn’t survive the arduous trip. Every part of the animal was used.

Onions and caraway, prolific on the plains of Hungary, were natural mainstays to season the goulash. (Paprika wasn’t introduced until centuries later.)

Goulash: German, Hungarian, Czech, American – what’s the difference?

As with regional American barbecue, goulash recipe variations abound, depending on who’s making it. Here’s a small, but not exhaustive list.

  • Hungarian Goulash – Is traditionally served as a soup. Sometimes has potatoes added to add starch and thicken the hearty soup.
  • German Goulash – Is enriched with a little red wine, but no potatoes and is more of a stew than a soup.
  • Czech Goulash – Can be made with pork or beef and is served with bread dumplings, fresh onion and beer.
  • Croatia – Replaces venison or wild boar with the beef and often adds porcini mushrooms and bacon (that sounds good).
  • Italy – In addition to beef and red wine, it’s seasoned with paprika, rosemary, marjoram and lemon zest and often served with soft polenta.
  • Poland – Eaten all over the country, Goulash is usually served with mashed potatoes or over noodles.
  • Serbian Goulash – is typically made with beef, veal or pork, but sometimes wild game as well and served with noodles or mashed potatoes.
  • Slovenian Goulash is usually made with at least two types of meat and is commonly served with mashed potatoes.
  • U.S. and Canada – this is not really a goulash in my opinion. A typical American goulash is made with ground beef instead of chunks of meat, lots of tomatoes (where tomatoes and tomato paste are sparingly used in more traditional recipes ) and the elbow macaroni is cooked in the same pot as the meat. I’d categorize it as an easy one pot or skillet dinner (it’s good, but it ain’t goulash).

This recipe uses 1½ POUNDS of onions. That might seem like overkill, but it’s not. The onions cook down until they’re soft and sweet. They add depth, but not sting to this simple German stew.

Ingredients for German goulash

  • Onions – the aromatic base for the stew.
  • Olive Oil – for sweating the vegetables and searing the beef.
  • Beef Chuck Roast – chuck roast is good for long simmers as it gets fork-tender while braising.
  • Green Pepper – for more aromatics and flavor.
  • Garlic – while this allium is sharp when raw, the sting will mellow as you braise the German goulash.
  • Tomato – during the cooking process, the tomato will melt into the stew.
  • Salt – you can use regular iodized salt or kosher salt.
  • Pepper – freshly ground will have the most potent flavor.
  • Sweet Paprika – to add color and flavor to the German goulash stew.
  • Marjoram – is a woody, floral citrusy spice with a milder flavor than oregano.
  • Tomato Paste – is concentrated and provides flavor and color to the German goulash gravy.
  • Caraway Seed – this is the characteristic ingredient for this German stew with a distinct flavor like anise and a bitter flavor that ameliorates the licorice notes.
  • Beef Broth – Look for low-sodium beef broth because the stew needs a long simmer, which will concentrate the stock. A full sodium broth will make the goulash taste saltier.
  • Red Wine – it doesn’t have to be an expensive, just something you would like to drink.
  • Sour Cream – (optional) I’ve added sour cream to this German goulash recipe, which technically makes it lean toward a paprikash. You don’t have to add it if you don’t want to, but I’ve found that the rich, tangy notes of just a little sour cream pair very well with the beef goulash.

How to make German goulash in the oven

  1. In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, cook the onions in olive oil over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until they’re very soft and sweet. Transfer onions to a bowl.
  2. Add the beef to the pot and cook for 5-10 minutes until it’s browned on the outside.
  3. Transfer the onions back to the pot along with the green pepper, garlic, tomato, salt, pepper, paprika, marjoram, tomato paste, caraway seed, beef broth and red wine. Stir to combine and heat to boiling.
  4. Once the goulash comes to a boil, place the lid on the pot so that it’s slightly askew and steam can escape and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  5. Once the goulash has cooked, stir in the sour cream (you could also use crème fraiche).

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ½ pounds onions chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast or stew beef cubed into 1 to 1 1/2″ pieces
  • ½ green pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tomato seeded and diced, (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef broth or bouillion
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup sour cream

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