Hungarian goulash is the ultimate stick-to-your-bones comfort food. Beef chuck simmered with onions and tomatoes until tender and mixed with sour cream for an ultra-creamy and rich stew you can serve over noodles, potatoes, or spaetzle.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Hungarian
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 2 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Total Time 3 hourshours
Servings 5to 6 servings
Calories 512kcal
Author Tracy
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven with a lid
Ingredients
Goulash
2 to 3poundbeef chuck roasttrimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch chunks*
¼cup(30g) all-purpose flour
1tablespoon(14g) buttersalted or unsalted is fine
2large yellow or white onionshalved and thinly sliced
1teaspoonsaltdivided, plus more to taste
2tablespoonssweet Hungarian paprika
½teaspooncaraway seedscrushed or chopped, optional*
1cupbeef broth
1 14.5-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
1tablespoonlemon juicefresh or bottled is fine
¼teaspoonpepper
1cup(240g) sour cream
Serve Over
Egg noodles, potatoes (boiled, mashed, or baked all work), or spaetzle
Instructions
In a large bowl, toss beef with flour until well-coated. Set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add butter. Once butter is melted, add onions and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. If the onions begin to brown, turn the heat down.
Add paprika and caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute more.
Add beef to the pot and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon as you go to dislodge any cooked-on bits.
Add tomatoes and remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt and bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the temperature as needed, for 2 to 2½ hours, until meat is tender.
Temper Sour Cream
Measure sour cream out into a medium bowl. Ladle about ¼ cup of cooking liquid into the sour cream and whisk until well-combined. Repeat this process until sour cream is very warm to the touch.
Pour sour cream mixture into the pot and stir to combine. Add lemon juice, pepper, and more salt to taste.
Serve over egg noodles, potatoes, or spaetzle, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
*If using pre-trimmed and cut chuck stewing meat or boneless short ribs (NOT bone-in), use 1½ to 2 pounds of meat. *You can use the seeds whole, but I recommend crushing them with a mortar and pestle or using a sharp knife to roughly chop them. The knife method is a little messy but works just fine with a little patience.Approximate nutritional information is for 6 servings.