Description
This traditional Beef Goulash recipe delivers a rich and hearty stew with tender chunks of stewing beef slowly simmered in a flavorful blend of paprika, garlic, onion, and red wine. Perfect for a comforting and satisfying meal, this dish captures the essence of Viennese cuisine with deep smoky and sweet paprikas, caraway seeds, and marjoram, enhanced by a luscious tomato-onion base.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 800 g onions
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 100 ml red wine
- 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 4 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp marjoram
- 100 ml beef broth
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Chop the onions and garlic finely. Heat the clarified butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat and gently fry the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Then use an immersion blender to puree the onion-garlic mixture smoothly.
- Add tomato paste and reduce: Stir in the tomato paste and raise the heat slightly. Roast the tomato-onion puree for approximately 2 minutes to deepen the flavors. Pour in the red wine and allow it to reduce by cooking for a few minutes.
- Add spices and simmer: Incorporate the caraway seeds, both kinds of paprika, marjoram, and the red wine vinegar along with 100 ml beef broth. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer gently for 5 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add beef and cook: Add the cubed stewing beef to the pot, ensuring it is just covered with liquid. Add more beef broth if necessary. Cover with a lid and let the goulash simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully.
- Season and serve: Adjust salt according to taste. Serve the beef goulash warm, ideally accompanied by boiled or mashed potatoes and a fresh green salad.
Notes
- Use stewing beef for the best tender results after slow simmering.
- If the sauce thickens too much during cooking, add a bit more beef broth or water.
- The immersion blender step creates a smooth base, but you can leave it chunky if preferred.
- The dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have melded further.
- Traditional serving suggestions include boiled potatoes, spaetzle, or a slice of rustic bread.
