Quick Hungarian Beef Goulash
A warming beef and paprika soup ready in under 30 minutes, with tender beef, potatoes, and that signature Hungarian flavor. Served in bowls with a dollop of sour cream.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb beef stew meat (chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 large onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large potato, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp paprika (sweet Hungarian)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 serving salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup sour cream (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steaming.
- 2
Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 3
Once the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, add the beef in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes so it browns.
- 4
Stir the beef and cook for another 2 minutes until the outside is dark brown, then remove it to a clean plate using a slotted spoon.
- 5
Add the diced onion to the empty pot and stir once every 30 seconds for 3 minutes until the onion begins to look translucent and smell sweet.
- 6
Sprinkle the paprika over the onion and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the paprika smells strongly fragrant, coating the onions evenly.
- 7
Pour in the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pot, stirring until the liquid is uniform.
- 8
Return the browned beef to the pot and add the diced potato, then stir once to combine.
- 9
Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid.
- 10
Simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the beef is fork-tender and the potato pieces are soft inside when pierced.
- 11
Taste the soup and stir in salt and pepper until it tastes balanced—add just enough salt so the savory flavor stands out.
- 12
Ladle the soup into four bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream if desired.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot with lid (at least 5-quart capacity)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- paper towels
- slotted spoon
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- four soup bowls
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
