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German Goulash Soup Recipe: Authentic Gulaschsuppe

Gulaschsuppe, an oven-baked adaptation of Hungarian cuisine, has been popularized in German households and restaurants for almost a century.

Slow cooking the delicious mix of tender beef, veggies, potatoes, and rich broth in the oven allows the flavors to meld, resulting in deep, savory flavors with a hint of heat. It makes for such a comforting meal that is perfect for cooler weather. Plus it tastes even better the next day!

Servings:

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2½ lb (1.1 kg) chuck, rump, or round beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tsp (6 g) salt, divided
• 1 tsp (2.3 g) freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3 tbsp (42 g) clarified butter or (45 ml) olive oil
• 2 onions, coarsely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 bell peppers, diced (preferably 1 red and 1 yellow)
• 1 cup (240 g) diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
• 2 tbsp (12 g) sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups (960 ml) beef broth
• 1½ lb (681 g) potatoes, peeled and cubed
• chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Season the beef cubes with ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt and ½ teaspoon (1.2 grams) pepper.
3. Melt the butter in a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for several minutes until transparent.
4. Add the beef and continue sautéing, stirring until the beef is lightly browned. This will take about 2 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, peppers, and tomatoes and stir gently for another 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining salt and pepper, sweet paprika, bay leaf, and broth, scraping up all the browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.
6. Cover and place in the oven for 1½ hours.
7. Remove from the oven. Check if additional salt, pepper, and paprika are needed. Then gently stir in the potatoes. Cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
8. Check to see if the beef is tender enough it falls apart, and the potatoes are cooked. If not, return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Notes/Hints:

• Be sure to cover the peeled and cubed potatoes in water to keep them from turning black (drain them before adding them to the pot). Or wait till just before they need to go in the oven to prepare them.
• You can use a mix of beef and pork.
• Add 1 teaspoon (2 grams) caraway seeds, if desired.
• Adding 2 sliced carrots and/or a bit of hot Hungarian paprika along with the potatoes is also delicious.
• Try adding ½ cup dry red wine along with the broth and seasonings.For more of a rich flavor, use beef stock instead of broth.
• To cook the goulash soup on the stovetop, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering. Simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes and cook for another 30 minutes.
• To use the slow cooker, follow the steps for seasoning the beef, sautéing the onions, and browning the beef. Then add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, except the parsley, and set it to LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
• Instead of this authentic German goulash soup recipe, you can make a traditional German beef goulash stew served over egg noodles or with German potato dumplings.

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