Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash is a humble stew loaded with chunks of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and vegetables. It features a rich, beefy broth flavored with sweet paprika – authentic comfort food at its best!
Authentic Hungarian Beef Goulash
A while back, Mom shared a recipe with me for Hungarian goulash. She said that it tasted very similar to the beef goulash they ate in Hungary while they visited my sister’s family in Romania. I tucked the copy away with my pile of saved recipes, knowing that some day I’d give it a try.
When I was craving a comfort meal recently, I studied that goulash recipe Mom gave me years ago. Her handwritten notes told how she had altered the recipe to better mimic the bowls of stew they had enjoyed in Hungary.
I also asked my sister Cheryl about her own Hungarian goulash recipe memories, as I knew her family ate this stew regularly while they lived in that area. Cheryl embellished upon Mom’s recipe notes and then gave me a little background on how they used to enjoy goulash.
I have since created this recipe for Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash. It’s hearty, rich in beef flavor, and oh-so comforting – absolutely perfect for a chilly day.
My Family’s First Taste of Hungarian Goulash
My sister and her husband Dave and two young kids lived in Oradea, Romania for two years. Cheryl shared that whenever they traveled from the airport in Budapest, Hungary to Oradea, they would stop at a certain small roadside panzió (Hungarian for boarding house, small hotel, or bed and breakfast) along the way for a bowl of their hot goulash.
Romanian friends had recommended this particular panzió to Cheryl and Dave. The owners cooked the goulash in a large cast iron pot over the fire (the most authentic way to make goulash), and then served the humble stew with loaves of fresh, crusty bread for dunking and swiping up every last drop of goodness.
I asked Mom and Cheryl to send me a few pictures from the time they spent together visiting Budapest and Vienna, Austria that summer, when my parents ate their first Hungarian goulash. I am sharing a few of those photos after the recipe, if you’d like to take a look.
What is Goulash?
Goulash is a simple stew of beef and vegetables, with a good dose of Hungary’s trademark paprika.
Its origin can be traced back to the 9th century, to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds. The name originates from the Hungarian gulyás. The word gulya means ‘herd of cattle’ in Hungarian, and gulyás means ‘herdsman’ or ‘cowboy’.
Goulash is a common meal of Central Europe, and one of the national dishes of Hungary. Hungrian goulash is different from American goulash as well. The American version usually has noodles, whereas the Hungarian version focuses more on meat and potatoes, and is also spiced with paprika.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Chuck Roast, cut into cubes
- Carrots, cut into thick slices
- Red Potatoes, cut into cubes
- Mushrooms, quartered
- Yellow Onion, chopped
- Garlic, minced
- Beef Broth – I recommend a low-sodium broth, so you can control the amount of salt.
- Tomato Paste – Just a little bit adds rich flavor to this dish!
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds beautiful depth to the beef flavor.
- Hungarian Sweet Paprika – I know the amount seems like alot, but just trust me!
- Brown Sugar
- Dry Mustard
- Salt & Pepper
How to Make Hungarian Goulash
This stew could be simmered for hours on the stovetop – or in a big kettle over an open fire, if you want to be truly authentic.
But I chose to let the slow cooker do the work!
Here’s how to make this SUPER EASY Hungarian Goulash recipe:
- Place beef in slow cooker, and then cover with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
- In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and then add mixture to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is ultra tender.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This is a simple dish and I have just a few simple tips for you!
Use a flavorful cut of beef. An inexpensive cut is best – beef chuck is my #1 choice. It’s full of flavor and the slow cooker will magically transform this otherwise tough cut of meat into irresistible, fork-tender bites of beefy heaven. If you can’t find chuck, top round would be my second choice.
ALWAYS include Hungarian paprika! There are many different kinds of paprika, but I always look for “Hungarian sweet paprika” for this recipe. If you use a spicier paprika, you will probably want to cut back on the quantity (unless you LOVE all things SPICY!).
Don’t skimp on the cook time. The slow cooking process produces a stew with an intense, well-rounded flavor and fabulously tender chunks of beef. My recipe states a cook time of 4 to 6 hours – and while it usually doesn’t take 6 hours for the beef to become fork-tender, I always allow that time to ensure the best flavor and texture.
Serving Suggestions
The broth is wonderfully rich and beefy, with a hint of tomato flavor. It just begs to be sopped up by some warm, crusty bread or tender biscuits. For a little different twist on bread, try these honey cornbread muffins – my family goes crazy for them!
This stew would also be wonderful ladled over the top of steaming hot mashed potatoes. Although I might then alter the goulash recipe to delete the chopped potatoes and add more carrots and mushrooms.
Noodles would also be great. I would recommend some wide egg noodles, cooked just to al dente. Add some of the hot noodles to a plate or bowl and then ladle the goulash over the top.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Hungarian goulash makes great leftovers…and you know how I live for leftovers!!
This homemade stew recipe will keep very well for a few days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply reheat single or multiple servings in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Goulash also freezes perfectly. Use either larger freezer-safe containers or smaller single-serving freezer containers, and then thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. It’s so wonderful to have goulash on hand for a quick, delicious homemade meal!
A few more soups and stews you might like! Try my Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew, this Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Soup, and the always popular Lasagna Soup!
Like this homemade stew recipe? Save it to Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This humble stew is loaded with chunks of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and vegetables. A rich, beefy broth flavored with sweet paprika makes this a true comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. beef chuck roast, cut into 1" cubes
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2" diagonals
- 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
- 16 oz. whole fresh mushrooms, quartered
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 4 c. low sodium beef broth
- 3 T. tomato paste
- 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 c. Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place beef in slow cooker, and then cover with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients (except parsley, if you are using it for a garnish) and then add mixture to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover slow cooker and turn heat to high. Cook for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is ultra tender (I usually plan on 6 hours).
- To serve, ladle goulash into bowls and offer a warm loaf of fresh crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
From my mom’s recipe box…heavily adapted from this recipe, with input from Mom and my sister Cheryl from their travels to Hungary and Austria.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 562Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 745mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 48g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
And here are a few more stew recipes from my friends!
- Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa from Cookin’ Canuck
- Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew from Big Bear’s Wife
- Green Chile Stew from Barefeet in the Kitchen
As promised, here are a few photos from when my parents visited my sister’s family while they lived in Romania:
A highlight of my parents’ trip was visiting Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. A former imperial 1,441-room summer residence, it is now a major tourist attraction.
The grounds are meticulously kept, and are home to numerous gardens, pools, fountains, and sculptures…and a maze!
(Schönbrunn Palace is shown in the top photo. The Palm House, on the palace grounds, is in the bottom photo, with Mom, Dad, and Cheryl and Dave’s kids in the foreground.)
Pictured on the left are Cheryl and Dave with their son and daughter in front of the Neptune Fountain at Schönbrunn Palace. The grounds also feature the world’s oldest zoo, constructed in 1752 (bottom right).
While in Vienna, they also visited St. Stephens Cathedral, a medieval limestone landmark. It was constructed in 1147 and named after the first known Christian martyr. Massive in size, sitting atop underground tombs, catacombs, and crypts, it houses 18 altars in the main part of the church, plus more in various chapels.
I found information on the Schönbrunn Palace and St. Stephens Cathedral completely fascinating. As my dad always says, “google it”. The history on these places is amazing.
(Left photo is of St. Stephens Cathedral. Top right photo is of Dad, Mom, and Cheryl and Dave’s kids sitting along the Danube River. Middle right photo is of Cheryl and Dave’s family taking a carriage ride in Vienna. And the bottom right photo is of a pianist playing in the street near the cathedral.)
Thank you to Mom and Cheryl for sharing your memories and your photos. This post was previously published in 2014. Photographs and some of the text were updated in 2018 and 2020.
Well I can see that I’m a little late to the party but after searching the web, and all my cook books, your recipe looked just right. I brought home several bags of paprika from a recent trip to Budapest as well as delicious memories of the Goulash. I’m so excited…its in the slow cooker now! Out of necessity I had to make two changes, chicken instead beef broth and freshly sliced/sautéed mushrooms snatched from the jaws of the stroganoff currently on the stove. Is there anything I can add to make up for the chicken vs beef broth?
I am really enjoying your blog…and your style!
I’m so excited to see your post! My husband has had business trips to Transylvania the last two years, and next month I get to go with him! We’ll fly to Budapest, then take the train to Cluj, Romania. I have some paprika from his last trip, and I plan on stocking-up while I’m there. Thanks for the recipe. I was going to ask for the name of the panzio, but I doubt the train will make many stops :-)
How exciting for you! I hope you find some good goulash!
I’m really excited to try and make this! I’ve had goulash i Germany but this looks even better than that. I was wondering what size crock pot you used though because I only have a 4 quart one?
Used chuck short ribs — meat turned out tender but did not fall apart, veggies were not mushy. BUT, 4 cups broth turned into 4 QUARTS in the 4-5 hours in the crock pot. If I ever make it again, I’ll add no more than 1 cup broth. My husband told me to throw out the leftovers which filled three quart jars. However, I shall try heating one quart of the soup/gravy and letting it evaporate and then add more of the seasonings. If you have a better idea, please let me know. Thank you.
OMGGLHM!! (Oh My Goodness Gracious Lord Have Mercy) that was awesome! I just made this for dinner and we LOVED it. I made it in a Dutch Oven instead of the slow cooker since I was home all day. This is a permanent addition to our menu! Thank you so much for sharing it! You are the BOMB!
Excellent! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. Enjoy!
I’m very excited anout this recipe! My grand parents are from Hungary and I’ve grown up on “old country” goulash (sometimes even done over a fire in a cast iron pot) :) Although there are few ingredients my grandma never used im interested to see how this recipe tastes. Im going to try it tomorrow, can’t wait to find out how it stands up to my nagymama’s!
This is by far the best, and most authentic tasting, hungarian goulash recipe I’ve tried. The sweet paprika makes all the difference-don’t be scared by the (seemingly) high amount used. Love it, thanks!
Thank you so much for your comment, Stacy. I’m so glad you liked this recipe!
Hi,
I’m sorry but it’s not authentic Gulas.But it can be very tasty,I’m sure.
How big of a crock pot would you need for this? i have a feeling my 4 Quart crockpot is going to over flow!
Hi! I’m Hungarian, so this is one of my favorite dishes. My only struggle usually is, that the beef needs to be cooked for a long time in order to become tender (this is preparing it in a regular pot). If I cook it in a crock pot will it be tender and moist? And if I put the veggies in the same time, cooking it for 5-6 hours on high, won’t it end up being mushy?
The beef is definitely tender from being in the slow cooker. I don’t find the veggies to be “mushy”, just very soft. If you like them less soft, just add the veggies later in the cooking process.
I did not find d the veggies to be overly mushy. Would not cook them any longer than 6 hours. Putting the veggies on top of the beef helps. I stirred it after about 4 hours
My son and I made this today for dinner and it was wonderful! We will make it again and next time add a half cup of red wine. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe :)
I’m so glad you liked this! Thanks for coming back to let me know. And…I think your adding red wine sounds wonderful!
Dear Brenda, I am expatriate Austrian and I love your receipe. My mother made the stovetop version, but I love the slow cooker. We would eat it with small pickles on the side. There are lovely versions with game, when you serve it with lingonberries; cranberries would work, too.
Thank you so much for writing. I love to hear all of this. I want to try the game versions, and with lingonberries!
In the crock pot as we speak!
Wonderful! Hope you liked it!
Hi Brenda,
I have a quick question – when you say “dry” mustard, do you mean dry in the way that we describe wine or champagne, or do you mean powdered mustard?
Thanks!
I’m from Transylvania(living in London at the moment) and goulash is one of the traditional dishes over there:)..and i have hungarian paprika aswell..just one question.we usually had bread(ciabatta) with this dish..what would you recommend? many thanks :)
I have just returned from Eastern Europe where I enjoyed several bowls of wonderful goulash. Now sharing it with friends using your great recipe. Thank you
I am so happy to know you like this recipe and are sharing it with those you love! :)
Hi Brenda, goulash recipe looks good – I’m not experienced cook – can you tell me whether 4c. low sodium beef broth is 4 cups or something else, and whether 3T. tomato paste is teaspoons or table spoons, and 2 tsp dry mustard is 2 tablespoons or teaspoons
sometimes dummies like me need more explanation…..please advise…..thanx
Hello Len – c. = cups, T. = tablespoon, tsp. = teaspoon
Love this , my dad used to make something similar when I was growing up. LOVED LOVED the pics you added, what a beautiful place.
Thank you so much, Patty. I hope I can see that corner of the world some day!
I just put this in my crock pot but like others didn’t have the sweet Hungarian paprika BUT I did have Spanish sweet paprika hope it tastes as wonderful as my kitchen is smelling right now.
I’ve eaten alot of foreign foods and I’ve only had it once but Hungarian Goulash is my favorite! I haven’t cooked in a very longtime I would have to say years and even when I did it was very rare. Though I eat extremely healthy I have found that even in healthy foods prepared by a store or restaurant there are certain ingredients you cannot avoid unless you cook for yourself. I have now prepared this dish and it is cooking right now. I am hoping it turns out good and that this is just the first of many dishes for me to learn to make well. Thank you so much for providing this recipe!
I’m excited to try your recipe because it looks authentic. I spent much of my youth in Germany, and my dad loves to make Hungarian Goulash. We make it with German Spaetzle. I had a hard time finding smoked paprika in grocery stores, but found it in World Market and in Home Goods also.
I hope you like this, Haley! :)