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.
This recipe helped us figure out how much we LOVE goulash!!!
My mom used to make a slightly different version of this, but I have to say your version was just as good. YUM!
Such a flavorful and hearty meal!
This turns out rich and flavorful!
Hi there! Thanks that you sharing your mom’s recipe with us. Every house has sin own recipe how to make goulasch.
Your recipe remains me the mixtures of fransch bief de bourgeois and rague de Bolognese. Don’t worry it is no wrong at all to try different things.
For the first you have to know that are two version of goulash in Hungary.
The goulash soop, with carrots and potatoes it’s a thin soop. Than it’s a a Goulash stew, thicker and it’s a main meal with NO carrots and mushrooms.
If you wana make an authentic Hungarian goulash stew you have to look the name: marha pörkölt. Good luck!
János, my thoughts exactly. One thing to add: it’s really called Gulyás. I prefer to use the actual name of the meal, since it is Hungarian. And the thin soup, usually does not have any other vegetable besides potatoes and the beef.
I made this last Sunday and it was SO unbelievably delicious! My husband loved the depth of flavors and having an alternative to a standard beef stew. I was able to find authentic Hungarian Sweet Paprika (yummm!) and also thickened the goulash at the end by stirring in flour whisked into beef stock.
About 40 hours ago I was eating goulash in Budapest! And I brought home paprika – of course. This looks very similar to what we ate. The broth in ours must have been reduced a lot as it was almost thick (but not creamy). Thanks for the recipe!
Just got myself a slow cooker and looked up hungarian goulash recipes, I grew up in Slovenia and my mom would make this dish quite a bit and I absolutely love it! She would make this with creamy polenta as a side – try it, you will absolutely love the combination! Thank you for the slow cooker adaptation, can’t wait to make this!
Ooooooo, I definitely want to try that! Thank you for sharing. And I hope you like this!
I made this today – great recipe, thanks for posting it! I used Trader Joe’s smoked paprika and added about a half bag of shredded cabbage (in the last hour of cooking). Not sure how Hungarian paprika tastes, but the TJ’s smoked wasn’t chili spicy at all. It came out really nice.
I didn’t realize Hungarian paprika was a thing and just added regular paprika….anything I can do to save it from being to hard on us?
You’ll be just fine. :)
This was DELICIOUS.
I love to know you loved this. Thanks!
My husband and I visited Budapest and Prague recently and had the most wonderful Hungarian Goulash. I have wanted to try to make it since we got back and found your recipe on line. Well I made it today for dinner, following your directions exactly and I’m sorry to say that I found it quite tasteless. It was such a disappointment and nothing like what we had tasted over there.
I agree, this recipe is currently in my slow cooker and I have added a number of spices trying to get some flavour into it. The paprika cannot carry it on its own.
This is a wonderful stew!!! I have a Hungarian family and we love it!!
I love to hear this. Thank you so much, Jennifer!
My dear friend just returned from a trip to Hungary and brought me authentic Hungarian Paprika (I hope I find out that it is ‘sweet’ paprika which is what you used). I am 1/2 Hungarian and 1/2 Austrian due to my father being born in Budapest and immigrated to Austria in 1957 where he met my mother outside of Salzburg. I grew up with dishes such as Hungarian goulash and Austrian food. Both parents are deceased and I miss the foods of my childhood. Thanks soooo much for sharing your pictures and recipe. I can’t wait to try it! I read all the comments and I too am happy that it’s in a slow cooker. I may sautee the onions and beef for a little bit tho. Great to find this recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing, Elizabeth. I hope you like this!
My mother in law recently passed away and she always would make beef goulash and I unfortunately never learned how to make it. My husband asked if I could make this since the weather is getting cooler and I’m glad I stumbled onto the recipe. I will be trying this out this week in the crockpot but I was wondering if I cook it on low can I leave it for 8hrs or so????
Just returned from Budapest where we ate many bowls of goulash. I’m 1/2 Hungarian and my mom use to make goulash but of course I never had her recipe. I was looking for a crock pot version and came across yours. Thanks so much. I did bring sweet paprika home so will be using it. Hope it turns out as well as some of the ones we had in Hungary.
And I hope my language wasn’t impolite.That wasn’t my propose.
No worries, Erika. I had tweaked a recipe that my mom had found, after she had enjoyed goulash on a trip to Hungary and Austria. She said the recipe was the closest one she had found that tasted similar to what she had eaten on their vacation. Thanks for sharing your insight.
Hi,
I’m a hungarian woman.That’s a very good recipe,could be tasty. What an honor that you share this recipe as hungarian.But please,let me say that it’s not authentic and not traditional Hungarian Goulash.This one could be a German,Romanian, Austrian Goulash I guess or I don’t know.Your recipe contains so many(almost all) ingredients that Hungarian’s one doesn’t.Dry mustard,mushrooms,tomato paste(we use tomato not paste,different taste),Worcestershire sauce,brown sugar….Hungarian Goulash doesn’t contains black pepper authentically,because the beef gives that flavor to the soup that needs.But we usually use black pepper,so it’s not problem.Cooking technics is not fine as well.Shortly:First sauté the chopped onion in oil,add bay leaf, give just a little bit water,reduced the liquid,then add chopped beef,give them a stir,roast 4-5 minutes,add salt, garlic,Hungarian sweet paprika or some good quality one.Add chopped tomatoes and yellow bell pepper(TV (means good for stuffed pepper) pepper in Hungary)give them a stir,add water to reach the top of the beef.Reduce the liquid at least 4 times or more.That is one of the most important thing,never skip this.After At the last one(when the beef almost cooked) add the sliced carrots and sliced Turpin or Swiss chard,chopped potatoes, roast them with the beef,add water,black pepper and cook.It can be a soup,not a stew at the end.
I’ve been making my Hungarian grandmother’s variation of this recipe for over 30 years. I found your recipe when looking for a multipot version. I wasn’t sure that it would taste like my grandmother’s, as your recipe has many more ingredients, but I thought I would give it a try.
Made it tonight and my husband and I both love the layers of flavor that your version has. Fabulous. The only thing different that I did was to brown the meat in a little bacon fat first. Especially easy since my new toy has a browning option.
Didn’t have crusty bread, but did have homemade dinner rolls to mop up the juices. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing a great recipe and photos.
Hello Carol – thank you for writing. I love to know that you enjoyed this recipe!
What size crockpot do you need?