Last February, snow was falling heavily when Lina came in from playing outside, her cheeks flushed and her mittens soaked. “Mom, I’m freezing! Can we have that super thick soup with tender meat?” She was talking about my German Goulash the one I make whenever it’s bitterly cold and we need something hearty and comforting. After thirteen years in professional kitchens, including a year at a German restaurant in Munich, I’ve learned that authentic goulash isn’t the American-style version with noodles. It’s a rich, paprika-spiced beef stew that cooks slowly for hours until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the sauce turns thick and smooth.
Why This German Goulash Is My Favorite
This German goulash is exactly the kind of meal I crave when it’s cold outside. The beef cooks slowly until it’s incredibly soft, practically falling apart in your mouth. The sauce becomes thick and rich, almost like a gravy, with a deep, sweet-and-earthy paprika flavor that isn’t spicy. The onions caramelize and dissolve into the sauce, adding a gentle sweetness that balances the tomatoes and wine perfectly. Each forkful combines tender beef and velvety sauce, and when served over spaetzle or egg noodles, those little dumplings soak up all that amazing flavor.
I love it because it’s one of those dishes that only gets better the longer it simmers. Just brown the meat, add the rest of the ingredients, and let it cook for a couple of hours while you go about your day. No stirring constantly, no watching over it just check occasionally to make sure it’s not boiling too hard. When I made this for my husband’s family last winter, his German grandmother was moved to tears, saying it reminded her of home. She even gave me her handwritten recipe card in German, which is honestly the highest praise I’ve ever received in the kitchen.
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Ingredients You’ll Need For German Goulash
For the Goulash:
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
- 3 large onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional Add-ins:
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Splash of red wine vinegar
For Serving:
- Fresh dill or parsley
- Spaetzle or egg noodles
- Crusty bread for dipping
- Sour cream dollop
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make German Goulash Step By Step
Brown the Beef:
- Don’t skip this step it adds flavor
- Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels
- Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat
- Brown beef in batches
- Remove beef and set aside
Build the Base:
- Lower heat to medium
- Add onions to the same pot
- Cook 10 minutes until soft and golden
- Add garlic and paprika, stir 1 minute
- Stir in tomato paste
Simmer and Cook:
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Return beef to pot with any juices
- Add broth, wine, bay leaves, caraway, and marjoram
- Bring to boil, then reduce to low simmer
- Cover and cook 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally
- Meat should be fork-tender when done
Smart Swaps for German Goulash
Healthier Options:
- Lean beef → Beef chuck (less fat but drier)
- Less oil → Regular amount (still works)
- Low-sodium broth → Regular broth (better control)
- Skip the wine → Use all broth (less depth but fine)
Dietary Needs:
- Chicken or turkey → Beef (totally different but still good)
- Vegetable broth → Beef broth (for pescatarian)
- Mushrooms → Half the beef (vegetarian version)
- Gluten-free noodles → Regular noodles (celiac-safe)
Meat Options:
- Pork shoulder → Beef chuck (sweeter, more tender)
- Lamb → Beef (gamier, very traditional)
- Venison → Beef (leaner, wilder taste)
- Mix of beef and pork → All beef (richer)
Flavor Twists:
- Apple cider vinegar → Wine vinegar (fruity tang)
- Fresh marjoram → Dried (more potent)
- Smoked paprika → Sweet paprika (deeper flavor)
- Beer → Red wine (more Germanic)
Storing Your German Goulash
Refrigerator (4-5 days):
- Cool completely before storing
- Store in airtight container
- Reheat gently on stovetop over low heat
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
- Actually tastes better the next day
Freezer (3-4 months):
- Cool completely first
- Freeze in portions for easier thawing
- Leave headspace in containers
- Thaw overnight in fridge
- Reheat slowly on stovetop
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Make full batch up to 3 days ahead
- Store without noodles or dumplings
- Add fresh sides when serving
- Flavors get even better with time
- Reheat gently to avoid toughening meat
Best Reheating Practice:
- Stir gently to avoid breaking up beef
- Takes about 15 minutes to heat through
- Always use stovetop, not microwave
- Add splash of broth if too thick
- Low heat prevents meat from drying out
Equipment For German Goulash
- Ladle (for serving)
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (5-6 quart)
- Sharp knife (for cutting beef)
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Tongs (for turning beef)
- Measuring cups and spoons
German Goulash Variations
Goulash Soup:
- Add 2 more cups of broth
- Make it thinner and more soup-like
- Serve in bowls with crusty bread
- Add diced potatoes
- Perfect for cold winter nights
Slow Cooker Version:
- Brown beef and onions first
- Transfer everything to crockpot
- Cook on low 6-8 hours
- Comes home to dinner ready
- Makes the house smell amazing
German Goulash with Dumplings:
- Skip the noodles entirely
- Make traditional bread dumplings
- Drop them in last 20 minutes
- They soak up all that sauce
- More authentic and hearty
Spicy Bavarian Style:
- My husband’s favorite version
- Add hot paprika with the sweet
- Throw in diced jalapeños
- Use dark beer instead of wine
- Top with horseradish cream
Top Tip
- From making this at least 40 times, I’ve learned what separates a decent goulash from a truly outstanding one. First, don’t chop your beef too small. I used to think tiny cubes would cook faster, but they ended up dry and tough. Aim for chunks around 1.5 inches they look big at first, but they shrink as they cook and stay wonderfully juicy. Also, make sure to thoroughly pat your beef dry with paper towels before browning. Any surface moisture will steam the meat instead of searing it, and you’ll miss out on that rich, caramelized flavor.
- Using fresh, high-quality paprika is absolutely essential. I can’t stress this enough old paprika that’s been sitting in your spice cabinet for years? Toss it. Over time, it loses its vibrant flavor and can even develop a bitter edge. Look for new paprika from a European market or online, and store it in the freezer to keep it at its best. When it’s time to add it to the pot, cook it briefly just about a minute with the garlic to release its full aroma.
- Any longer in the pan and the paprika will burn and turn bitter. I once ruined an entire batch by letting it cook for three minutes while I got distracted on the phone the stew ended up with a harsh, unpleasant taste. Also, never let the goulash come to a full boil. It should barely bubble, just a few tiny bubbles breaking the surface now and then. A rolling boil will toughen the meat and tighten the proteins, ruining the texture.
Why This German Goulash Works
The secret to a successful German goulash lies in how tough cuts of meat respond to slow cooking. Beef chuck is loaded with collagen, the connective tissue that makes meat chewy if cooked quickly. But when you braise it gently for a couple of hours, that collagen transforms into gelatin, which tenderizes the meat and thickens the sauce, giving it a rich, silky texture. Rushing the process with high heat will tighten the proteins and toughen the meat, while slow, steady cooking turns it into a melt-in-your-mouth dish.
Paprika isn’t just for its color or mild flavor it’s doing chemical work. Its carotenoids are fat-soluble, which means they release their full aroma only when cooked in fat. That’s why you toast it in oil with the onions before adding any liquid. These compounds combine with the fat and disperse throughout the stew, creating a deep, earthy-sweet flavor in every bite. The onions, meanwhile, break down completely during cooking, releasing natural sugars that caramelize and counterbalance the acidity from tomatoes and wine. Using a generous amount of onions is key they dissolve into the sauce and give it its luxurious body.
FAQ
What is German goulash made of?
German goulash is made with chunks of beef (usually chuck roast), lots of onions, sweet paprika, tomato paste, beef broth, and often red wine. The key ingredients are the beef and paprika everything else is just supporting players. You brown the beef, cook down the onions until they’re sweet and soft, add paprika and tomato paste, then simmer everything in broth for a couple hours until the meat falls apart.
What is the difference between German goulash and American goulash?
Completely different dishes that just share a name. American goulash is ground beef with elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, and maybe some cheese basically a one-pot pasta dish. German goulash is chunks of beef braised for hours in a paprika-heavy sauce until tender, served over noodles or dumplings. American version takes 30 minutes and tastes like spaghetti. German version takes 2+ hours and tastes like a rich beef stew.
What is the difference between German and Hungarian goulash?
Hungarian goulash (gulyás) is thinner and more soup-like, traditionally made by Hungarian shepherds. It has more liquid, often includes potatoes, and is served as a soup. German goulash is thicker, more stew-like, with less broth and a richer sauce. Hungarian version is all about the paprika broth. German version is about tender meat in thick sauce. Both use tons of paprika and long cooking times, but the texture and serving style are different.
What are the different types of goulash?
There are dozens of regional variations across Central Europe. Hungarian gulyás is the original soup version. German goulash is thicker and stew-like. Austrian goulash often includes vinegar for tang. Czech goulash sometimes has beer instead of wine. Szeged goulash adds sauerkraut. There’s also goulash soup versus goulash stew, beef versus pork, with potatoes versus with dumplings.
A Cozy Hug in a Bowl
Now you’ve got all the secrets to making German goulash just right from properly browning the beef to letting it simmer slowly until it melts in your mouth. This recipe shows that true comfort food can’t be hurried. With quality beef, generous paprika, and a little patience, you’ll end up with a dish that tastes like it was served in a warm, rustic German inn on a snowy evening.
Craving more hearty comfort food? Try our Best Grilled Chicken Burrito Recipe for creamy, cheesy bowls that warm you from the inside out. Need easy party appetizers? Our Easy Air Fryer Pizza Rolls Recipe delivers flaky, buttery bites everyone loves. Looking for grilled dinners with bold flavors? Our Easy Crispy Chilli Beef Recipe brings tropical magic to your backyard!
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German Goulash
A rich, paprika-spiced German Goulash that simmers slowly until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Perfect for cold winter days, served over spaetzle, egg noodles, or with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
-
Pat beef cubes dry. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches and remove.
-
Reduce heat to medium. Cook onions until soft and golden. Add garlic and paprika, stir 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste.
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Return beef to pot with any juices. Add broth, wine, bay leaves, caraway, and marjoram. Season with salt and pepper.
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Bring to gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally until meat is fork-tender.
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Serve over spaetzle or egg noodles. Garnish with parsley or dill and add a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
