Authentic German Goulash Recipe (2024)

An authentic German goulash recipe just the way my mother-in-law makes it. Tender chunks of beef in a rich, hearty, delicious onion gravy.

This melt-in-your-mouth German goulash is the kind of hearty stew I cook very often. There are many different goulash recipes; a traditional Hungarian goulash or the American style made with macaroni noodles and tomato sauce are delicious. Still, my German family grew up with this version, so they prefer it. It is German comfort food at its best.

Why will you love this dish?

• Authentic German recipe: this is the kind of hearty beef stew or goulash cooked in my husband’s family for generations.
• Rich and comforting: tender beef pieces smothered in a thick onion gravy.
• Few ingredients
• No searing of the meat!
• Great to make in advance
• Perfect for a large gathering

Recipe ingredients

• Beef chuck. In Germany, it is very easy to get the proper cut of meat for making this dish, as it is labeled as goulash meat. Otherwise, it’s good to know that it’s beef chuck you need.
• Onions: This recipe is all about the beef and the onions used in a 1:1 ratio (1 kg: 1 kg). 1 kg is about 4 large onions, which might seem like lots of onions at first. But don’t worry, they will almost melt in the dish, making the gravy thick and flavorful.
• Red wine: I use medium-priced dry red wine, not the cheapest one but not expensive either.
• Beef stock: Homemade is best, mainly because it is not as salty as bought stock. If using commercial beef broth or stock, make sure it is a low-sodium version.
• Clarified butter (Butterschmalz): The fat typically used to cook this kind of dish in Germany. It is produced by melting butter and thus separating the milk solids and water from the butterfat. It has a higher smoking point than butter. However, you can replace it with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Celeriac: In Germany, we would always use celeriac for making beef goulash, soup, or most anything actually. It’s sweeter, less intense, in any way better tasting than the stalks. Celery stalks are not as popular here as worldwide; they are not always available and are mostly seen as rabbit food or the dieter’s worst nightmare, I guess. However, if celeriac is not available, use 2-3 stalks of celery instead.
• Other ingredients: carrot, tomato paste, sweet paprika, hot paprika, bay leaves, marjoram, caraway seeds, salt, and black pepper.

Recipe steps

• If not already chopped, cut the beef into cubes (about 1-inch cubes / 2 ½ cm). Set aside.
• Chop the onions, carrots, and celeriac.
• Heat the clarified butter in a large pot; I prefer to use a large, shallow Dutch oven.
• Add the vegetables and a little bit of salt (1), and cook on medium heat, often stirring, until deeply golden brown for about 10-15 minutes. Don’t let them catch too much at the bottom of the pot (a little catching is fine) (2). Keep stirring and turn down the heat a bit if necessary.

• Add tomato paste and stir it continuously for about 2 minutes to mix it with the vegetables and let it brown slightly.
• Add both kinds of paprika powder and stir well to combine (3).
• Pour in the wine and the stock, add bay leaves, marjoram, caraway seeds, and pepper. Don’t add salt now; it all depends on the stock you are using.
• Finally, add the meat cubes (4), bring to a boil, cover the pot, turn down the heat and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is perfectly tender. Stir occasionally.
• Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

Expert Tips and FAQ

• The gravy should be thick and glossy; if you want a thicker consistency, you can cook the German goulash for 10-15 minutes longer without the lid. This will allow the sauce to reduce more. However, I seldom find that necessary; it’s usually as thick as we like it after the initial cooking time.
• You can also thicken the gravy with cornstarch mixed with a little cold water.

Recipe FAQ

What to serve with it?

• Starchy side dishes: Spätzle (like in the pictures), German potato or bread dumplings, parsley potatoes. Also delicious are other kinds of egg noodles, mashed potatoes, polenta, gnocchi, bread, or rice.
• Vegetable side dishes: German Red Cabbage, German Sauerkraut, a boiled carrot and pea mix, or cooked-to-death Brussels sprouts or cauliflower. I am not kidding about the cook-to-death thing, unfortunately. I definitely don’t recommend it, but it’s the reality… even in better restaurants…
• Salads: My mother-in-law always makes an extra green bean salad or a fresh green salad, both dressed in a little sour cream. Cucumber salad or German Cabbage Slaw are great side dishes as well.

See Also

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