This classic German Beef Goulash is pure comfort in every serving! Tender chunks of beef in flavor-packed paprika sauce — you’ll surely wipe every bit off your plate. Delicious!
There are many versions of German goulash stew, but this is how I learned to make it while living in Frankfurt a few years back.
German goulash generally refers to ‘beef goulash,’ a classic stew with less liquid than any traditional German soup.
Known locally as ‘rindergulasch,’ there are no vegetables in the stew except onions and garlic — and it is typically served with noodles or potatoes.
When making this dish, it’s all about the sauce, so don’t rush cooking the herbs and spices that make up the German goulash seasoning. Saute them to give them more depth, then add the rest for simmering, and you can relax and wait. 🙂
Oh! For warmer months, you should try German goulash soup instead — it has the same flavor but is slightly lighter and with more vegetables!
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Ingredients
- Olive oil – used to brown the beef, so extra virgin olive oil is used if possible.
- Beef – I suggest getting beef chuck and cutting it into 1 to 1 & 1/2-inch (2 .5 to 4 cm) bits.
- Garlic – minced, grated, or thinly chopped.
- Onion – finely chopped.
- Tomato paste – remember to cook this for a few minutes, not just add and mix.
- Red wine – dry red wine would be excellent for making German beef goulash. You let it evaporate while glazing the pan.
- Stock – I typically use beef stock.
- Lemon – you only need the grated zest, not the white (bitter) part.
- Herbs and spices – dried marjoram, cumin seeds, cayenne, Hungarian paprika, and salt are what you need for German goulash seasoning.
Preparation
To start making German beef goulash, heat the olive oil in a deep, large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is ready, add the beef chunks and keep some space in between.
Brown the beef, transfer it to a plate, and set aside.
Add the onion in the same pot and lower the heat to medium.
Cook until the onions are soft, then add the tomato paste.
Cook for two to three minutes, mixing often to avoid burning the paste.
Add the rest of the German goulash seasoning: garlic, dried marjoram, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon zest, and salt — and continue cooking for two more minutes.
Place the browned beef back in the pan and mix everything evenly.
Pour the red wine.
Let the wine evaporate, mixing often to glaze the pan.
Pour the stock — just enough to cover the beef.
Cover with a lid and let simmer for an hour and a half or until the beef becomes slightly tender.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Keep the pan covered partly and continue simmering until the beef is fully cooked and tender.
Transfer your German beef goulash into serving plates.
Garnish with parsley, if desired — serve!
Helpful tips
- Pat the beef chunks dry before placing them in the oil. It helps them brown better for this goulash stew.
- Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan — and you end up steaming them.
- Do not rush the cooking of the tomato paste and Goulash seasoning. They need to be sauteed before combining with the rest of the ingredients.
- You do not have to pour all the stock — just enough to cover the beef.
Recipe variation
- Stock. You can also use chicken stock if you don’t have beef stock.
- Beef shank. It’s an excellent alternative if you cannot find beef chuck.
- Cornstarch. If you want a thicker sauce, mix at least a tablespoon of cornstarch with a bit of water and add it to the beef goulash stew. Add more until you get your preferred consistency.
So, how about it? Try this classic German beef goulash this weekend, and let me know!
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📖 Recipe
German Beef Goulash Recipe (Rindergulasch)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck (about 1 kg), cut into 1 to 1.5-inch bits
- 2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 3 to 3 & 1/2 cups stock
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a deep, large pot or a Dutch oven — over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is ready, add the beef chunks and keep some space in between.
- Brown the beef, transfer it to a plate, and set aside.
- Add the onion in the same pot and lower the heat to medium.
- Cook until the onions are soft, then add the tomato paste.
- Cook for two to three minutes, mixing often to avoid burning the paste.
- Add the rest of the German goulash seasoning: garlic, dried marjoram, cumin seeds, paprika, cayenne, salt, and lemon zest — and continue mixing for two more minutes.
- Place the browned beef back in the pan and mix everything evenly.
- Pour the red wine.
- Let the wine evaporate, mixing often to glaze the pan.
- Pour the stock — just enough to cover the beef.
- Cover your beef goulash stew with a lid and let it simmer for an hour and a half or until the meat becomes slightly tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Keep the pan covered partly and continue simmering until the beef is fully cooked and tender.
- Transfer your German beef goulash into serving plates.
- Garnish with parsley, if preferred, then serve!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Make sure the beef chunks are not wet before placing them in the oil. Pat them dry to help them brown better.
- Cook’s Tip #2: Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan — and you end up steaming them.
- Refer to the post’s ‘Recipe variation‘ section for substitutions.
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