German Goulash Soup (Gulaschsuppe)

Lighter than a stew, but just as tasty!  Gulaschsuppe, or German Goulash Soup, is deliciously flavorsome and easy to prepare. Add it to your collection of hearty soups now!

If you like popular German soups, try my classic sauerkraut soup recipe and my authentic German potato soup (kartoffelsuppe). Both are excellent all year round! 🙂 

Now let’s add another well-loved soup to that list — goulash soup.

What, exactly, is German goulash soup?

Known locally as ‘gulaschsuppe,’ it is a lighter version of goulash stew.

It has more liquid, fewer vegetables, and less cooking time.

But it certainly does not mean less flavor! On the contrary, it got the same deep taste of paprika but with more acidity (and freshness) from the vinegar.

If you want to keep serving goulash in warmer months, gulaschsuppe is your answer!

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Ingredients

• Beef – chuck, shin, or neck would be excellent for making German goulash soup.

• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.

• Garlic – minced or grated.

• Onion – as typical of all German soups, you must chop the onion finely.

• Tomato paste – just use your favorite brand.

• Stock – I always use beef stock for preparing gulaschsuppe.

• Potatoes – rinsed, peeled, and chopped into small cubes.

• White wine vinegar – you need this to balance the base flavors of your goulash soup and to give it some more ‘zing.’

• Spices and seasoning – Hungarian sweet paprika, caraway seeds, dried marjoram, salt, and ground black pepper; all the seasoning and spices you need for making a delicious bowl of goulash soup.

Preparation

Start making gulaschsuppe by heating olive oil in a medium to a large pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is ready, add garlic and chopped onion.

Cook until the onion softens.

Add the tomato paste and sweet paprika.

Cook for about two minutes, stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the pan.

Add the chunks of beef.

Cook until the beef chunks turn brown.

Notice the slightly thicker sauce forming at the bottom of the pan — this is the base flavor of your gulaschsuppe.

Add the stock, vinegar, caraway seeds, and dried marjoram.

Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Cover the pan with a lid and bring it to a boil.

Adjust heat and simmer for about forty minutes or until the meat becomes slightly tender.

Taste and adjust seasoning the seasoning of your gulaschsuppe, then add the potatoes.

Place the cover back and continue simmering until the beef bits are fully tender and the potatoes are cooked.

Transfer German goulash soup into bowls and serve!

Helpful tips

• When slicing the beef, keep chunks no more than 1 inch wide.

It helps shorten the cooking time for gulaschsuppe and ensures both meat and potatoes will fit in a spoonful.

• Do not skip or rush the cooking of the tomato paste and paprika.

It’s a crucial step to develop the base flavors for your German goulash soup fully.

• Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning when adding the potatoes. I typically add more salt, pepper, and vinegar during this time to balance my gulaschsuppe.

Recipe variation

• Paprika. You can use regular paprika when you don’t have Hungarian paprika around — be aware, though, that result will not have the same taste as authentic gulaschsuppe.

• Red wine vinegar. An excellent substitute for white wine vinegar, but make sure you put less first, then taste and adjust later.

• Chicken stock. A great alternative to beef stock, or you can even use a combination of chicken or beef stock.

Looks absolutely delicious, right? I guarantee it is! So, give this German goulash soup recipe one of these days! 🙂

OR YOU CAN GET MORE IDEAS IN THIS LIST OF SOUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

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