Goulash Soup, or Gulyásleves, is one of the most iconic dishes of Hungarian cuisine. This hearty soup is made with tender beef or pork, potatoes, root vegetables, and generous amounts of Hungarian sweet paprika, which gives it its characteristic color and depth of flavor. Traditionally cooked slowly in a cauldron over an open fire, goulash soup is a warming, rustic meal that reflects Hungary’s pastoral culinary heritage.
Goulash Soup (Gulyas leves)
Print RecipeIngredients
- 50 Dekagram (dkg) beef shin, cut into small cubess
- 1 Piece onion
- 3 Piece garlic cloves
- 1 Tea spoon caraway seed
- 2 Peck black pepper, grounded
- 1 Table spoon (tbsp) salt
- 2 Table spoon (tbsp) oil
- 1 Piece pepper, small green
- 1 Piece tomato, medium
- 2 Piece carrot, large
- 1 Piece parsley root
- 3 Piece potato
- 1 Slice bay leaves
- 2 Piece chili, hot pepper
Instructions
In Hungary, you’ll find this soup served at all hours, spicy and restorative, it’s just the thing for a cold winter. It’s hearty enough to be eaten as a main course with fresh crispy bread. This soup benefits from a long, slow cook and is actually a goulash, which is a stew, to which more liquid and some vegetable has been added. Traditional gulyas leves is made with beef or veal, however you can prepare with juicy pork cut such as spare ribs.
Peel and slice the onions, peel and crush the garlic, and deseed and dice the pepper. Finely chop the tomatoes. Add a good splash of oil to a large pan and gently sauté the onions, garlic, caraway seed, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper until so!ened. Add the beef and continue to cook until the meat is browned. Remove from heat and stir in the sweet paprika powder, than add enough hot water to cover the meat (not more). Place in the pepper slices, bring to the boil and cook until getting gravy, approx 45 minutes. Add chopped tomato and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Than add 1 l hot stock or water, vegetable cubes, bay leaves and simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 11⁄2 hours. Peel, dice and add the potatoes, plus any remaining stock and a little water if it’s looking too dry, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, 15 minutes. Serve with hot pepper and crispy fresh bread, if you like.
