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Traditional beef goulash soup with tender meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika.
Rich and hearty Beef Goulash Soup with root vegetables

Traditional Beef Goulash Soup

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Soups
Goulash soup is the flagship of Hungarian cuisine—a fusion of a rich stew and a hearty soup. The secret lies in the 'long broth': slowly cooking collagen-rich beef shank until the liquid becomes gelatinous and full-bodied. The sweetness of the root vegetables and the warmth of the paprika unite in this thick, savory broth. It's not a meal to be rushed; patience is the main ingredient.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 2 hrs
⌛ Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 550 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Chef's knife

Instructions

1 ✓

Sauté the finely chopped onions in fat until translucent. Remove from heat, stir in the paprika, then mix in the cubed beef.

Tip: Fat dissolves the flavor compounds in paprika, but high heat burns it. Adding the cold meat immediately cools the pot down, allowing you to return it to the stove safely.
2 ✓

Sear the meat until it turns opaque. Add the garlic, caraway, and bay leaves, then pour in just enough water to cover. Simmer covered on low heat.

Tip: This creates the stew base. Don't add all the water yet; braising in a small amount of liquid intensifies the flavor.
3 ✓

When the meat is half-cooked (about 60-90 minutes), add the rest of the water to reach your desired soup consistency and bring to a boil.

Tip: Beef shank needs time for the connective tissues to break down into gelatin (collagen hydrolysis).
4 ✓

Add the chopped vegetables (carrots, parsnips, potatoes, tomato, pepper) and cook until everything is tender.

Tip: The vegetables provide the final sweetness and body to the soup.

Recipe FAQ

When should I add the potatoes?
Only when the meat is almost fork-tender. Potatoes cook in 15-20 minutes; adding them too early will cause them to disintegrate and cloud the soup.
My soup tastes bitter.
The paprika likely burned at the beginning. Always remove the pot from the heat before adding paprika to the hot fat!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Beef Shank (cubed)
  • 2 medium Yellow Onions (diced)
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 4 medium Potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold, cubed)
  • 2 medium Carrots (sliced)
  • 1 medium Parsnip (sliced)
  • 1 medium Tomato
  • 1 medium Bell Pepper (or Hungarian Wax Pepper)
  • 2 tbsp Sweet Paprika
  • 1 tsp Ground Caraway Seeds
  • 2 pcs Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Lard or Vegetable Oil
  • 1.5 quarts Water