Authentic German Goulash Soup (Gulaschsuppe)

Old-fashioned German goulash soup reminds me of warmth and wholesomeness. Although this beef stew is an import from Hungary, this soup is deeply ingrained in German food culture. What is there not to love about it? It is easy to make, it is a real crowd pleaser and best of all..... it makes your kitchen smell delicious!

I am full of anticipation when a pot of goulash stew is bubbling on the stove. A super simple, yet delicious recipe I cannot wait to share with you.

History of Goulash Soup and its arrival into German Kitchen

Goulash is an old dish that is believed to have its origins in ancient nomadic times. Hungary made it its own when they started cultivating the freshly discovered paprika, as a cheap alternative to pepper.

At first, it was known as a dish for the poor but it quickly gained popularity as goulash soup is nutritious, cheap to produce and great to take on travels with you. Goulash soup only arrived in Germany at the end of the 19th century. It has established itself as a military dish. In the first world war, the “Gulaschkanone” (Goulash cannon) was created. [source Wikipedia]

More German Goulash Recipes include:

• German Beer Goulash
• Venison Goulash
• Sausage Goulash
• Szegedine Goulash with Sauerkraut

What is the German “Gulaschkanone” (Goulashcannon)?

The Gulaschkanone is put together by two German words. “Gulasch” (goulash) and Kanone “cannon”. The name derived from the device looking similar to a piece of artillery machinery.  A Goulashkanone is a mobile stove for the military field kitchen. It was invented during the first world war and used to be pulled by horses to front lines or feed civilians during wartime. This provided warm meals on the go.

Not only goulash was served in the “Goulashcannon”, but also Pea Soup or Potato Soup. The gulaschkanone is still in use today. Today the Red Cross or Fire brigade have a modern version to enable to feed people in need. You can also buy them on amazon.de for personal use,

About this German Goulash Recipe 

Goulash Soup in German is called “Gulaschsuppe”.
When I first heard the term "German Goulash Soup" I was abroad. In Germany, not many people refer to this soup as “German”. It is called “Hungarian Goulash Soup” (Ungarische Gulaschsuppe) or “Hungarian Style Goulash Soup” (Gulaschsuppe Ungarische Art).

Still, goulash soup is immensely popular in Germany and has been part of German food culture for more than a hundred years.

The authentic goulash soup is made with stewing beef which is just called “Gulaschfleisch” in Germany. The dominant flavour in the soup is paprika. It, however, has the iconic German sweet and sour flavouring that is a result between the combination of red wine, sugar and paprika.

Soup Ingredients for 4 people

• 500 g stewing beef (1.1 lb) – you can substitute it with diced pork - or a combination of the two
• 1 onion (approx. 120 g or 4.2 oz) 
• 3 large potatoes (350 g or 12.3 oz) 
• 2 carrots (140 g or 5.2 oz) 
• 1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper (140 g o3 5.2 oz) 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 2 tablespoon butter 
• 3 tablespoon sweet paprika powder 
• 1 tablespoon spicy paprika powder
• 1 tablespoon marjoram (affiliate link) (if not available use sage (affiliate link)) 
• 60 gr fresh parsley (2.1 oz)
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree 
• 180 ml red wine – (6 fl oz) if not available use 2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar instead. 
• 1 litre or 33 oz beef stock or broth 

Affiliate Links:

How to make German Goulash soup

1. Prepare the meat by chopping it into 2 cm chunks. 
2. Peel and slice the onion and garlic finely.
3. Peel the potato and carrots and core the pepper. Slice all into cubes of around 2 cm in length. 
4. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and fry the beef for around 5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add the onions and garlic and fry with the beef cubes for a further 5 minutes while stirring throughout. 
6. Now pour in the red wine and beef stock or broth and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. The soup should be simmering rather than wildly bubbling.
7. Season with salt, sugar, pepper, paprika powders, marjoram (affiliate link) and bay leaves and tomato paste. 
8. Cook the beef on a low to medium heat for 70 minutes. 
9. Now add the potatoes, peppers and carrots to the soup. Leave to boil for a further 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through. 
10. Remove the soup from the heat and stir through the fresh and finely chopped parsley just before serving. 

Alternative preparation methods for German beef goulash soup

• Slow cooker (affiliate link) goulash soup. Follow recipe until point 5. Then place the meat mixture in a slow cooker (affiliate link). Add red wine, stock and seasonings and leave to simmer for about 5 hours. Add the vegetables and cook for another hour. Double-check that your vegetables are cooked before serving.  
• Pressure Cooker Goulash Soup. Follow the recipe until step 5. Place the meat mixture, red wine, stock and seasonings into the pressure cooker. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and cook the beef for 40 minutes. Removed the lid, add the vegetables and cook for a further 20 minutes. 

What to serve with goulash soup? 

Goulash soup goes very well with bread, whether it is a nice crusty roll, rye bread or a pretzel. A popular side dish at parties is some freshly baked garlic bread with your goulash soup. 

If you want you can serve the soup with a side salad, such as this cucumber and radish salad. Some enjoy drinking a cold German beer while eating their steaming hot soup.

Tips for the BEST goulash soup

• The best cuts of beef for goulash soup are from the shoulder or thigh. 
• The meat should simmer, not boil for at least 90 minutes to make sure it's nice and tender. 
• Always add some sour flavouring to your soup. You can achieve this by adding red wine, vinegar or lemon juice. 
• If you plan to double this recipe, always fry the meat in portions. Don’t try to fry 1 kg of meat at once. It is better to divide them into 500 gr portions. 
• Use good quality Hungarian paprika for the best taste.

Why not have a Goulash Party?

Goulash soup is a great dish to make when having to feed a large group of people. It is easy to make in advance and it tastes even better warmed up. 

In recent years it has become a favourite dish for new year’s eve parties. In Germany at midnight, everybody leaves the house to let off fireworks. Your guests will love you for offering a warm soup, after coming back in from the cold.

When planning a goulash party factor in around 150 g (5 oz) of meat per person as a rough measurement. 

How to store goulash soup

Goulash Soup is the perfect dish to make in advance and is one of those dishes which tastes even better the next day warmed up. 

You can keep your goulash soup in an airtight contender in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. It freezes well, up to three months. 

If you liked this recipe, you might like:

• German Pea Soup (Erbsensuppe)
• Swede and Carrot Soup (Steckruebeneintopf)
• Potato Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Recipe

German Goulash Soup (Gulaschsuppe)

Marita

An old-fashioned German Beef Goulash soup in Hungarian style.

3.94 from 16 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine German

Servings 4 people

Calories 438 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large pot

Ingredients

  

0.25x0.5x1x2x

• 500 g stewing beef (1.1 lb)
• 1 onion (approx. 120 g or 4.2 oz) 
• 3 large potatoes (350 g or 12.3 oz) 
• 2 carrots (140 g or 5.2 oz) 
• 2 peppers one red, one yellow (140 or 5.2 oz) 
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon butter

Spices

• 3 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika powder
• 2 tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon marjoram can be substituted with sage
• small bunch fresh parsley (about 60 g)
• 2 bay leafs
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 180 ml red wine (about 6 fl oz) can be replaced with 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice instead
• 1 liter beef stock or broth (33 fl oz)

Instructions

 

• Prepare the meat by chopping it into 2 cm chunks. 
• Peel and slice the onion and garlic finely.
• Peel the potato and carrots and core the pepper. Slice all into cubes of around 2 cm. 
• Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan and fry the beef for around 5 minutes on high eat this will release the roasting flavors. If you are using bigger batches of meat, then it is better to fry it in batches, as otherwise the beef will loose too much liquid and boil and rather than fry. Remove the beef and set aside.
• Add the onions and garlic for a further 5 minutes while stirring throughout. Add the tomato paste and fry for a further minute.  
• Return the meat to the pan. Pour in the red wine and beef stock /broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. The soup should be simmering not wildly bubbling.
• Season with salt, sugar, pepper, sweet and spicy paprika powder, marjoram, bay leaves. 
• Cook the beef on a low to medium heat for 70 minutes. 
• Add the potatoes, peppers and carrots to the soup and leave to boil for a further 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through.
• Remove the soup from the heat and stir through the fresh and finely chopped parsley just before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 38gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 610mgPotassium: 1901mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 5355IUVitamin C: 85mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 5mg

Keyword autentic German goulash soup, gulaschsuppe

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