Making German Goulash is a satisfying and wholesome experience-tender meat, infused with red wine and aromatic spices and herbs. Rindergulasch ( German beef goulash) is an easy meaty stew that can be prepared on the stove, slow cooker (affiliate link)/crockpot (affiliate link), or pressure cooker.
By popular demand, this reader-favorite recipe made it into my debut cookbook, German Kitchen-Classic Dishes!
German Goulash is a hearty beef stew that is slow-cooked until the meat is tender. The stew is flavored with onions, garlic, red wine and spices such as marjoram, thyme, and caraway seeds.
In Germany ,this dish is not called "German Goulash" but "Rindergulasch" (beef goulash) or "Saftgulasch" . The difference to Hungarian Goulash is that is does not include vegetables.
No, goulash as a dish had its origins in nomadic times. However, it is mostly associated with Hungary, when it started cultivating paprika powder as a cheap alternative to pepper.
Goulash was introduced to Germany via the Austrian-Hungarian empire. At first, it was known as a dish for the poor but then was associated with the military during the First World War.
How to make German Goulash
This is a recipe for an authentic German Goulash just as my mum makes it. Like many traditional recipes, every family in Germany has their recipe that travels down generations and is adjusted to personal taste.
Ingredients:
- Stewing beef - it is important that you buy cuts of beef that are suitable for stewing. Best from the beef chuck, shoulder, rib, topside or silverside.
- onion and garlic clove
- tomato paste (gives this stew its lovely brown color)
- beef broth
- red wine - adds a rich flavour to the stew. Choose a dry red wine. To make an alternative with beer try my beer goulash recipe.
- Spices: Sweet Paprika, Majoram (can be substituted with sage (affiliate link)), Spicy Paprika Spice (optional), bay leaf's
- lemon zests- adds a fruity flavor to the stew.
- oil with a high burning point.
Recipe- Step by Step
Cook on the stove
- Prepare the Meat: Remove the meat from the fridge at least one hour before cooking to allow it to acclimatize to room temperature. This step is essential to ensure even cooking. Never fry cold meat directly in hot oil, as it will cool the oil and the bottom of the pan. This can cause excess meat juices to escape, potentially leading to dry meat. If needed, cut the meat into cubes about 2-3 cm in size for even cooking and easier handling.
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel the onions and roughly chop them. Peel and slice the garlic finely.
- In a large saucepan, heat half the oil over high heat. Add the meat and sear it until browned on all sides to develop a rich roasting flavor. If you have a large quantity of meat, fry it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding will cause the meat to release too much juice and cook rather than sear. Once browned, remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.
- Pour the remaining oil into the pan. Add the onions and fry them over medium heat until they are golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for about a minute. This step enhances the flavor and gives the stew a lovely brown color.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom for extra flavor. Let the wine simmer until it has reduced by about two-thirds.
- Stir in the paprika powder (both sweet and spicy), marjoram (affiliate link), bay leaves, and lemon zest.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer the goulash for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.
- After 60 minutes, check the consistency. If the stew is too liquid, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to allow it to reduce.
Cook the German goulash in the slow cooker / crockpot
- Follow the instructions to cook the goulash in a saucepan until step 5.
- Pour the cooked ingredients into your slow cooker (affiliate link)/ crockpot (affiliate link) and add the beef stock/ beef broth. Pour in the wine.
- Cook in the slow cooker (affiliate link) (affiliate link) for around 5-6 hours until the meat falls off the fork. To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tablespoon of cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tablespoon of cornflour/ plain flour, until the desired consistency is achieved.
Make in a pressure cooker
- Follow the instructions to cook the goulash in a saucepan until step 7.
- Add the lid to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Once the lid is removed, mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch/cornflour to thicken up the sauce. Bring the goulash back to boil with the lid removed to thicken the sauce. Should the sauce still be too thin, add an additional tablespoon of cornflour until the desired consistency is achieved.
Expert Tips for the BEST German Goulash
What red wine to use?
There is no particular type of wine that Germans use for their goulash. However, I would advise you to choose one that you are happy to drink. Do not opt for cheap wine, as the food can only be as good as its ingredients. In general, a dry red wine will do. For a German wine try a Spätburgunder. Alternatively, you can also use a Spanish Rioja or an Italian Primitivo.
Do I have to sear the beef before cooking?
Strictly speaking no, but I would strongly recommend you do. The searing of the meat will give the dish a lovely roasted flavour. This intensifies the natural taste of the Goulash. The browned onions and slightly caramelised tomato paste will round off the flavour.
Oil or clarified butter for German goulash
Whether you fry in oil or clarified butter is a matter of personal taste. Clarified Butter (Butterschmalz) may not be easily available in the UK and US. You can use ghee instead but it has a nuttier taste. I like clarified butter as gives the meat a sweet buttery taste. Regular butter is not suitable for frying as it burns at high heat. A tip for those of you who cannot get hold of clarified butter but want the taste: Add 1 tablespoon of butter to your oil. It will give it a buttery flavour.
Add lemon zest to goulash.
The addition of lemon zest gives the goulash stew a nice fresh kick. It adds a fruity flavour. Compared to lemon juice, lemon peel maintains its flavour when cooked. At first, the taste is subtle, but the longer you chew the more pronounced it gets. Make sure to use an unwaxed lemon, where the peel is suitable for eating.
What to serve with goulash?
Goulash is perfect for side dishes that soak up the gravy. We can divide them up into:
Potato side dishes: Such as boiled or mashed potatoes, German fried potatoes (Bratkartoffeln), German Potato Dumplings
Starchy foods: Such as Spätzle, pasta, Semmelknödel or rice
Vegetables: Such as German Red Cabbage, sauerkraut, Brussel sprouts, green beans, mushrooms or root vegetables, such as carrots or parsnips.
You can also offer this mushroom stroganoff, which can double as a side dish and as an alternative for vegans.
Salads: Gurkensalat (German cucumber salad), Krautsalat (German coleslaw), green salad.
Storage Instructions:
In Germany, you say that the taste of goulash improves the more you reheat it. You can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Goulash is great for freezing. Just divide it into portions, and place it into an airtight freezer bag. It stays good for up to 3-5 months.
More German-style Goulash recipes
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Recipe
Old Fashioned German Goulash (Rindergulasch)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) stewing beef best cuts are beef chuck, shoulder, rib, topside or silverside.
- 4 tablespoon neutral oil such as sunflower, rapseed or avocado oil with a high burning point.
- 3 onions (about 250 g/ 9 oz)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ Cups (180 ml) dry red wine dry red wine such as (Spätburgunder, Rijoa, Merlot)
- 2 Cups (450 ml) beef broth
- 1 teaspoon majoram
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy paprika powder optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated - make sure you use a organic lemon and that the skin is suitable for eating.
- 2 bay leafs
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon cornflour/starch (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the fridge at least one hour before cooking to allow it to acclimatize to room temperature. This step is essential to ensure even cooking. Never fry cold meat directly in hot oil, as it will cool the oil and the bottom of the pan. This can cause excess meat juices to escape, potentially leading to dry meat. If needed, cut the meat into cubes about 2-3 cm in size for even cooking and easier handling.1 lb stewing beef
- Peel the onions and roughly chop them. Peel and slice the garlic finely.3 onions, 1 garlic clove
- In a large saucepan, heat half the oil over high heat. Add the meat and sear it until browned on all sides to develop a rich roasting flavor. If you have a large quantity of meat, fry it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding will cause the meat to release too much juice and cook rather than sear. Once browned, remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.4 tablespoon neutral oil
- Pour the remaining oil into the pan. Add the onions and fry them over medium heat until they are golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for about a minute. This step enhances the flavor and gives the stew a lovely brown color. Then return the beef to the pan.2 tablespoon tomato paste
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom for extra flavor. Let the wine simmer until it has reduced by about two-thirds¾ Cups dry red wine
- Stir in the paprika powder (both sweet and spicy), marjoram (affiliate link), bay leaves, and lemon zest. Pour in the beef broth. Season with salt and pepper.2 Cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon majoram, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika powder , 1 teaspoon spicy paprika powder, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 bay leafs, salt and pepper
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer the goulash for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.
- After 60 minutes, check the consistency. If the stew is too liquid, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to allow it to reduce. You can also thicken the stew by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with water and adding it to the stew.2 tablespoon cornflour/starch
To cook in a slow cooker / crockpot
- Follow the instructions to cook the goulash in a saucepan until step 5.
- Pour the cooked ingredients into your slow cooker (affiliate link)/ crockpot (affiliate link) and add the beef stock/ beef broth. Pour in the wine.
- Cook in the slow cooker (affiliate link) for around 5-6 hours until the meat falls off the fork Remove the lid, if necessary for the last hour to thicken the stew. If it is still to liquidly, stir in 1 tablespoon of corn flour / corn starch and bring to a boil.
Make in a pressure cooker
- Follow the instructions to cook the goulash in a saucepan until step 7.
- Add the lid to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Once the lid is removed, mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch/cornflour to thicken up the sauce. Bring the goulash back to boil with the lid removed to thicken the sauce. Should the sauce still be too thin, add an additional tablespoon of cornflour until the desired consistency is achieved.
Video
Nutrition
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This is one of 65 traditional dishes featured in my cookbook, German Kitchen-Classic Dishes - all tested, perfected, and handpicked by readers like you!
Takumi says
Hello, Ms. Marita! Thank you for sharing a great recipe. I pour it over soft-boiled rotini pasta, and I loved it. So did my husband. By the way, I think your printable recipe does not have a line about WHEN to put the seared beef back in the pot.
Marita Sinden says
Thank you for your feedback Takumi and pointing out oversight in my recipe. I will update it. Best Wishes Marita
Rita says
I can't have alcohol, can I omit or substitute the wine?
Marita Sinden says
Yes I would substitute it with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar which will give it the slightly sour taste.
Joe Novick says
Tasty
Marita Sinden says
Thank you Joe, Glad you liked it.
Michelle says
Perfect! Thank you for sharing!
Marita Sinden says
You are welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
Anya says
This Rindergulasch came out so rich and tasty!! I had smoked sweet paprika only, so this is what I used instead of a combo of sweet and spicy. I am saving this one to my favorites.
Marita Sinden says
Hi Anya, thanks! I am so glad you enjoyed it!