Jun 10, 2025
One of the Most Comforting Beef Stew
Today was a special day in my kitchen: I made Goulash! This dish captured my heart the first time I tried it in Hungary, during a memorable trip with my now-wife to her childhood home. I’ve enjoyed countless beef stews throughout my life – my mom’s cooking was a masterclass in them, and I still adore a good beef stew. But the texture and flavor of that Hungarian goulash? It truly stuck with me.
There are many recipes out there that will give you fantastic results. I highly recommend checking out the New York Times; they have a couple of excellent options. For my goulash today, I tweaked a classic recipe a bit. While traditional goulash doesn’t always call for tomatoes, I’m a big fan of tomato paste. The depth of flavor it adds to any stew is, in my opinion, absolutely worth it.
Time required: 2 Hours
Serving: 4
Main Ingredients
| Potato | 1 Pound | Diced |
| Beef Stew | 1.5 Pound | Cut in small Cubes |
| Yellow Onion | 2 Medium | Chopped |
| Jalapeno | 1 Medium | Diced |
| Carrot | 1 Medium | Chopped |
| Tomato Paste | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Roasted Red Pepper | Half a cup | Chopped or Diced |
| Beef Broth | 4 Cups | |
| Garlic | 3 Cloves | Minced |
| Olive Oil | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Salted Butter | 2 Tablespoon |
Spices
| Sweet Paprika | 4 Tablespoons |
| Salt | 1.5 Tablespoons |
| Black Pepper | 1 Teaspoon |
Steps
- Start by heating a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter and a splash of olive oil. Once the butter is melted and simmering gently, add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño. Cook these until they’re nicely browned, which should take a few minutes.
- Give everything a good stir and let it continue to cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Now, season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir it all together and let it cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Next, add the roasted red bell pepper and the cut beef. Mix everything well, ensuring the beef is coated. Cook until the beef starts to brown slightly on the outside, but be careful not to overcook it.
- Pour in 2 cups of beef broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika. Continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to deepen.
- Finally, add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth, another 2 tablespoons of paprika, the diced potatoes, and sliced carrots. Reduce the heat to very low and let it simmer. The cooking time for this step is flexible, depending on how you like your vegetables. For soft, “mushy” veggies, simmer for about 2 hours. If you prefer your carrots with a slight crunch, 1 hour should be enough.
You can serve this goulash with any toppings you like, but I find a simple squeeze of lemon brightens it up beautifully.
Bon appétit!
More Details