Beef Goulash – Гуляш из Говядины

Beef Goulash-1-23Most cultures make different versions of beef stew, and I can understand why it’s such a favorite. There’s something so comforting about taking a bite of succulent, tender chunks of beef. There’s nothing more Russian than adding onions and carrots to everything, and the addition of garlic and tomato paste brings a depth of amazing flavor. The delicate sauce is perfect to pour over mashed potatoes or pasta. While the goulash is simmering merrily on the stove filling your home with it’s enticing aroma, you’ll have plenty of time to make a side dish and salad, or even dessert. Or just put your feet up and relax with a good book. 

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef, chuck

1 large onion, finely chopped

2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 garlic clove

1/2 – 1 Tablespoon  tomato paste

2 Tablespoons flour

3 cups broth, chicken or beef or water

1 dry bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder, optional

oil, salt, pepper

Instructions:

Beef Goulash-1-13Cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat up 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in a skillet over high heat. When the skillet is very hot,  add the beef in a single layer. You will need to do this in batches. Brown all over. This will give tremendous flavor to the goulash.Beef Goulash-1-14

Tips for browning meat:

Pat the meat dry with paper towels before searing it

Don’t crowd the meat in the skillet, or it won’t brown but will steam

Turn the meat only when it releases from the pan; don’t worry – it won’t burn

Add onions to the meat, season with salt, cover and cook on medium heat until softened. Beef Goulash-1-15Add carrots, season with salt and pepper, then cover and cook on medium heat until softened. Beef Goulash-1-16Add tomato paste, garlic, paprika and chili powder. Beef Goulash-1-17Cook for about a minute and then add the flour. Stir until completely incorporated into the meat and vegetables. Beef Goulash-1-18Add water or broth a little bit at a time, scraping the botom of the skillet and stirring so that there are no lumps. Beef Goulash-1-19Add the rest of the liquid and bay leaf. Beef Goulash-1-20Cover and cook on low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, until meat is fork-tender. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Beef Goulash-1-23

Beef Goulash-1-24

Print

Beef Goulash – Гуляш из Говядины

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.3 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Entree

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef, chuck
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2–3 carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups broth, chicken or beef or water
  • 1 dry bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
  • oil, salt, pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat up 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in a skillet over high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add the beef in a single layer. You will need to do this in batches. Brown all over. This will give tremendous flavor to the goulash.
  2. Add onions to the meat, season with salt, cover and cook on medium heat until softened.
  3. Add carrots, season with salt and pepper, then cover and cook on medium heat until softened.
  4. Add tomato paste, garlic, paprika and chili powder. Cook for about a minute and then add the flour. Stir until completely incorporated into the meat and vegetables.
  5. Add water or broth a little bit at a time, scraping the botom of the skillet and stirring so that there are no lumps. Add the rest of the liquid and bay leaf.
  6. Cover and cook on low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, until meat is fork-tender. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

 

69 Comments

      • natasha

        I finally made this, this dish has “home” infused in every bite. I added browned baby bella mushrooms because I love them in everything, the end result was ah just so comforting and yummy. Perfect for a bitter cold and windy winter weather.

        • olgak7

          This IS comforting and inviting on cold winter days, Natasha. Or whenever you want to get cozy:). I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know.

      • Willi

        Dear Olga, I use rib fingers for stews in general. There’s more fat, the flavor is more intense than other cuts, and, they’re tender in 45 minutes. Please try them if you can get hold of some.
        I was referred to your site by Natasha. My children want her Chicken Kiev again tonight :). My daughter thinks your Goulash looks delicious but today’s my day off ( I run a butcher/deli ), so I won’t be preparing your recipe until tomorrow.
        Thanks posting it. We’ll tell you how good it is in a couple of days.

        • olgak7

          Hi Willi!
          I’m glad you stopped by. Hope you enjoy the Beef Goulash. I like cooking with rib meat also. You’re definitely right that the meat becomes very tender.

  • Yelena

    Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Made it last night and everyone loved it. This is my new go to recipe for goulash.

  • Tanya

    Olya, Thank you so much for sharing your amazing talent and yummy recipes! I just made your goulash and it is the best podliva I’ve ever had! My entire family loved it and even my three-year-old daughter, who doesn’t like anything that is not chicken, asked for a piece and ate the entire meal. As she was, she said, ” didn’t think it will be good, but I am happy I tried. This is yummy, Mommy!” Olya, Thank you again and again this dish was such a success!!!! May God bless you for sharing so freely your treasured possessions, good recipes, they are so hard to come by. I used 2 cups of organic vegetable broth and 1 c water, 2 TBsp of tomato sauce since I didn’t have tomato paste, and 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp of chilli powder added a nice flavor. This podliva is the ultimate! Thank you, you are an amazing cook!!!

    • olgak7

      Tanya,
      Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so glad you and your family liked the beef goulash! The best satisfaction from cooking is a happy family, who enjoys each bite:). Thanks for letting me know.

  • Sira

    I tried this recipe tonight! It was so very tasty! Thank you so much for your recipes. I am such a huge fan of this blog.

  • marina

    I made this for dinner to-nite and had to come back and comment.
    This is simply amazing! Ever since I got married (14 yrs ago), I’ve tried so many versions of gulash/podliva and was never completely satisfied. This recipe did it for me and that is huge!!!
    Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. Blessings to your family!

  • Olga

    Olya, Question.
    I have company coming on friday, but I work and don’t have a lot of time. If I brown the meat thursday night and then cook the rest of the way friday night – would it work?
    Thanks,
    This sounds like an awesome recipe…….

    • olgak7

      Hi Olga! You can make the whole dish ahead of time and then just heat it up when your company arrives. I wouldn’t brown the meat separately ahead of time. When you brown the meat, you get brown, caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan, called fond. You make the sauce by deglazing the pan with a liquid and it gives a huge amount of flavor to the dish. You can still brown the meat separately, but it won’t be as flavorful.

      • Olga

        That make sense. I think I will just make it the night before so that when my company is visiting I can enjoy spending time with them instead being their cook 🙂

  • Olga

    Hi Olya,
    Just wanted to share: made this tonight for my gosti. It was pretty easy to make (esspecially with all the pictures and step by step instructions) and it was so good! Everyone enjoyed it and it’s not a quick dish, but I will be making it more for sure! Thank you!

  • Vika

    Just made this for dinner and can’t believe how good it turned out!! Thank you so much for taking your time and sharing this recipe! I will definitely be making this again 🙂

  • nelly

    Hi Olga i want to try making this recipe for my guests. would it taste good if i use beef tenderloin instead of beef chuck?

    • olgak7

      Hi nelly,
      I wouldn’t recommend using beef tenderloin. It’s a very lean meat, which will become very tough if you cook it for a long time. Beef chuck breaks down into tender, moist chunks of meat when it’s cooked for a while.

  • Valentina Cheban

    Hey Olga i just wanted to say thank you for sharing your recipes with us. I cooked so many recipes from here and they all turned out great. I made the beef goulash today and my husband loved it! Thank you so much and may God Bless you & your husband.

    • olgak7

      Hi Alison,
      Thanks for visiting! I never use any tenderizing powder. If you use the correct cuts of meat and cook it the right way, the meat will be very tender without it.

  • Liliya

    Hi, I have been wanting to try this recipe out for quite a while. This recipe even inspired me to invest into some stainless steel pans since all I had were the teflon pans. The dinner was delicious but the browning part was horrible! I double the recipe to have left overs (thats how much I trust ur recipes, that I double them at my first try) and after one batch I was covered in greese :/ but it was so delicious that I will definitely make it again. And I normally dislike leftover beef but this was great even 4 days later!

    • olgak7

      Hi Liliya!
      I’m so happy that you were pleased with the Beef Goulash. I am so touched by your kind words:).
      I agree that it can be a pain to brown the meat, especially if you’re doubling the recipe. It’s definitely worth it for the flavor that it gives the Goulash, though.

  • Alla

    Hi Olga!
    Just found your website, thank you so much for sharing!
    What is the correct time to add paprika when making Beef Goulash?
    Thank you

  • Theresa

    Made this on weekend and my son who eats only to survive, ate it all up. He even asked for some the next day. Thank you so much for a great recipe. And the grated carrots…pure genius!

  • blueberry

    I made it couple of times already without paprika and it was so good. I read your comment above that it is not goulash without it… Can’t wait to make it again adding paprika in it:)

  • Tatiana Furdui

    mmmm this looks so good!!! Just like my mom’s. You are doing such a great job Olga. To be honest from all the food sites over there you are the closest one for my tastes and cooking believes. More organic and homemade !!!! GBY

  • Luba

    Hi Olga, I know it’s summer time, but I was just really craving this beef goulash. I have a question: if I keep cooking this for more than 1 1/2 hours will it become more softer? Or do you not recommend that?

    • olgak7

      Hi Luba! Cooking it longer will make the meat more tender. It’s a great choice of meat to use for long braises.
      I think comforting dishes like this one shouldn’t be limited to the cold time of year:).

  • Ella

    Hi Olga, so I want to make this for a party and it would be easier for me to do it in the slow cooker. Would that be okay and do you know how long it will take for 4-5 lb beef? Thanks!

    • olgak7

      I’ve never made this in the slow cooker, although I know that it would work. I don’t know how long it would take, though. Keep checking it every few hours until it’s fork tender. I would guess at least 6 hours, maybe 8? Let me know it you try it, Ella.

  • Alla

    Hi Olga, can i put heavy whipping cream instead of tomato paste? Or maybe I could put tomato paste and whipping cream? Thankyou!

  • Alla

    Hello Olga, have you tried to make this dish in Instant Pot. If yes, what is the pressure time and what kind of pressure release?

    • olgak7

      I have made it in the Instant Pot and it works really well, Alla. However, I didn’t document the process, so I don’t remember exactly how long it cooked it. I will try to remember to make measurements and time everything so I can share it sometime soon.

  • Julia

    Hi, I’ve made this on stovetop and it was excellent. Tried to make things easier and made it in insta pot, turned out sooo good! Meat came out soft and juicy when I pressure cooked it for 30 min! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

  • Olga

    Hi Olga,
    Made this podliva yesterday evening and it taste awesome! Mmm, reminds me of our Slavic Weddings. Defentily will be making it in the future when guests come over. Wonder if the left over would taste good on some type of boiled pasta. Hmm

    • olgak7

      Yes, you can make this in the Instant Pot, Alena. I don’t have a detailed, tested recipe, but my tip would be to cook the goulash for 20 minutes after sautéing if you use top sirloin and 45-60 minutes if you use chuck. I use Manual mode, high pressure.

  • Vika Ast

    Hi Olga, if I was to do this recipe in the instant pot how long would I need to cook it in there? And would I click on the meat/stew option?

    • olgak7

      I use the Manual mode, high pressure. The timing will depend on the type of meat that you use. If you use top sirloin, I only cook it in the Instant Pot for about 20 minutes, if you use something like chuck, you will need 50-60 minutes.

  • Lori Kurochkina

    Hi Olga! I am in Russia right now, and I want to make this recipe. I am not 100% in Russian language yet and I do not trust Google translate 🙂 Can you tell me how to call this Beef, chuck exactly in Russian, so I can ask for and purchase the correct meat? 🙂 Thank you!

    • olgak7

      Hi Lori,
      I wish I could help you, but I don’t really know myself. Since I was only 6 when we moved to America, I am not really familiar with Russian ingredients.

  • Ellina

    Olga, when I brown the meat, the meat itself does not burn but the bottom of the pot gets black instead of the nice yummy brown bits. Is the heat too high? Do you add oil in between batches? Thank you

    • olgak7

      If the bottom of the pot turns black, add a bit of water to clean it out, pour out the water, dry the pot, add oil and continue browning. It’s not a good idea to have any of the burned things in the goulash, it will make it taste burned and bitter.
      I would recommend turning down the heat a bit in that case. I don’t usually have that problem and always use high heat, so I’m not sure why yours is turning black. I hope turning down the heat will help.

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get Weekly Menu Ideas, Recipes, Kitchen Hacks:

Join thousands of others to get my best cooking and meal prep tips plus handpicked seasonal menu ideas in your email.