Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash is a high-protein stew or soup recipe ready in 2 h 55 min. It makes 4 servings, each 360 kcal with 32 g protein. Intermediate level, 13 ingredients, and it keeps for work lunches.

Recipe by @bitesofberi, adapted and measured by Cookpath.

  • 2 h 55 min30 min hands-on
  • Intermediatelevel
  • 360kcal a serving
  • 32 gprotein
Jump to the recipe
Hungarian Goulash

What is Hungarian Goulash

A Hungarian beef stew with plenty of onion, paprika and caraway, finished with potato, carrot, peppers and tomato.

More:High-protein beef recipesMeal prep recipesBeef recipesLow-calorie meals

How to make Hungarian Goulash

Tips from the cook

  • Take your time with the onions and salt them: they dissolve and thicken the goulash naturally.
  • Adjust the thickness only at the end; the vegetables release liquid as they cook.
  • Sweet paprika keeps it mild; mix in some hot paprika for heat.
  • Browning the beef first and then the onions also works, and leaves more flavour in the pot.
Cook it with the app

Step by step with timers, in your shopping list in one tap.

Get Cookpath

Goes well with

Sides from Cookpath that balance this dish, the same picks the app suggests.

Apple Carrot Salad10 min · 120 kcal

Meal prep and storage

Good as a work lunch

Still good after 2 to 3 days in the fridge, cold or microwaved.

Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer; add liquid when reheating.

Prep a few days

See this week’s meal prep plan on the blog, or plan your own week in the app.

Hungarian Goulash substitutions

Out of something, or cooking around an allergy. Each swap was checked against a source.

Onion2 options
  • Leek, white and light-green part 1:1 by volume

    Still an allium; raw dishes.

  • Fennel bulb, finely diced 1:1 by volume

    Sweet aniseed note; raw dishes.

Beef stock3 options
  • Vegetable stock (check the label for celery) 1:1 by volume

    Less meaty; vegetable stock typically includes celery.

    Still contains celery.

  • Mushroom broth (a handful of dried or fresh shiitake simmered in plain water 20-30 min) 1:1 by volume

    Earthy rather than beefy.

  • Miso in hot water (1-2 tsp white or yellow miso per 1 cup water) 1:1 by volume

    Added late, do not boil hard; miso may also carry gluten (not confirmed).

    Still contains soy.

Serve it with

Cook next

Stews & soups · 30 min · 25 g proteinStuffed Pepper Soup Stews & soups · 35 min · 32 g proteinBeef Chili Stews & soups · 1 h 10 min · 70 g proteinBeef Pares Mami Stews & soups · 1 h 10 min · 41 g proteinHungarian Mushroom Soup Stews & soups · 2 h 30 min · 45 g proteinBeef Stew Stews & soups · 4 h 20 min · 52 g proteinIrish Beef Stew