Guláš – Czech Beef Goulash

Hovězí guláš (beef stew or goulash) is certainly one of the famous Czech foods everybody should try when visiting the Czech Republic. Slow simmered and done right, guláš is characterized by rich, hearty color, aromatic flavor, and insanely delicious taste.

What Is Czech Guláš

Czech beef guláš is comprised of big chunks of meat in a thick onion-based gravy. It’s served with bread dumplings, garnished with onion and a piece of green parsley. 

Together with Svíčková or Rajská sauce, the guláš is a staple of Czech cuisine.

There are many goulash recipe varieties all around central Europe: Hungarian, German, Slovak.

Each country uses a few different ingredients. This is a traditional Czechoslovakian goulash recipe I learned from my parents when Czechs and Slovaks lived in one country.

Pronunciation

I recorded a short audio clip on how to pronounce the Czech word guláš. The first word in the clip is "guláš", the second is "hovězí guláš", which means beef goulash.

Ingredients

The main ingredients for great guláš are onion and meat in the same ratio first, then typical Czech spices – dried marjoram and caraway seeds, and slow cooking. 

Let’s have a look at the shopping list:

• Boneless beef chuck or beef shank; well-marbled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Yellow onion; coarsely chopped, you will need as much onion as the beef weighs
• Pork lard
• Caraway seeds; crushed or ground
• Salt
• Pepper; ground
• Sweet paprika; ground
• Tomato paste; do not use tomato passata or ketchup
• Bay leaves
• Water; or beef broth for a richer flavor
• Dried marjoram

Instructions

The rich color and flavor start when you initially cook the onions and beef. You fry them until they are nice and brown, and it sets the base for the whole guláš thing.

STEP 1: Peel the onion and chop it roughly. Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces.

STEP 2: In a pot with a thick bottom (I use heavy iron cast dutch oven), melt the lard over higher heat. Fry onion until almost brown. Stir frequently to avoid burn. 

STEP 3: Add beef chunks and fry them from all sides until a brown crust is created. Stir frequently, reduce heat if necessary. 

Turn the stove on medium heat, add caraway seeds, salt, ground pepper, sweet paprika, and tomato paste. Fry for 2 minutes while stirring. The base can’t get burnt, else guláš will taste bitter. Add 1-2 spoons of water to prevent burning.

STEP 4: Pour in water, so the meat is almost covered. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a lid and allow the beef to simmer for 1,5-2 hours or until soft.

STEP 5: Add some water when the level of liquid in the pot falls. When the guláš contains too much water, cook it uncovered at the end. The liquid will be reduced, and guláš gains richer flavor and nice red color. Stir occasionally. 

STEP 6: When the beef is soft, remove bay leaves, add dried marjoram, stir. Season with salt to your liking. Cover with a lid and set it aside for 10 minutes.

Serving

Czechs serve their guláš with warm slices of bread dumplings arranged on the side of a plate. The goulash is topped with a few onion circles and a sprinkle of parsley for the final touch.

Here you’ll find the recipe for bread dumplings.

A less common side is pasta, usually elbows pasta (kolínka). 

My tip: Once you visit Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, try to order “guláš se šesti” in a pub. Literally translated it means “Goulash with six slices of dumplings”. This is a common number of dumplings that bold Czechs are used to getting in a restaurant. And of course – don’t forget Pilsner beer!

Cook’s Tips

• Add the marjoram to guláš at the end of cooking, off heat.
• There is one unspoken secret: Czech guláš always tastes better the next day!
• Instead of water, cook the beef in beef stock, the flavor of guláš will be even richer. 

🍲 More Czech food:

• Svíčková na smetaně – an iconic Czech creamy sauce
• Vídeňský řízek – Weiner Schnitzel
• Šunkofleky – ham and noodle bake

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