I invite you to the table for a real Austrian goulash! It is cooked and prepared according to an authentic recipe I got from my friend, a native Viennese.
About The Recipe
You may have heard of the famous Czech beef goulash with dumplings. Czechs love it and can't get enough of it. But our Austrian neighbors also have their own version of goulash, which tastes great.
Austrian goulash is traditionally made with beef. Tomato paste and sweet ground paprika are then added for better color. The typical taste of the dish is completed by goulash seasoning, which consists of dried marjoram, crushed caraway, and grated lemon zest.
In the Czech Republic, we know the Austrian goulash as Wiener or Viennese goulash (in Czech Vídeňský guláš). Vienna is the capital of Austria.
Here on the blog, you can find another famous Austrian recipe: Wiener Schnitzel
Ingredients
Back to the Austrian goulash! Below is the shopping list for this national dish.
- Yellow onion; peeled and finely chopped
- Beef; the best meat for stew is that which contains collagen and fat. These soften with slow stewing and give the goulash the desired flavor. The best beef for gulash is a cut from shank or shoulder.
- Lard; or vegetable oil such as sunflower oil or canola
- Sweet paprika; ground, ideally Hungarian-style paprika
- Garlic cloves; crushed
- Tomato paste
- Goulash spices; (marjoram, caraway, yellow lemon zest) finely chopped
- Water
- Salt
- A sprig of parsley; for garnish
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Instructions with Photos
STEP 1: Trim any tough bits from the beef, such as ligaments or excess fat. Cut the cleaned beef into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) in size.
STEP 2: Peel the onion and chop it finely.
STEP 3: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the lard over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown, stirring frequently. The onions must not be too brown or burn; otherwise, the goulash will get a bitter taste.
STEP 4: Add paprika and stir. Paprika must not fry; otherwise, it would burn.
STEP 5: Immediately add the chopped meat, goulash seasoning, crushed garlic, and about a teaspoon of salt. Stir until the meat cubes release their liquid. Let the liquid evaporate.
STEP 6: Add water so that the meat is about half submerged.
STEP 7: Cover the pot with a lid, but not entirely, leaving a small space where the steam can escape.
STEP 8: Lower the heat so that the meat simmers slowly. Check regularly and always top up with water so that the meat is half covered with liquid. The meat must be stewed in its own juices, not boiled in water.
In this way, the goulash acquires its brown, rich color, and plump consistency so well loved and appreciated in Viennese inns and restaurants.
STEP 9: Slowly braise the meat until fully tender. Once the meat is tender to the core (it takes up to 3 hours), add as much water until the liquid covers it. Then let the whole thing simmer for another 10 minutes or so until you get a nice creamy juice.
Serving
In the past, a "small goulash" (with three pieces of meat) together with a Kaiser roll or a thick slice of rustic bread was served as breakfast in Viennese inns. A larger serving of goulash can be served on a soup plate. Garnish the dish with a sprig of parsley.
Both boiled potatoes and fluffy bread dumplings are suitable as sides. In the evening, a small glass of beer is a popular accompaniment to an Austrian goulash.
Storage
If you have any goulash leftover, let it cool completely and store covered in the fridge, where it will keep for about 3-4 days.
Equipment
A pot with a lid and a thicker bottom are ideal for preparing the goulash. My first choice is always a dutch oven, which heats evenly, maintains the temperature well, and the food inside is always perfectly cooked.
Cook’s Tips
- As a rule of thumb: any goulash tastes best the next day, resting overnight in the fridge.
- This goulash does not contain any flour or roux. The onions boil away completely and provide the necessary binding.
- Count on the fact that it takes about 3 hours for the beef to soften. The goulash needs time to get the desired taste!
More goulash recipes
- Szegediner goulash – made with sauerkraut
- Czech beef goulash – hovězí guláš
- Sausage goulash – buřtguláš
Recipe
Original Austrian Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 and ⅔ lb (750 g) Yellow onion
- 2 lb (900 g) Beef (cut from shank or shoulder)
- 6 oz (170 g) Lard (or vegetable oil such as sunflower oil or canola)
- 1 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian paprika
- 2 Cloves of garlic
- 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 tsp Goulash spices (dried marjoram, crushed caraway, yellow lemon zest finely chopped; ratio about 1:1:1)
- Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- Sprig of parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Trim any tough bits from the beef, such as ligaments or excess fat. Cut the cleaned beef into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) in size.
- Peel the onion and chop it finely.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the lard over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown, stirring frequently. The onions must not be too brown or burn; otherwise, the goulash will taste bitter.
- Add paprika and stir. Paprika must not fry; otherwise, it would burn.
- Immediately add the chopped meat, goulash seasoning, crushed garlic, and about a teaspoon of salt. Stir until the meat cubes release their liquid. Let the liquid evaporate.
- Add water so that the meat is about half submerged.
- Cover the pot with a lid, but not entirely, leaving a small space where steam can escape.
- Lower the heat so that the meat simmers slowly. Check regularly and always top up with water so that the meat is half covered with liquid. The meat must be stewed in its own juices, not boiled in water. In this way, the goulash acquires its brown, rich color, and plump consistency so appreciated in Viennese Inns and restaurants.
- Slowly braise the meat until fully tender. Once the meat is tender to the core (it takes up to 3 hours), add as much water until the liquid covers it. Then let the whole thing simmer for another 10 minutes or so until you get a nice creamy juice.
Notes
- Makes 4-6 Portions.
- SERVING: Both boiled potatoes and fluffy bread dumplings are suitable as sides. In the evening, a small glass of beer is a popular accompaniment to an Austrian goulash.
- STORAGE: If you have any goulash leftover, let it cool completely and store covered in the fridge, where it will keep for about 3-4 days.
- As a rule of thumb: any goulash tastes best the next day, resting overnight in the fridge.
- This goulash does not contain any flour or roux. The onions boil away completely and provide the necessary binding.
- Count on the fact that it takes about 3 hours for the beef to soften. The goulash needs time to get the desired taste!
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chart
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