This is a simple recipe for a delicious Czech-style pork goulash. It tastes best made with pork shoulder, slightly spicy thanks to sweet paprika and caraway seeds. Unlike slow-braised beef goulash, the pork comes together in under an hour and a half and pairs great with pasta.
➜ About this Recipe
It is an authentic recipe from the Czech Republic, where pork is very popular. In Czech, pork goulash is called "vepřový guláš", and the word "vepřové" means pork in English.
The pork cubes are first browned, and then slowly cooked in an onion base. Typical spices include sweet paprika, ground pepper, caraway seeds, and garlic.
Traditional Czech accompaniment is elbow pasta, possibly bread dumplings, or boiled potatoes.
MY TIP: try out Szegedin Goulash with sauerkraut (tastes divine!)
➜ Ingredients
For the homemade pork goulash, we need:
- Pork meat; pork shoulder in whole is a good option
- Tomato paste; for better taste and color
- Onions
- Pepper; black, ground
- Paprika; sweet, ground
- Caraway seeds; whole
- Garlic; crushed or pressed
- Salt
- Pork lard; possibly table oil, sunflower, or Canola
- All-purpose flour; for thickening
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Quick Instructions:
- Fry the salted and peppered pork cubes in lard, set aside.
- In the same fat, fry the onions.
- Return the meat to the onions, add tomato paste, ground paprika, caraway seeds, and crushed garlic.
- Stir and sauté for a minute.
- Cover with water and simmer for less than an hour.
- Dust with flour and simmer under the lid without stirring for a further 15 minutes.
- Serve the finished pork goulash with pasta.
➜ Instructions with Photos
STEP 1: Cut the pork into 1 inch (2-3 cm) cubes—season with salt and pepper.
STEP 2: Peel and finely chop the onion. Crush or press the garlic cloves.
STEP 3: Heat the lard in a broader, higher-sided pan and fry the meat in it. If it releases its juices, it's okay. Let it simmer and wait until the meat cubes get a golden crust on all sides. Do not forget to stir the meat. Remove the roasted pork from the pan and set it aside.
STEP 4: In the same fat, fry the onion over medium heat. If the onions tend to stick to the bottom of the pan, baste them with a tablespoon of water. The onions should be sautéed within five minutes.
STEP 5: Return the meat to the fried onions, add the caraway seeds, crushed garlic, ground paprika, and tomato paste. Stir and sauté for a minute (do not stop stirring).
STEP 6: Cover with water until the meat is about ¾ submerged. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a minimum. Cover with a lid and simmer for just under an hour. The meat should be almost tender - test with a fork.
STEP 7: Add water to the pan so that the meat is almost submerged. Stir, bring to a boil. Dust the surface of the goulash with all-purpose flour using a sieve. Do not stir! Cover with a lid and let the flour steam inside the pot over low heat for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to low again.
STEP 8: Remove the lid, stir the goulash and add salt to taste. And we are done!
➜ Serving
The pork goulash is served warm; it tastes best with pasta. The typical Czech pasta shape suitable for this type of goulash is elbows.
Goulash also pairs well with boiled potatoes, bread dumplings, or a slice of fresh bread.
➜ Useful Tips
- Do you like spicy goulash? Then add ½ teaspoon of hot paprika to the base. The flavor of the goulash will then be close to that of the Czech pub goulashes (hospodský guláš) that are usually served with a glass of draught beer.
- Plain flour added at the end of cooking will thicken the goulash just enough. Make sure you sprinkle it evenly over the surface in a thin layer to prevent lumps from forming.
- I made this pork goulash in a cast-iron pan with a lid diameter of 11 inches (28 cm).
- A rule of thumb: goulash that you leave to rest until the next day tastes even better!
More pork recipes:
- Karbanátek – pork and beef burger
- Roasted pork shoulder
- Pork patties
- Easy pork meatloaf
- Pork chops with gravy
Tried this recipe?
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Czech Pork Goulash Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pork shoulder
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 medium onions peeled and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons pork lard (or canola / sunflower oil)
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- water to cover the pork
Instructions
- Cut 1 ½ pounds pork shoulder into 1 inch (2-3 cm) cubes. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Peel and finely chop 3 medium onions. Peel and mince 3 cloves garlic.
- Heat the lard in a large, deep saucepan and fry the meat in it. If it releases its juices, that is fine. Let it simmer and wait until the meat cubes develop a golden crust on all sides. Remember to stir the meat. Once the pork is golden brown, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same fat, sauté the onion over medium heat. If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon of water to loosen them. The onions should be sautéed within five minutes.
- Return the meat to the fried onions, add 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika powder, and 1 Tablespoon tomato paste. Stir and sauté for a minute (do not stop stirring).
- Cover the meat with water until it's about ¾ submerged. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for just under an hour. The meat should be almost tender; you can test it with a fork.
- Remove the lid and check the water level. If necessary, add some water until the meat is almost submerged. Stir, then bring to a boil.
- Dust the surface of the goulash with all-purpose flour using a sieve. Do not stir! Cover with a lid and let the flour steam over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir the goulash, and add salt to taste. And we are done!
Notes
- SERVING: The pork goulash is served warm and tastes best with pasta. The typical Czech pasta shape suitable for this type of goulash is elbows (Czech Kolínka). Goulash also pairs well with boiled potatoes, bread dumplings, or a slice of fresh bread.
- If you like spicy goulash, you can add ½ teaspoon of hot paprika to the base. This will give the goulash a flavor close to that of the Czech pub goulashes (Hospodský guláš), which are often served with a glass of draught beer.
- Plain flour added at the end of cooking will thicken the goulash just enough. Make sure you sprinkle it evenly over the surface in a thin layer to prevent lumps from forming.
- I made this pork goulash in a cast-iron pan with a lid, which has a diameter of 11 inches (28 cm).
- A rule of thumb: goulash that you leave to rest until the next day tastes even better!
Dashka says
Just made this turns out perfect ????Even my husband is asking me if I wanna open a Czech restaurant in Canada ????
Petra Kupská says
Oh, what a lovely comment! If you open that Czech restaurant in Canada, can I get a (small) special discount? I promise to be a loyal regular! ????
Dashka says
I will be honored to have you ! If I ever open one ????
Petra Kupská says
???? Either way, let me know!
Eileen says
I made it and it’s delicious, thank you!
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
Hi, Eileen,
Thank you for the kind words!
Petra
Elisabeth says
this was delicious made with country style pork ribs. I served it with bought Spaetzle. I had three meals, my husband two. Will definitely make again.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you, Elisabeth, for your nice words! And of course, I am happy you and your husband enjoyed the meal 🙂 (Spaetzle is a good option for any goulash recipe!)
Jim says
Very tasty. I sought out a goulash recipe that specifically included caraway. This one is a winner!
Gregorova Knight Jana says
I always make the gulash with ratio : the same amount of meat=same amount of onion -that way you don’t have use any flour it is thickening by just juice from onion.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you for your comment! The 1:1 ratio (meat and onion) applies more to beef goulash. Pork is done in a third of the time than beef, the onions wouldn't cook as quickly and remain still solid. Therefore, a little flour is added to thicken pork goulash. All the best, Petra
Kisa says
hi! i live in czech republic and made htis for my czech husband and he was quite happy. i will try more of your recipes. have a lovely day 🙂
Petra Kupská says
Oh, ahoj Kisa! 🙂 I hope you enjoy your stay in the Czech Republic and like the country! Thank you for your comment and if I could help with anything around Czech food, feel free and get in touch!
Adam says
Turned out good, but not great. I think I could do a better attempt next time by browning the meat more, adding a little more salt, and maybe a bit more paprika.
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Adam, thank you for your feedback. The taste of goulash is always about playing with the exact proportions of spices. Some people like it spicier, others less. I believe that next time you will discover the right combination and amount of salt/pepper/paprika to make the goulash taste exactly as you like!
Steve Pyka (Trestik) says
I'm of Czech heritage and I've never had any Czech goulash with out marjoram
Petra Kupská says
Steve, there are more Czech spices for goulash, not just marjoram. Moreover, goulash is originally a Hungarian dish that we Czechs adopted over the centuries we lived with the Hungarians in the Habsburg monarchy. In addition to marjoram, goulash can be made with spices such as caraway seeds, crushed garlic, or sweet paprika.
Cori says
Had a bone in pork shoulder roast, browned on all sides, followed rest of recipe. When done I cut the meat from the bone then added the flour. Delicious! A lovely change of pace. I was raised on Eastern European food that my immigrant great grandmother made. She would have enjoyed this dish.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Ahoj Cori, thank you for your comment and feedback - happy to hear the recipe was a success! Thank you for sharing a fond memory 🙂
Greetings from the Czech Republic.