Cook Like Czechs

  • Recipes
  • Czech Republic
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Sausage Goulash – Czech Buřtguláš

    Published: Apr 24, 2021 · Modified: May 21, 2024 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    • 231shares

    Spicy and extra delicious! Such is a recipe for buřtguláš, Czech sausage goulash. It is on the table in just 30 minutes, and it tastes great with fresh bread.

    czech sausage goulash

    ➜ What is burtgulas

    Buřtguláš is a type of classic Czech goulash made with potatoes and sausages. It contains spices typical for Czech cuisine: caraway seeds and sweet ground paprika. Buřtguláš is also known as potato goulash (bramborový guláš).

    Making buřtguláš doesn't take much time, plus you won't use too many dishes while cooking. It falls into the category of one-pot recipes.

    TIP: Here you’ll find a recipe for traditional Czech goulash made from beef.

    ➜ Czech Špekáček

    Let me introduce to you a typical Czech soft sausage: špekáček! 

    Czech špekáček

    It is the špekáček that is usually used as the main ingredient while making buřtguláš. Špekáček is a type of sausage prepared from a finely cut mixture of pork and beef with an insert of smoked speck (špek), which gave the product its name.

    It's obvious it won't be easy to get a classic špekáček outside the Czech Republic. I asked the community of Czechs living in the USA, and they were very nice with their tips on how to replace the Czech špekáček. Try one of these: polish kielbasa or sausage, skinless Frankfurt’s or Wiener’s, German bockwurst. Hope this helps a bit.

    Now, let's go to the kitchen!

    ➜ Ingredients

    czech sausage goulash ingredients
    • Sausages; Czechs use a sausage called “špekáček” to make buřtguláš
    • Potatoes; any all-purpose potatoes will work well
    • Onions
    • Cloves of garlic; garlic lovers can add more garlic than recommended!
    • Pork lard; or vegetable oil
    • Beef or chicken broth
    • Sweet ground paprika
    • Caraway seed; crushed (do not use cumin). Learn, how to grind spices by hand.
    • All-purpose flour; to thicken the goulash
    • Salt and ground pepper; for the final taste

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with Photos

    STEP 1: Before you start cooking, prepare the ingredients for the sausage goulash:

    1. Peel potatoes and cut them into 1-inch (2,5 cm) cubes.
    2. If necessary, peel the sausages then cut them into 1,5 cm (2,5 cm) cubes, about the same size as diced potatoes.
    3. Roughly chop the onion.
    4. Peel and crush or press garlic cloves.

    STEP 2: Heat the lard in a pot over higher heat, add the onions and fry them, frequently stirring, until slightly golden. 

    making czech sausage goulash

    STEP 3: Add the crushed caraway seeds and sausages. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

    making burtgulas

    STEP 4: Sprinkle with flour and fry for 1 minute while stirring.

    making czech sausage goulash

    STEP 5: Add cubed potatoes, garlic, sweet paprika, and sauté for 1 minute.

    making burtgulas

    STEP 6: Pour in the broth so that the potatoes and sausages are just submerged, but not more. Otherwise, the goulash will be thin and will resemble a soup.

    making burtgulas

    STEP 7: Stir well, bring to a boil. 

    STEP 8: Reduce heat to a minimum, cover with a lid, and cook, occasionally stirring, for 20 minutes or until potatoes soften.

    STEP 9: Season with salt and pepper to taste as the final step.

    ➜ Serving

    Serve this sausage goulash with fresh bread. Czechs love their rye bread, and one slice is never enough!

    Sprinkle the goulash with chopped green parsley while served.

    Czech sausage goulash with bread

    ➜ Useful tips

    • As it is with goulashes, this dish tastes better the next day, when its flavors develop even more. 
    • If you add more potatoes to the buřtgláš, you don't need any other side dish, and you can eat it on its own.
    • The buřtguláš includes crushed caraway seeds. According to some recipes, you should also add dried marjoram- feel free to try.

    More Czech recipes:

    • Szegediner goulash
    • Vepro knedlo zelo – iconic Czech pork roast with braised sauerkraut
    • Svickova – creamy sauce made from root vegetables
    • Pickled sausages – Utopenci
    • Sausages in beer gravy – Czech "buřty na pivu"

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Czech burtgulas sausage goulash recipe

    Sausage Goulash – Czech Buřtguláš

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Spicy and extra delicious! That is the recipe for Buřtguláš, Czech sausage goulash. It is ready in just 30 minutes and tastes amazing with fresh bread.
    5 from 3 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    • 1 pound sausages e. g., Polish sausage
    • 1 pound potatoes about 4-5 pieces, e. g., Yukon Gold
    • 3 medium onions peeled and chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
    • 2 Tablespoons pork lard (or canola / sunflower oil)
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 1 Tablespoon sweet ground paprika Hungarian-style
    • 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
    • salt

    Instructions 

    • Peel 1 pound potatoes and cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Peel 1 pound sausages (if necessary), then cut them into 1.5 cm (2.5 cm) cubes, about the same size as the diced potatoes.
    • Roughly chop 3 medium onions. Peel and finely mince or press 2 cloves garlic.
    • Heat 2 Tablespoons pork lard in a pot over medium-high heat, add the onions, and fry them, stirring frequently, until they are slightly golden. Add 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds and sausages to the pot. Sauté for 2 minutes.
    • Sprinkle the mixture with ¼ cup all-purpose flour and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the cubed potatoes, garlic, and 1 Tablespoon sweet ground paprika, and sauté for 1 minute.
    • Pour in chicken broth until the potatoes and sausage are just submerged, but no more. Otherwise, the goulash will be thin and resemble a soup. Stir well, bring to a boil.
    • Reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes soften.
    • As the final step, season with ½ teaspoon ground pepper and salt to taste.

    Notes

    • The basic recipe makes 4 yields.
    • Serve this sausage goulash warm with fresh bread. Sprinkle with chopped green parsley before serving.
    • The amount of salt for the final seasoning depends on the saltiness of the chicken broth used. Adjust accordingly to taste.
    • As with most goulashes, this dish tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to develop further.
    • If you add more potatoes to the Buřtguláš, you don't need any other side dish; you can enjoy it on its own.
    • The Buřtguláš includes crushed caraway seeds. According to some recipes, dried marjoram is also added, so feel free to give it a try.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1396mg | Potassium: 976mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 958IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg
    Servings: 4
    Calories pro serving: 576
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: goulash dishes, quick recipes
    Pin Recipe Share by Email Share on Facebook
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
    • 231shares

    More from Main Courses

    • Pork kidney stew served with rice in a bowl.
      Pork Kidney Stew (Czech Dušené ledvinky)
    • Three cherry dumplings topped with cinnamon sugar, served on a plate.
      Cherry Dumplings (Třešňové knedlíky)
    • Czech fried Hermelín cheese served with potatoes and tartar sauce. The cheese is cut in half.
      Fried Hermelín Cheese
    • Beef Tongue with Plum Sauce

    Comments

    1. Gwen says

      January 19, 2022 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      Came across this recipe when trying to find a dish I had many years ago at an Austrian friends mothers home.
      It’s so simple and easy to prepare and wonderful depth of flavor.
      I special ordered Hungarian sweet paprika and chopped caraway seeds with my chefs knife.
      Love it.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        January 20, 2022 at 2:50 pm

        This sausage goulash is very popular in our house, too 🙂 Thank you for your nice words and a special tip on how to chop caraway seeds. In the Czech Republic, you can usually buy crushed caraway seeds. I know that in the USA you can only buy the whole caraway, so your advice is very useful!

        Reply
    2. Paul says

      July 12, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      My Dad came to Australia in 1950, when we were growing up in the 60s he used to cook a lot of Czech dishes. Our favourite was this Potato Goulash, however he used Polish sausage. This recipe wonderful.
      I have made the very nice Czech apple slice. Next on my list are Buchty and Bramboraky (potato cakes) that we had most Sundays.
      Thank you for this lovely site where I can get all of the recipes I remember. I'll probably end up going through all the recipes eventually.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        July 15, 2022 at 6:31 am

        Ahoj Paul,
        Thank you very much for your comment with fond memories of your dad.
        Sausage goulash is also very popular with us, not only does it taste good, but it is also easy to prepare and quickly ready. When you make Czech potato pancakes, don't forget to add plenty of garlic and dried marjoram as described in the recipe. These are the spices that make bramboráky pancakes a true Czech dish!
        Greetings to Australia (my mom lived in Melbourne for 6 years and I visited her once, it is a wonderful city, so nice memories for me! 🙂
        Petra

        Reply
    3. Eric says

      July 22, 2023 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      Love this one for a quick filling meal. Gotta admit that I cheat a bit and also toss in some celery (w/ the onions) and carrot (w/ the potatoes) to bulk it up a bit more without adding more meat.

      Reply
      • Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says

        August 12, 2023 at 2:58 pm

        Hi Eric, thank you for your feedback. It is great that you found a way to improve the recipe to your liking! 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a star rating and review or ask a question! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating




    Hi, I am Petra, a born-and-raised Czech and self-taught cook with 25+ years of experience. I am here to show you that you can cook Czech food—even if you live abroad or never learned it growing up. With clear steps and trusted guidance, Czech cooking becomes simple, joyful, and meaningful, right in your own kitchen.

    Learn more

    Popular

    • Czech cucumber salad with sour cream and dill.
      Cucumber Salad With Sour Cream and Dill
    • Two pieces of Czech Tvarožník cake served on a green plate.
      Tvarožník – Czech-Style Cheesecake
    • Sliced plecovník Czech Easter bread.
      Plecovník Czech Sausage Bread
    • Two sausage bunny rolls.
      Sausage Bunny Rolls (Klobásoví zajíčci)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    All Things Czech

    • Czech Recipes
    • Czech Republic
    • Conversions U.S. to metric

    Useful Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • Nutrition Disclosure

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 CookLikeCzechs.com