Description
This Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash is a hearty and comforting stew featuring tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers simmered with a robust blend of sweet Hungarian paprika, garlic, and herbs. Perfect for an easy make-ahead meal, it is slow-cooked to develop rich, deep flavors and served over buttered egg noodles, garnished with fresh parsley and optionally enriched with creamy sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Coating
- 2 lbs. cubed stew meat or chuck roast, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. salt, divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper
Vegetables and Seasonings
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 3½ Tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp. marjoram
- 1½ Tbsp. minced garlic (about 4 plump cloves)
- ¾ tsp. crushed caraway seeds
Liquids and Finishing
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish
- ½ cup sour cream (optional, for serving)
- Buttered egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Coat the Beef: In a large bowl, toss the cubed roast meat with flour, 1 tsp. salt, and black pepper until all pieces are well coated. This will help thicken the stew later.
- Assemble in Slow Cooker: Add the coated beef to the slow cooker, followed by crushed tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, red and green peppers, chopped onions, sweet Hungarian paprika, minced garlic, marjoram, crushed caraway seeds, and fresh parsley (if using).
- Add Broth and Bay Leaves: Pour the low sodium beef broth evenly over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Place the bay leaves on top.
- Cook the Goulash: Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 9 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender. Add additional broth during cooking if the stew looks too thick.
- Thicken with Tomato Paste: About 30 minutes before serving, remove some of the cooking liquid into a medium bowl and whisk in the tomato paste until smooth. Return this mixture to the slow cooker and stir. Continue cooking for the last 30 minutes to thicken the stew.
- Finish with Sour Cream (Optional): If using sour cream, take out a small amount of the hot broth in the final 5 minutes and slowly whisk in the sour cream to temper it, preventing curdling. Then gently stir this mixture back into the slow cooker.
- Serve: Serve the hearty goulash over buttered egg noodles and garnish generously with fresh parsley for a beautiful, flavorful presentation.
Notes
- Be sure to cube the stew meat into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Tempering the sour cream by mixing it with hot broth avoids curdling and maintains a creamy texture.
- If you want a thicker stew, reduce the cooking liquid further by cooking uncovered for a few minutes or add extra tomato paste.
- This dish can be prepared a day in advance; flavors improve after resting overnight.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (high) or 9 hours (low)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Keywords: Hungarian Goulash, Slow Cooker Recipes, Beef Stew, Comfort Food, Paprika Stew
