Recently, my mother-in-law gave me a pack of Hungarian paprika so I thought I'd make some Goulash for meal prep. I didn't want to wait three hours for the beef to become tender so I used ground beef instead.

overhead shot of ground beef goulash in bowl.

This dish reminds me a lot of beef chili or bolognese, except it is way better in my opinion. The main difference between chili and goulash is that goulash has way fewer spices. Goulash mainly relies on black pepper and paprika, which makes the flavor much cleaner and you can really taste the paprika in the final result.

Another key difference is that goulash has potatoes, carrots, and green peppers. Chili does not really have vegetables besides tomatoes and onions. Some recipes also add macaroni for carbs but I do not think it is authentic in Hungary.

Hungarian paprika

Truthfully, I did not even know Hungary had its own type of paprika until my mother-in-law brought me a pack from her Europe trip. But after trying it, I realized it tastes much different than regular paprika. It's spicier and has a more vibrant color. If you look at the picture below, you can see the difference:

The paprika on the left is the "No name" brand from Loblaws. It is more orange in color while the Hungarian paprika on the right is much more red.

Beef stock

I'm using Better Than Bouillon brand roasted beef base. This is hands down the best beef stock I have ever found. Most beef stocks I have tried do not taste like beef at all, but this one is very good.

Better Than Bouillon is saltier than most store-bought stocks, so I did not add any salt to this recipe. However, if you use a different stock, you may need to add some salt.

hand holding jar of Better Than Bouillon concentrated beef base.

How to make it in under one hour

Traditionally, goulash is made by braising thick cuts of beef, but if you know anything about braising, you know it takes at least 2 hours for the meat to soften. I did not have the patience for this so I decided to use ground beef instead. The step-by-step process is very easy. I did everything in one large pot.

Ground Beef Goulash

This was my first time making goulash and it turned out really well. The flavor is similar to a beef chili but it is much tastier. I got my Hungarian paprika from Europe but I am sure you can get it from a specialty kitchen store or Amazon.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Hungarian

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large onions
6 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ cup Hungarian-style paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoon caraway seeds (anise seeds)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or oregano leaves)
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons "Better Than Bouillon" Roasted beef base concentrate
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 green peppers (cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 carrots (cut into ½ inch cubes)
2 potatoes (cut into ½ inch cubes)

Instructions

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over high heat.
Add the beef, garlic, and onions, and cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the black pepper, paprika, caraway seeds, and Italian seasoning, and cook for one minute.
Add the canned tomatoes, roasted beef base concentrate, water, bay leaves, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 30-60 minutes. (30 minutes is the minimum, but longer is better.)
When it is 30 minutes before serving time, add the potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Once the vegetables are soft, the goulash is ready to eat!

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