Goulash Soup

This hearty Goulash Soup combines tender pieces of beef, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and warm paprika in a rich, savory broth. Inspired by traditional Hungarian goulash, it’s a comforting one-pot meal with deep flavor and plenty of satisfying texture.

It’s perfect for cold evenings, Sunday dinner, meal preparation, casual family meals, or whenever you’re craving a warm and filling beef soup.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6–8

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tender pieces of beef
• Rich paprika-seasoned broth
• Loaded with potatoes and vegetables
• Made in one pot
• Naturally hearty and filling
• Easy to prepare ahead
• Freezer-friendly
• Adjustable spice level
• Even better the following day
• Delicious with crusty bread

Ingredients

Beef

• 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Soup

• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Sour cream
• Additional paprika
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty bread

How to Make Goulash Soup

Step 1: Prepare the Beef

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels.

Season them evenly with salt and black pepper.

Drying the beef helps it brown properly instead of steaming in the pot.

Step 2: Brown the Beef

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add the beef in batches, leaving enough room between the pieces.

Brown for approximately 2–3 minutes per side. The beef does not need to be cooked through at this stage.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and meat.

Avoid overcrowding the pot because this prevents proper browning.

Step 3: Cook the Onions

Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the diced onions to the same pot and cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The onions should become soft and lightly golden.

If the bottom of the pot becomes dry, add a small splash of beef broth.

Step 4: Add the Garlic

Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Garlic burns quickly, so don’t leave it unattended.

Step 5: Add the Paprika

Remove the pot briefly from the heat.

Add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, optional hot paprika, and caraway seeds.

Stir for approximately 20 seconds.

Paprika can become bitter if it burns, so adding it away from direct heat protects its flavor.

Step 6: Add the Tomato Paste

Return the pot to medium heat.

Add the tomato paste and cook for approximately one minute, stirring continuously.

Cooking the tomato paste helps deepen its flavor and removes the raw tomato taste.

Step 7: Deglaze the Pot

Pour in approximately one cup of the beef broth.

Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release the browned pieces.

These caramelized bits add rich flavor to the soup.

Step 8: Add the Beef and Broth

Return the browned beef and any collected juices to the pot.

Add the remaining broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and dried marjoram.

Stir well and bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Step 9: Simmer the Beef

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.

Simmer gently for approximately 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Avoid a rapid boil because gentle cooking helps the beef become tender.

Step 10: Add the Vegetables

Add the diced potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper.

Stir until the vegetables are submerged in the broth.

Add extra broth or water if the soup appears too thick.

Step 11: Finish Cooking

Cover and continue simmering for approximately 30–40 minutes, or until the beef, potatoes, and carrots are tender.

Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Step 12: Adjust the Seasoning

Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Taste the soup and add additional salt, black pepper, paprika, or Worcestershire sauce as needed.

If you want a thinner soup, stir in more beef broth. For a thicker consistency, simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes.

Step 13: Serve

Ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Garnish with chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, or a small spoonful of sour cream.

Serve with crusty bread, rolls, or dumplings.

What Is Goulash Soup?

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish built around beef, onions, and paprika.

It can range from a thick stew to a brothier soup, depending on the region and cooking method. This version is prepared as a hearty soup with beef, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and a paprika-seasoned broth.

It’s different from American goulash, which usually contains ground beef, macaroni, and tomato sauce.

The Best Beef for Goulash Soup

Beef chuck is the best choice because it contains enough connective tissue and fat to become tender and flavorful during slow cooking.

Other suitable cuts include:

• Beef stew meat
• Boneless short ribs
• Beef shoulder
• Brisket
• Bottom round
• Beef shank

Avoid extremely lean steak cuts because they can become dry during extended cooking.

The Best Paprika for Goulash

Paprika is the defining seasoning in goulash.

Sweet Hungarian paprika creates the most traditional flavor. It has a warm, slightly sweet taste without making the soup overly spicy.

Smoked paprika adds depth but should not replace all the Hungarian paprika.

You can use:

• Sweet Hungarian paprika
• Hot Hungarian paprika
• Smoked paprika
• A combination of sweet and hot paprika

Make sure your paprika is fresh. Old paprika loses its color and flavor over time.

How to Keep Paprika from Becoming Bitter

Paprika can burn quickly when exposed to high heat.

Remove the pot from direct heat before adding it, stir briefly, and then add liquid soon afterward.

Don’t fry paprika in a dry pot for an extended period. Burned paprika will give the entire soup an unpleasant bitter flavor.

How to Make the Beef Tender

The beef needs gentle, extended cooking to become tender.

For the best results:

• Use beef chuck
• Cut the pieces into similar sizes
• Brown the beef in small batches
• Simmer over low heat
• Keep the pot covered
• Don’t add the potatoes too early
• Continue simmering if the meat remains firm

If the beef is tough after one hour, it usually needs more cooking rather than less.

How to Thicken Goulash Soup

Traditional goulash soup doesn’t require flour or cornstarch. The potatoes and onions naturally release starch and thicken the broth slightly.

For a thicker result:

• Mash a few potato pieces into the broth
• Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes
• Add another tablespoon of tomato paste
• Use slightly less broth
• Stir in a cornstarch slurry

To make a slurry, combine one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the simmering soup and cook for several minutes.

Can I Make Goulash Soup in a Slow Cooker?

Yes.

Brown the seasoned beef in a skillet and transfer it to the slow cooker.

Cook the onions, garlic, paprika, and tomato paste in the same skillet, then add them to the slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients except the potatoes and bell peppers.

Cook on:

• Low for 7–8 hours
• High for 4–5 hours

Add the potatoes and bell peppers during the final two hours on low or final hour on high.

The soup is ready when the beef and vegetables are tender.

Can I Make It in an Instant Pot?

Yes.

Use the sauté setting to brown the beef in batches. Remove the meat, then cook the onions and garlic.

Turn off the sauté function before adding the paprika.

Add the remaining ingredients except the potatoes and bell peppers.

Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.

Add the potatoes and peppers, then pressure cook for another 4 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure.

Can I Use Ground Beef?

Yes, although the soup will have a different texture.

Brown and drain one to 1½ pounds of ground beef.

Add the onions and continue with the recipe. Reduce the initial simmering time because ground beef doesn’t need as long to become tender.

Add the vegetables shortly after adding the broth and simmer for approximately 30–40 minutes.

Can I Add Pasta?

Yes. Small pasta shapes can make the soup even more filling.

Suitable options include:

• Egg noodles
• Elbow macaroni
• Small shells
• Ditalini
• Spaetzle
• Small dumplings

Cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls. This prevents it from absorbing too much broth during storage.

Recipe Variations

Hungarian-Style Goulash Soup

Use sweet Hungarian paprika, caraway seeds, marjoram, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

Leave out the Worcestershire sauce if you want a more traditional flavor.

Spicy Goulash Soup

Add hot Hungarian paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or sliced hot peppers.

Begin with a small amount and adjust after the soup has simmered.

Creamy Goulash Soup

Stir in ½ cup of sour cream at the end.

Temper the sour cream first by mixing it with a ladleful of warm broth. This helps prevent curdling.

Mushroom Goulash Soup

Sauté eight ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onions.

Mushrooms add an earthy flavor that complements the beef and paprika.

Vegetable Goulash Soup

Leave out the beef and use vegetable broth.

Add mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, beans, or lentils.

American Goulash Soup

Replace the beef cubes with ground beef.

Add two cups of cooked elbow macaroni and one additional can of tomato sauce near the end.

Finish with shredded cheddar if desired.

Can I Add More Vegetables?

Yes. Other suitable vegetables include:

• Celery
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Mushrooms
• Green beans
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Cabbage

Add quick-cooking vegetables during the final 15–20 minutes so they don’t become overly soft.

What to Serve with Goulash Soup

This soup is filling enough to serve alone, but it also pairs well with:

• Crusty bread
• Dinner rolls
• Garlic bread
• Egg noodles
• Spaetzle
• Potato dumplings
• Cucumber salad
• Green salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Sour cream

Bread is especially useful for soaking up the paprika-rich broth.

Can I Prepare It Ahead?

Yes. Goulash Soup tastes even better after the flavors have had time to develop.

Prepare the entire soup, cool it completely, and refrigerate it overnight.

Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding extra broth if the soup has thickened.

For the best potato texture, avoid boiling the soup aggressively during reheating.

Storage

Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container.

Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

The broth will continue to thicken as it sits. Add a small amount of beef broth or water when reheating if necessary.

How to Reheat Goulash Soup

Reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat.

Stir occasionally and cook until the beef and broth are completely hot.

Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

Avoid repeatedly reheating the entire batch. Warm only the amount you plan to serve.

Can You Freeze Goulash Soup?

Yes, although potatoes may become slightly softer after freezing.

Allow the soup to cool completely and transfer it to freezer-safe containers.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.

For the best texture, prepare the soup without potatoes, freeze it, and add freshly cooked potatoes when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Goulash Soup spicy?

Traditional sweet paprika is flavorful but not very spicy. Hot paprika or cayenne can be added for heat.

What is the difference between goulash soup and beef stew?

Goulash has a paprika-forward flavor and usually contains more broth. Beef stew is generally thicker and may use different herbs and seasonings.

Can I use stew meat?

Yes. Packaged beef stew meat works, although the pieces may vary in tenderness and size.

Why is my beef tough?

It probably needs more time. Continue simmering gently until the connective tissue softens.

Can I leave out the caraway seeds?

Yes. They add a traditional earthy flavor, but the soup will still be delicious without them.

Can I make it without tomatoes?

Yes. Replace the tomatoes with additional beef broth and add another tablespoon of tomato paste if desired.

Can I use chicken broth?

Yes, but beef broth creates a richer flavor.

Can I add sour cream?

Yes. Add it to individual servings or stir tempered sour cream into the finished soup.

Why is my broth bitter?

The paprika may have burned. Add paprika away from direct heat and add liquid shortly afterward.

Can I cook the soup overnight?

Yes, when using a slow cooker on low. Add the potatoes closer to the end so they don’t become mushy.

Is Goulash Soup gluten-free?

The basic soup can be gluten-free. Check the labels on the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.

How long does it keep?

Properly refrigerated Goulash Soup keeps for approximately 3–4 days.

Pro Tips

Use beef chuck and cook it slowly until tender.

Brown the meat in small batches to build a rich base for the broth.

Use fresh Hungarian paprika for the best color and flavor.

Remove the pot from direct heat before adding paprika so it doesn’t burn.

Cut the potatoes and carrots into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.

Let the finished soup rest for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Prepare it one day ahead when possible because the flavor becomes even richer overnight.

Final Thoughts

This hearty Goulash Soup is filled with tender beef, potatoes, vegetables, tomatoes, and a deeply flavorful paprika broth. It’s warm, satisfying, and easy to prepare in one pot.

Serve it with crusty bread, dumplings, egg noodles, or a spoonful of sour cream. Whether you make it on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot, it’s a dependable comfort-food meal for cold evenings and family dinners.