Goulash is a staple from my childhood. No matter in what country we lived in, we always had goulash at some point for dinner. I think it’s probably one of my favourite dishes, and trust me when I say, I am German by blood, but the food is just a total miss for me. The heavy pork dishes with the immense amount of potatoes that a person should consume in a year, just never caught on with me.
Now, my twin sister and father on the other hand, their daily dinners are that what you can find in a German Brauhaus on any given night. They love everything with sauce, potatoes and meat.
These types of dishes are not only loved amongst German cuisine, but Polish, Hungarian, Slovakian, and the further east and colder your cities get, the heavier food types your plates tend to be filled with.
Goulash is one of the, now don’t get upset, German dishes (yes, I know many dispute it stems from Poland and cannot, should not, never will be, considered a German dish) that I truly enjoy and make quite often in the colder months. I love the soft beef, with the hearty sauce served over al dente noodles. The thicker the noodle the better, and please do not try and get fancy and serve this over spaghetti or any long pasta type, as this will just be a mess on your shirt with the first bite.
I think what really makes this dish is the patience you must have when making the sauce. The beef becomes so tender because you let it cook on low heat over hours in order to really blend with all the flavours and become just the perfect sauce you are looking for.
You can of course also serve these over soft boiled or mashed potatoes; my personal preference is over noodles, but to each their own.
Beef Goulash over Noodles
1kg beef, cut in squares
2 red paprika, chopped
6 medium carrots, diced
3 red onions, diced
1 handful brown mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika powder
Salt and pepper
500 ml canned tomatoes
250 ml water
250 ml beef broth
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional:
Cooked pasta
In a large pot add olive oil. Once heated add onions and carrots and cook until onions are golden brown. Add beef and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to simmer for about 3 minutes. Add spices and liquids. Add bell pepper and mushrooms.
Turn down heat to medium low and simmer for 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally every 30 minutes. If there is still too much liquid continue to simmer until you reach the consistency you are looking for.
Serve either over cooked potatoes, mashed potatoes or cooked pasta.
