Goulash is one of those foods that tastes way better than it sounds. The name sounds like something you serve as a joke at Halloween, or that central and eastern Europeans were forced to resort to under communism.
That second bit is slightly true. Goulash is one of the national dishes of Hungary, but what Americans call goulash is not really the same dish.
Traditional Hungarian goulash is a rich stew made from chunks of beef simmered with peppers, onions, garlic, and paprika. Paprika is indicative of many Hungarian dishes and really identifies them as Hungarian.
American Goulash is a byproduct of immigration, as central European immigrants settled in the Midwest, and eventually the American South. As these immigrants incorporated their traditional dishes into their diets here, changes occurred over time.
The chunks of beef that required hours of stewing to get tender were replaced with quick-cooking ground beef. This worked much better for hard-working families that were too busy homesteading to spend all their time on dinner.
The homemade spaetzle was replaced with cheap and easy to prepare macaroni noodles. Dry noodles also eliminated the need for fresh eggs in the spaetzle dough.
The paprika was too expensive at times and unavailable on the frontier, so it was left out in most recipes, with tomato paste being added to replace the richness of slow-simmered stock and the tang of paprika.
When you are looking for the best goulash recipe, it is important to know whether you are referring to American or Hungarian goulash. Regardless of which you are expecting, you are likely to be disappointed to receive the other one.
Goulash is a One-Pot Wonder
American goulash is relatively simple. It is a one-pot wonder that can be prepared fairly quickly and is a crowd-pleaser on a budget.
The best recipes for goulash will cook in a single pot, making cleanup quick and easy. This makes goulash a perfect meal for a busy family, since it can be prepared easily, and cleaned up with little effort.
A basic goulash will consist of cooked noodles and browned ground meat, with sauteed onion, pepper, and garlic, along with tomato sauce for body.
Goulash is similar in many ways to spaghetti bolognese, with macaroni in lieu of the spaghetti, and a meatier sauce with more Central European flavors.
If you have already been serving your family goulash, there are some delicious ways to switch it up.
Goulash Mix-Ups
You can make your goulash lower in fat by subbing ground turkey for the beef. You can continue the healthy trend by subbing whole wheat noodles in for the macaroni.
Try to change the flavor profiles of your traditional goulash with different spice profiles: instead of the paprika and garlic, add cumin and cayenne for a chili mac goulash.
There are regional variations to goulash. In some parts of the country, goulash is basically seasoned meat and noodles. In other areas, it is much more like soup, with meat and noodles in a rich beef broth enriched with tomatoes.
Try to mix up your recipe by changing to a different regional variety. If you live in the south with thick goulash, add stock to loosen up the base, and make your dish feel different.
If goulash is something more like vegetable soup to you, make it thick and casserole like for a heartier meal your kids will love.
To summarize, goulash isn’t something you need many recipes for. One great goulash recipe as a starting point, and you can switch it up to keep it interesting.
