Slow-simmered beef cubes are cooked tender soft in a velvety, rich paprika-based sauce.
Bring the timeless Central European classic beef goulash to your dinner table.
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TL;DR
We traditionally prepare beef goulash in Austria, where it is known as Rindergulasch or Rindsgulasch. This is my take on the creamy version of a classic beef goulash.
Unlike the hearty Hungarian goulash soup, the beef goulash isn't a soup, but rather stewed meat cooked and served with a paprika and caraway infused sauce. It's a main course meal.
I spare you the whole history, but know that the Austro-Hungarian Empire helped make the Goulash a beloved staple and variations and types exist across central, Eastern Europe, as well as the Balkan.
Initially, I had shared this recipe over 12 years ago with you guys, but over time, I simplified my preparation method and I switched some ingredients.
This recipe doesn't use vinegar or wine anymore, instead I make it creamier now.
I cook it now in the Dutch oven and the result is always a super tender and creamy beef goulash that you will absolutely love. I wouldn't do it any other way in 2025, and therefore I have updated it.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Cubed — beef chuck (shoulder) or top round cuts (behind) are most suitable because they remain juicy and come with fewer fats. Your cubes should be about the same size, traditionally in Austria each cube tends to be 1.1 inches to 1.6 inches (3-4 centimeter) in diameter.
- Onion — white or yellow onion or shallots work too.
- Butter — salted or unsalted.
- Bay Leaf
- Juniper Berries — optional, but I honestly don't recommend skipping it as it adds a lot of flavor.
- Paprika — sweet or smoked paprika, or a mix of the two.
- Caraway Seeds — Do not substitute with cumin, they don't taste the same! This is a main ingredient that can't be skipped.
- Beef Broth — or beef bouillon with water.
- Garlic — fresh.
- Tomato Sauce — unflavored.
- Cream — table cream or heavy cream. You can use sour cream too or the French Crème fraîche. For a creamy beef goulash, we usually use a cream that contains at least 30% fat.
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Parsley — fresh, Italian or curly parsley.
Process Overview
Step 1
Sauté onion slices soft in butter. Stir in the chopped garlic and sauté briefly.
Step 2
Stir in your beef cubes and brown them a bit.
Step 3
Pour in cream, tomato sauce and broth.
Step 4
Add in the seasoning, bay leaf, juniper berries, paprika, and caraway seeds as well as salt and pepper.
Step 5
Mix it all well, keep on a medium-low heat setting and cover your Dutch oven.
Step 6
Cook the meat for about 1 to 2 hours, or until it is completely tender and falls easily off. The cooking time depends a lot on the meat quality.
Step 7
When the beef is tender, uncover and simmer down the sauce to the desired thickness. Take out the whole spices and discard, the bay leaf and juniper berries, before serving.
Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley as a topping.
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Beef Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
For the Goulash:
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Onion large, sliced
- 1-2 Garlic Cloves fresh, chopped
- 1 Pound Beef cubed
- 1 Cup Table Cream or heavy cream
- ¼ Cup Tomato Sauce
- 1 Cup Beef Broth
- 1 medium Bay Leaf
- 5 Juniper Berries Optional but adds a lot of flavor!
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika sweet or smoked
- ½ Teaspoon Caraway Seeds Whole not cumin - its not the same!
- Salt to taste
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground
- Parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat up your Dutch oven and stir in your butter and onion slices. Sauté onion slices in the butter until they soften a bit over a medium heat setting.2 Tablespoon Butter, 1 Onion
- Add the chopped garlic and briefly cook along.1-2 Garlic Cloves
- Stir in the beef cubes and brown them a bit all over while controlling the heat setting.1 Pound Beef
- Reduce the heat a bit and pour in the cream, tomato sauce and beef broth.1 Cup Table Cream, ¼ Cup Tomato Sauce, 1 Cup Beef Broth
- Add to that all the seasoning. The bay leaf, juniper berries, paprika, and caraway seeds. Also season with salt and black pepper.1 medium Bay Leaf, 5 Juniper Berries, 1 Tablespoon Paprika, ½ Teaspoon Caraway Seeds Whole, Salt, ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground
- Mix everything well in the Dutch oven.
- Keep the heat on a medium to low setting and cover the dish.
- Cook the beef until it's completely cooked through and tender. Check once in a while the progress of the meat. It can take 1–2 hours until the meat is tender cooked. The cooking time depends on the meat quality. The beef goulash in the pictures took about 1 ½ hours to cook tender.
- Once the meat is soft and falling off, uncover the dish and continue to cook down the sauce to the desired consistency.
- Take from the heat. Remove the bay leaf and juniper berries and discard.
- Serve your beef goulash hot with freshly chopped parsley as a garnish.Parsley
Equipment
- 8" Chef Knife
- Dutch Oven 5 quart/ 4,7 liter oval or round
Nutrition
Serving Ideas
In Austria, we tend to serve our beef goulash with a flour-based side dish or potatoes.
This can be butter coated Spätzle noodles, butter parsley potatoes, potato Knödel dumplings or even Semmerknödel. You might like butter coated pasta or steamed rice with your portion.
Braised red cabbage goes really well with beef goulash too, and you can add a side salad to your meal, such as a coleslaw or shredded radish.
Don't forget some condiments such as shredded horseradish and pickles.
Generally, at home we enjoy our beef goulash simply with bread, as in wholewheat bread or buns.
Storing
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Gradually warm it up again in a pan, in the oven or microwave.
Rectangular glass containers are useful, as you can store your beef goulash in batches stacked over each other in your fridge or freezer. The same containers are oven and microwave save.
Frozen batches can be left to thaw in the fridge overnight.
