🇦🇹 Austrian Goulash: A Hearty Alpine Classic

Few dishes represent Austrian comfort food better than goulash. Slow-braised, deeply savory, and finished with paprika warmth, Austrian goulash is less about spice and more about balance. It’s the kind of dish served at long wooden tables in Alpine taverns — paired with bread dumplings, rustic bread, and a glass of crisp white wine.

The secret? Quality paprika, proper thickening, and patience.

Classic Austrian Goulash

Category: Main Course
Serving Yield: 3–4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1½–2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean beef (cut into ¾-inch cubes)
• 2 oz cooking fat (butter or neutral oil)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pint beef stock or water
• 1–2 tsp Austrian sweet paprika
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1–2 tsp Dr. Oetker GUSTIN (corn starch powder)
• 1 tbsp cold water (for thickening)

Optional Additions:

• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• Spoonful of sour cream for finishing

Directions

1. Brown the Meat
   Heat fat in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
   Add beef cubes and brown on all sides to develop deep flavor.
   
   

2. Add Onion
   Stir in chopped onion and sauté until soft and lightly golden.

3. Braise
   Pour in stock or water. Season with salt and pepper.
   Cover and reduce heat to low.
   Simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

4. Season
   Add paprika toward the end of cooking to preserve its color and aroma. Adjust seasoning.

5. Thicken the Sauce
   Mix GUSTIN with cold water to form a smooth slurry.
   Stir into goulash and simmer briefly until sauce thickens to a silky consistency.

Serve hot.

Traditional Serving Suggestions

• Bread dumplings (Semmelknödel)
• Buttered egg noodles
• Rustic Alpine bread
• Austrian mustard on the side
  

For balance, serve with a simple vinegar-based potato salad dressed with:

• Gölles Apple Balsamic Vinegar
• Fandler Pumpkin Seed Oil

Finish the meal the Austrian way — with chocolate and coffee. Explore sweets from Manner, Pischinger, or Heindl in the Austrian collection.

Explore Austrian oils, vinegars, paprika, and baking essentials at Europeandeli.com and bring a taste of the Alps to your table.