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This easy Hungarian Goulash, a hearty beef stew, is the ultimate comfort food made even simpler with the convenience of a slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
With a Czech dad, I grew up eating many European comfort foods, especially goulash. This Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash brings me back to those nights when Dad cooked at home. It’s made with chunks of beef and bell peppers in a rich, paprika-infused broth, simmered for hours in the slow cooker until fork
tender. For more hearty stew recipes, try my Slow Cooker Beef Stew, Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon and Paprika Chicken Stew.
Why You’ll Love This Hungarian Goulash Recipe
- Convenient: Throw it in the slow cooker earlier in the day, so dinner is ready and waiting 6 hours later.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: It reheats and freezes well.
- Satisfying: This hearty Hungarian goulash is the best for a cozy family meal, especially on cold nights.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (if using GF flour), high-protein, dairy-free
If you make this slow cooker Hungarian goulash recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
Featured Comment
Oh, my goodness! I made this today, and both my husband and I LOVED it! (Better than the Hungarian Goulash we had in Budapest last year!) I had to order the paprika from Amazon, as none of our local stores had it, and I added a little more than it called for, but it is definitely the best I have ever had!
Hungarian Goulash Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this traditional Hungarian goulash recipe. The recipe card contains the exact measurements.
- Beef: The best cut of meat for goulash is beef chuck roast.
- Spices: Hot and sweet Hungarian paprika, onion and garlic powder, salt
- Aromatics: Sweet onion and garlic
- Flour thickens the stew.
- Red Bell Peppers bring a subtle sweetness and vibrant color.
- Liquid: The meat cooks in low-sodium beef broth and crushed tomatoes, making it tender and juicy.
- Caraway Seeds are essential for authentic Hungarian goulash. They add a warm, earthy note.
- Brown Sugar is optional, but use it if you prefer a sweeter dish.
- Bay Leaf for a subtle herbal flavor and depth
- Sour Cream: Add before serving for a creamier goulash.
How to Make Hungarian Goulash in the Slow Cooker
Browning the beef is worth dirtying an extra pan. It gives the meat a nice color and enhances its flavor. The printable instructions are on the recipe card below.
- Season the Beef with sweet paprika, hot paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. If you have any leftover spices, add them to the slow cooker with the tomatoes and broth.
- Brown the Beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer it to the crockpot.
- Add Everything to the Crock Pot: Stir the bell pepper, broth, crushed tomatoes, caraway, and brown sugar in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaf, cover, and cook on low 8 hours or high 4 to 6 hours.
- Serve the Goulash with sour cream and more caraway seeds, if desired.
Variations
- Bell Pepper: Substitute a yellow or orange bell pepper.
- Extra Veggies: Add potatoes and carrots to make it heartier.
- Gluten-free Goulash: Use GF flour.
- Segedin Goulash is a Czech/Slovakian stew which omits the potatoes and adds sauerkraut and sour cream. I have this slow cooker recipe in my Fast and Slow cookbook.
- Soup: Add more broth and noodles or potatoes and vegetables.
- Beef and Bean Goulash: Omit the caraway seeds and add a can of kidney beans.
- Meat: Use pork or veal in place of beef. Be sure it’s not lean, or it will be dry.
What is traditionally eaten with goulash?
- Carbs: Serve it with noodles, spatzle (egg noodles), dumplings, or mashed potatoes. Pierogis aren’t traditional but are also delicious.
- Extra Vegetables: Pair the goulash with roasted carrots, mushrooms, or an arugula salad.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Leftover goulash will last for 4 days in the fridge
- Freeze it in airtight containers for 3 months.
- Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat it in the microwave or a pot on the stove until warm.
More Beef Stew Recipes You’ll Love
- Beef Stew
- Beef Stew with Pumpkin
- Mexican Beef Stew
- Beef and Kabocha Squash Stew
- Crock Pot Carne Guisada
Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This easy Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash, a hearty beef stew, is the ultimate comfort food made even simpler with the convenience of a crockpot.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 3 /4 cup (generous)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons flour, all purpose or gluten-free
- 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1 cup crushed tomato
- 1 teaspoon caraway seed, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, optional
- 1 dry bay leaf
- Sour cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Toss beef with sweet paprika, hot paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Brown the beef on all sides in two batches. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Add onion, garlic and flour to the pan the beef was cooked in; cook until aromatic, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add bell pepper, beef broth, crushed tomato, caraway seed & brown sugar, if using to the slow cooker. Stir. Add bay leaf, cover and cook low 8 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Serve with sour cream and a sprinkling of caraway seeds, if desired.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
- Any spices left in the bowl from the beef can/should be added to the slow cooker.
- Vegetables like carrot & potato can be added to the stew & still be authentic.
Nutrition
Serving: 3 /4 cup (generous), Calories: 406 kcal, Carbohydrates: 22 g, Protein: 51.5 g, Fat: 13.5 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 168 mg, Sodium: 657 mg, Fiber: 5.5 g, Sugar: 9 g
Thank you for the recipe! It’s wonderful. I make it on the repeat.
It was good but I had hamburger meat instead of chuck roast. I am sure it would have rocked then even more. Thanks
What size crock is appropriate for this recipe – a 3.5-4 Qt or a 6-8 Qt?
I use a 6 quart.
Has anyone made this with chicken breast?
I plan to make this soon
How is it 1 point on WW?
The brown sugar and flour make it 1 point. Lean beef is zero. Lots of food that had points no longer do on WW.
Great Hungarian Goulash. My husband and I loved it. Having the two different paprikas added to the depth of flavor.
This was delicious! Everyone in the family enjoyed this, and we will be adding this to the list to make again. After cooking I removed the beef chunks and shredded them, then stirred them back into the pot before serving.
I realized half-way through my work day that we had forgotten to prep this and start the crockpot before leaving the house (oops!), so I used my pressure cooker and it turned out great! I followed the recipe as written, seared the meat and sautéed the veggies right in the pot, then set it for a 35 minute cook and let it fully natural release. You may want a little more time depending on the size of your beef chunks, but mine shredded nicely with that cook time.
This was delightful, and my husband ate 2 giant helpings. I can’t have spice right now so left out the “hot” paprika. For convenience sake, I just dumped in about 2c of egg noodles about 30 mins before serving, and it made for an excellent one-pot dish. Will definitely make again this winter!
Perfect!
I have made this several times now, using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of beef. Do yourself a favor and order both hot and sweet paprikas on Amazon, totally worth it. The flavors are delicious. It’s a keeper!
Very nice
I’ve made this a couple of times, and it is a family favorite. I’ve always served it over noodles. I just saw in the notes that adding carrot & potatoes is another option. I’m wondering when to add those.
This was excellent! I changed it slightly: half the meat, no sugar or caraway seeds, but 3 added carrots and 1 can crushed tomatoes. I also cooked it on the stove for 2 hours instead of the slow cooker and it turned out amazing. The flavors are rich and slightly fruity, I loved it and will make it again. Thank you for this great recipe!
The whole family loved this recipe. I only have one kind of paprika in the house that says “paprika,” so I used 2.5 teaspoons of that and added some red pepper flakes. I also left out the red peppers because I didn’t have any in the house. I’m sure it’s better with the red peppers, but don’t let that hold you back if you, too, have all ingredients on hand except for the peppers. It’ll still be delicious!
Good idea on the spices!
I used 2 teaspoons of regular old Paprika then about half a teaspoon of chili powder for a little heat. Turned out great.
This was sooo good! Something a little different and it feels a touch lighter than a standard meat stew. I added some red wine (used it to deglaze the pot after searing everything and then poured it into the crock pot). Next time I’ll increase the amount of spices and salt from the get-go – I ended up adding more to taste as it cooked. I love the sour cream on top to serve it. Thanks Gina!
Really tasty. I was worried about the hot paprika for my husband so lessened it and increased sweet paprika. It was not necessary but still very tasty.
This was excellent as written! For anyone having trouble finding hot paprika, Penzey’s (store and mail order) has a Hungarian Half Sharp Paprika that I subbed for it, along with their regular Hungarian Paprika and the flavor was delish. I served it over Jovial Gluten Free Egg Noodles … husband said, “You can make this anytime!” We did put a dollop of sour cream on it, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Spice House is awesome. I recommend them as well.
Really good recipe. Rich sauce but a bit spicy due to the hot paprika. I’ll cut back next time. Also, didn’t use the crockpot but stove top Dutch oven simmering about 90 minutes. Thank you for the recipe!
This may be a silly question, but do you think it could be made with chicken thighs?
Sure, why not? Flavour & texture will be a bit different
So delicious! Used 3 lb roast to allow for leftovers. Left out caraway seeds and served over egg noodles. Served over mashed potatoes as leftover. Used a corn starch slurry to thicken as well. Couldn’t find sweet paprika so used regular and hot. I’ve shared this recipe with everyone, family and friends. Absolutely loved it!
So glad!
Delicious. Not too heavy. Served it over egg noodles and it was perfect. Easy to make. Our new favorite.
I made it in my instant pot (45 minutes with quick release) and it came out awesome! I did add a corn starch slurry afterwards to thicken the sauce. I didn’t have coriander, so I used a teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice because it has a similar flavor. I will definitely make this again.
Thank you Gina, this was so good! It was a big hit with both of us-we both ate too much. I would more stars if I could! I made the recipe as written except I didn’t have hot paprika so I used a bit extra sweet paprika and added some cayenne. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
We loved this so much that it went very quickly in my house. If I double this recipe will I need a longer cook time?
First, thank you for all you do to create these amazing recipes!
We were stationed in GE and miss the Goulash from Austria.
This recipe is exactly what we were looking for!!
I added a few tbsp tomato paste and a corn starch slurry to thicken. Thank you again for always hitting a home run!!
I made this a week ago and that’s all my family can talk about; it was fantastic. I’ll double it next time for sure.
I Made this goulash yesterday and loved it! I didn’t have hot paprika so I added a bit of cayenne instead. I also added sliced mushrooms & carrots and both were a good addition. Next time I make this, I’ll try it with chicken thighs. Thanks for another great slow cooker recipe!
I made this yesterday and loved it. I didn’t have hot paprika, so I used a bit of cayenne instead. I also added sliced mushrooms & carrots. Next time, I’ll try this with chicken thighs. Thanks for another great slow cooker recipe!
I can’t understand how this could only be 4 servings with 2lbs of chuck roasted and only 400 calories. That’s just not possible. Each serving is a half pound of chuck roast?
That’s precooked weight. Since beef shrinks down with cooking, I’d assume it would be much less.
I trimmed ours before adding it to the crockpot. There was a decent amount of fat on the chuck roast.
Can you make this with ground beef? I don’t have the beef on hand but I have all the other ingredients
I made this goulash the other night and it is the epitome of comfort food. Even my wife loved it which is no small feat! The only change I made to the recipe is towards the end test it with buttered bread when no one’s looking!
This recipe is so comforting and simple to make! For all of you hunters out there, I’ve used this recipe with moose meat and it’s fantastic and leaves the lean meat tender and doesn’t dry it out! Also, the acidity of the tomato really counteracts any gamey flavor in the meat! so good! I followed the recipe other than sprinkling the spices(not the salt) on the meat the night before.
For anyone saying it was bland, definitely check on the quality of your spices! Caraway seeds aren’t in many recipes so if yours has been on the shelf a while you can liven it up by toasting and then crushing the seeds for better flavor.
Thank you for this. I’m going to try it with a bear roast
I can’t give a rating yet, as I am making this today. It’s about halfway through the slow cooker process, and it’s really soupy. Does it thicken up at all? How can I make it thicker. This will run right through the noodles.
If you used flour, yes it will thicken.
This was a delicious meal! I made it exactly as written. Wonderful! Thank you
Ordered the sweet and hot paprikas in amazon and made this today, using chicken thighs instead of beef. it was absolutely delicious!
Can this be made in the instant pot?
Sure I would cook it 50 to 60 min.
50-60 minutes on high pressure?
I want to make this tomorrow after work lol!
This one didn’t do it for me 🙁
Warm? Yes. Comforting? Yes. But for some reason the flavor seemed distant, which surprised me after all the seasonings I added. That said, it may be personal preference since my partner eagerly had seconds. Served over 1 oz. egg noodles per person (dry weight before cooking).
I loved this one so much I can’t wait to make it again! But everyone’s different. Did you use Hungarian paprika?
Delicious, will definitely keep this in rotation! Added a couple potatoes and carrots as suggested.
Oh, my goodness! I made this today, and both my husband and I LOVED it! (Better than the Hungarian Goulash we had in Budapest last year!) I had to order the paprika from Amazon, as none of our local stores had it, and I added a little more than it called for, but it is definitely the best I have ever had!
So glad!!
My picky eater loved this and told me to put it in our regular rotation of meals. My mother-in-law brought back paprika from her trip to Hungary and this was the perfect recipe for this special ingredient. I used the leftovers over a leftover baked potato for lunch.
Great!
I followed this exactly and it was delicious! I had mashed potatoes on hand and served it over them. I would definitely serve over noodles next time as the sauce was amazing. I have never had goulash before and I will absolutely make this again.
So delicious! I grew up on this as well. I added potatoes (would also add carrots next time) and served over egg noodles. Only thing I would change is maybe a little less hot paprika- but I am sensitive to spice. Rest of family liked the extra heat.
Our house smelled amazing all day while this was in the slow cooker. Super easy to make and the whole family loved it👌🏼
Delicious
What book is this in?
Its not
This was so good! My family really enjoyed this… something a little different. My only change was substituting 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne for the hot paprika with a dash of sugar. I couldn’t find this spice in our local grocery. It had a definite zing but not overly hot. Next time I plan on adding a few carrots and potatoes. Thank you for a great recipe!
Is “hot paprika” regular paprika? Any substitutions? Thanks Gina!
Can this be made with chicken?
I would use thighs
Is the number in the blue to the left of the recipe title the WW points? When I click on WW points, it takes me to sign into my account, which then tells me to go to the app instead of giving me the points. Apparently WW has abandoned supporting their web site on a laptop. Or I’m doing something wrong.
yes those are the points and WW only allows you to do this from your phone logged into your app.
When I clicked it on, one serving in 1 point.
Cindy, I had the same trouble. But what I found out is if you are looking at the recipe on FB or probably other social media, when you click on the “WW” points, it will take you to the sign-in page, and then basically do nothing after that. You have to go to the SkinnyTaste website (not from FB) and look for the specific recipe. If you are on her website and click on the WW points tab, it will automatically transfer the recipe and points to your WW app.
Wow. This is so so good ! My family doesn’t eat beef. I subbed pork for the beef and vegetable broth for beef broth. Still good and super easy to make. My husband said you can make this again. It’s excellent. Definitely a keeper…
This looks delicious, and so authentic, I know I would love this. It’s such a bonus to be able to cook it in the slow cooker. Best wishes, Pauline (Happy Retirees Kitchen)
Dear Gina, love your recipes, however as a Hungarian I must point out that this is not a Hungarian goulash. Goulash is a soup, never on the thick side, made with potatoes, carrots and parsley root, which all are a must. It would be more accurate to call this lovely recipe an inspiration of Hungarian goulash.
Dear Gina, love your recipes, however, as I am Hungarian, I must point out that this recipe is NOT Hungarian goulash, since goulash is a soup. It is never eaten with pasta, because it is not a stew, but potato is cooked in. It is still an excellent recipe, just not a goulash.
My grandmother made an amazing beef goulash I wish I had her recipe. If I want to adjust this to an instant pot recipe how can I do that? I found a few recipes on other sites but would love to give yours a try.
My Czech dad always made Goulash, we always had it with noodles!
But he is Czech : ) and this is pörkölt, not goulash. Your recipe is still excellent but the name is not accurate and it leads to complete misunderstanding of the Hungarian culinary culture.
What is the flour used for, I don’t see any instructions for the flour
Look at Step 3 of the recipe.
See step 3.
Sounds wonderful to have a meal waiting for us at the end of a work day!
Can I use chopped up carrots instead of peppers?
You can.
Great looking recipe! I need sweet paprika, but I’ll make this Thursday. I’m planning on having it on noodles.
Thank you
As a former meateater, i’d like that my vege version, with piece of marinated and drained soy and vege broth, tastes as much as original. Any suggestion? Perhaps adding some mustard or something else?