Czech Goulash Potato Classic (Printable)

Savory beef slow-cooked in paprika sauce with crispy fried potatoes for a hearty meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Goulash

01 - 1.76 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
06 - 1 tsp caraway seeds
07 - 1 tsp marjoram
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 3 cups beef broth
12 - 1 bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
14 - 1 bay leaf

→ Potato Strips

15 - 4 large potatoes, peeled
16 - 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
17 - Salt, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook until golden, about 8 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, caraway seeds, and sweet Hungarian paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning the paprika.
03 - Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Mix in tomato paste, marjoram, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the meat and stir thoroughly to combine.
06 - Add diced bell pepper and pour in beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is tender and sauce thickens.
07 - While goulash simmers, cut peeled potatoes into thin matchsticks using a mandoline or sharp knife.
08 - Rinse potato strips in cold water, then pat dry thoroughly with a clean towel.
09 - Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F (180°C). Fry potato strips in batches until golden and crispy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
10 - Remove bay leaf from goulash, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot in bowls topped with crispy fried potato strips.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The crispy potato strips provide such a satisfying contrast to the tender, sauce-soaked beef that you'll find yourself reaching for one more bite.
  • Unlike lighter goulashes, this version builds an impossibly rich sauce through patient simmering, turning something simple into pure comfort.
02 -
  • The paprika must never burn, which means you add garlic and caraway simultaneously and cook the whole thing for barely a minute, stirring the whole time so nothing catches on the hot pot bottom.
  • The beef broth is where most people stumble; weak broth makes weak goulash, so taste it before it goes in and know what you're working with.
03 -
  • Buy the best paprika you can afford, ideally a tin from a Hungarian specialty shop, because this one ingredient sets the entire tone of the dish.
  • If you can't reach 180°C for the potatoes, use a cooking thermometer to nail it; guessing usually results in either greasy or burned strips.
Go back