Beef Goulash with Noodles
The first time I made this, I dumped all the beef into the pot at once. Big mistake. It turned gray, sat in its own juices, and the sauce never got that deep brick color. Now I brown it in three batches, even when I’m tired and the kitchen’s already a mess, because the dark bits stuck to the pot are most of the flavor here.
I also wait on the red peppers. They go in for the last 15 minutes only, so they keep their shape and a little bite instead of melting into the sauce. Honestly, that one change made it look like a different dish. We eat it over spiral pasta with a handful of scallions on top.
Beef goulash with noodles is the sort of German home cooking that asks for a Dutch oven and an afternoon. The chuck simmers in smoky paprika and red wine until a fork slides right through it. Better on day two, honestly. It keeps 4 days in the fridge, so I cook the whole pot and boil fresh pasta for each meal.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then toss it with the flour in a large bowl until lightly coated.2 1/4 lb beef chuck, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the beef in three batches, about 5 minutes per batch, turning the cubes until they're dark on at least two sides. Move each batch to a plate.3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions to the fat left in the pot. Cook for about 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.2 large yellow onions, 3 cloves garlic
- Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the black pepper, then stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the paprika doesn't scorch.1 tbsp sweet paprika, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 5 tbsp tomato paste
- Pour in the wine and broth and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender.1 cup dry red wine, 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- Stir in the bell peppers and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until they're tender but still bright red and the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta at the same time.3 red bell peppers
- When the water boils, add the 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook according to the package directions until al dente, then drain in a colander.1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 1/4 lb spiral pasta
- Divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls, spoon the goulash over the center, and scatter the scallions on top.4 scallions
Nutrition
Notes
Swap the red wine for the same amount of beef broth if you'd rather cook without alcohol. The goulash freezes for up to 3 months without the pasta.
You might also like our Authentic French Beef Bourguignon.
browned it in 3 batches like you said and the bottom of the pot went really dark, i was scared it burned but the wine lifted it all off. used rotini and it worked fine
good flavor. sauce was a little loose for us so i left the lid off 5 more min. my kids eat around the peppers but thats on them