Beef Goulash with Paprika (Instant Pot Recipe)

Hungarian Goulash Recipe in the Instant Pot

There’s something undeniably comforting about a bowl of rich beef goulash with paprika. Warming, hearty and full of depth, this dish is a proper nod to classic Hungarian cooking – and it comes together beautifully in the Instant Pot.

This version was inspired by a short trip we took to Budapest, where we tried real Hungarian goulash served in a little food shack near Buda Castle. A simple bowl of beef, vegetables and paprika-spiced broth – and I’ve been chasing that flavour ever since.

 

Real Hungarian Goulash

My take on it uses the Instant Pot to cut down the cooking time while still giving you that tender, slow-cooked texture. I brown the beef separately, then let the pressure cooker do the hard work while I get on with everything else.

This isn’t the thick, tomato-heavy version you sometimes find elsewhere. A traditional Hungarian goulash is more of a soup-stew hybrid with a thin, paprika-rich broth. You want lean beef (I use chuck steak), classic root veg like carrot and celery, and of course, the paprika. That’s what gives this dish its signature colour and warmth.

 

If you can find proper Hungarian paprika, even better. Sweet or hot – it’s up to you. But don’t go overboard on your first go. You can always add more after, but it’s harder to fix if it gets too fiery.

It was lunchtime when we got there and the local goulash was something, of course, that we had to try.

This was one of the plates we ordered. It was absolutely fabulous. 

This recipe for Beef Goulash with Paprika is pretty close to what we ate that day, both in content and in taste.

In some countries, you may find goulash served with dumplings. And sometimes it is made with pork, venison, boar or even mutton. There are many varieties than you can imagine.

In some places, like the USA for example, they even put noodles in their goulash, which I suppose is yet another way to eat pasta.

Using the Instant Pot to make Hungarian Goulash

This recipe, however, is a traditional Hungarian beef Goulash, just like the one we ate at Buda castle. The only difference is that we used the Instant Pot to make it.

The advantage of the Instant Pot is that it saves cooking time, as normally this would take several hours to slow cook to get the meat as tender as it needs to be.  The pressure cooker part of the Instant Pot just speeds this up hugely.

The Instant Pot makes it easier all round. I did however use a separate wok to fry the beef. This meant I could prepare and throw all the other ingredients into the Instant Pot while I was browning the beef. Easy peasy.

What makes a good Goulash?

A good goulash is defined by the paprika you use, the cut of beef and the vegetables you include. I have used a simple piece of lean chuck steak with bell peppers, carrots, onion, celery and potatoes. 

This dish traditionally uses Hungarian Paprika to spice it up. But in Hungary, there are many types of paprika that vary in strength and taste, so what you choose defines your dish.

You can make this dish as spicy as you wish, depending on how much paprika, and what type of paprika you use. You may be limited in what you can purchase locally.

It may be difficult for you to find real Hungarian paprika, although outside Hungary often a ‘sweet’ Hungarian paprika is normally available.

I would say use whatever type of paprika you can get your hands on that will suit your taste profile.

But if you are not used to cooking with paprika, it is probably best to limit the amount of paprika you use during the cooking process. Then, if you taste the sauce after cooking and find it is not spicy enough, you can always add some more before serving up.

However, if it is already too spicy, it is difficult to change! You might then have to cool it down with some sour cream or crème fraîche. 

You can see from the photos that the sauce is quite thin. Do not worry, this is how it is meant to be. The potatoes will soak it up, and the bread is for what is left.

You may wish to serve the goulash with mashed potatoes instead. As always it is up to you! 

Finally, I hope you enjoy trying this recipe. If you do, please let me know how you get on in the comments section below!

This recipe’s brilliant for chilly nights and even better the next day. Serve it with crusty bread or mash – or just as it is, with a spoon and a satisfied grin.

Enjoy!

How do you make the perfect Hungarian Goulash?

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