Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

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Easy Slow Cooker Beef Goulash is packed with chunks of tender beef and plenty of peppers. Transformed by a rich tomato and smoky paprika sauce, it’s the perfect beef stew for a cold winter’s day.

This my take on a Hungarian goulash. I’ve added tomatoes and red bell peppers to the traditional ingredients of meat, onions and paprika.

As well as being one of my favourite ingredients, red peppers make the stew go a little further. The tomato passata adds an extra richness and makes for a lovely thick stew.

I use a mix of paprika and smoked paprika but if smoked is not available, substitute it with paprika. Regular readers may recall we love a bit of heat so I’ve used one tablespoon of smoked paprika. If you’re not so keen on spicy heat, use half a tablespoon instead. Smoked paprika really is worth using because it delivers an extra depth of flavour with a smokey finish.

I love using the slow cooker for hearty, warming stews on chilly days. Ideal for a beef goulash, the long, slow cooking produces melt in your mouth beef and a rich smokey sauce.

I like to add the peppers once the meat is soft and tender. This way, the peppers keep their shape and texture much better. That said, if you’ll be pushed for time at the end of the cooking, include the peppers at the beginning.

For me, I find if the peppers are stirred in when I get home, the timing is just right. It means I’ve time for a cuppa and getting the rest of the meal ready. Serve with noodles and a dollop of sour cream. Or maybe try a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes or rice ?

What Ingredients Do I Need ?

Beef – I’ve used brisket seasoned with salt and pepper and dredged with flour but you don’t have to use brisket. Alternatively, chuck steak or beef labelled as stewing or braising transforms into tender chunks of fall apart meat too.

Paprika – I’ve used regular paprika and smoked paprika which work together for a real depth of flavour to the goulash. If you can’t get hold of smoked paprika, substitute it with paprika.

Onions and garlic – I’ve used large brown onions.

Passata – adds richness and keeps the sauce nice and thick.

Tomato puree and beef stock – adds more flavour to the sauce.

Red bell peppers – a deviation from a traditional goulash but I love the texture contrast.

A little cider vinegar – added towards the end of cooking will balance the acid in the tomatoes.

How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

Full recipe details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Brisket chunks are tossed in a seasoned paprika flour mix and browned. The lovely pieces of paprika crusted beef cook with the sauce to deliver a wonderful flavour. This flavour is much deeper than if you simply added paprika to the passata and stock.

Softened onions and garlic are added to the slow cooker along with the beef, a bay leaf, stock and passata. Everything is then left to cook on low for six to eight hours.

Peppers are added once the meat is soft and tender. The peppers keep their shape and texture much better this way. If you know you’ll be pushed for time, include the peppers with all the other ingredients at the beginning.

How To Serve

Serve with sour cream or yogurt
Noodles
Pasta
Rice
Or Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Can I Cook It In The Oven ?

Yes, you can! But you will need more stock and passata. This is because liquid evaporates more in an oven than in a slow cooker. For oven cooking use 600ml passata and 250 ml beef stock.
Cook in a cast iron casserole or flameproof casserole and cook at 160C for 3 hours. Add peppers and cider vinegar before cooking for a further 30 minutes.

Can I Use Other Meat Instead ?

Yes. The goulash sauce in this recipe makes a delicious chicken, pork or lamb goulash.

Slow Cooker Chicken Goulash

You can use chicken breast or boneless thighs cut into chunks.
Follow the recipe substituting chicken for beef and cook on low for four hours or two hours on high. Add the peppers at the beginning of the recipe.

Slow Cooker Lamb Goulash

Use the cut you would use in a stew, such as middle neck/neck or boned and diced shoulder.
Substitute lamb for beef and follow the recipe as directed, cooking times are the same as for beef.

Slow Cooker Pork Goulash

Use the cut you would use in a stew such as tenderloin, leg, chump end or diced shoulder.
Substitute pork for beef and follow the recipe as directed, cooking times are the same as for beef.

Can Slow Cooker Beef Goulash Be Reheated ?

Yes. Once cooled the stew can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a pan on the stovetop for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Cook the goulash, then cool, cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stovetop for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

More Hearty Slow Cooker Meals……

• Beef Madras
• Lamb Shanks
• Vegetable and Bean Stew with a herby breadcrumb topping

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I’m entering Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Goulash into a couple of food challenges this month:

• Corina’s Cook Once Eat Twice over at Searching For Spice.
• The Slow Cooked Challenge co hosted by Janice over at Farmersgirl Kitchen and Lucy over at Baking Queen 74, hosted this month by Lucy.