Ohhh, Hungarian Cabbage Goulash—comfort food at its finest 🇭🇺🥬
Hearty, cozy, slightly sweet from the cabbage, and rich with paprika. Here’s a traditional-style version, plus a couple of easy variations.
🇭🇺 Hungarian Cabbage Goulash (Káposztás Gulyás)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lard or oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (key ingredient!)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional but traditional)
- 1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder or beef, cubed
- 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
- 1 tomato, chopped (or ½ cup canned tomatoes)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 3–4 cups water or broth
- Optional: 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Sauté the onion
Heat fat in a large pot. Cook onion slowly until soft and golden. - Add paprika (important!)
Remove pot from heat, stir in paprika quickly so it doesn’t burn. - Brown the meat
Add meat, garlic, salt, pepper, and caraway. Return to heat and brown lightly. - Add vegetables
Stir in cabbage, tomato, bell pepper, and bay leaf. - Simmer gently
Add enough water/broth to barely cover. Cover and simmer on low 60–90 minutes, until meat is tender and cabbage melts into the sauce. - Adjust seasoning
Taste and adjust salt and paprika if needed.
🍽️ How Hungarians Serve It
- With fresh bread or dumplings (nokedli)
- A dollop of sour cream on top
- Pickles or hot peppers on the side
🔁 Variations
- No-meat version: Skip meat, add potatoes or mushrooms
- Smoky: Add smoked paprika or smoked sausage
- Szeged-style: Stir in ½ cup sour cream at the end (creamy + tangy)
💡 Pro tip
Real Hungarian flavor comes from:
- High-quality Hungarian paprika
- Slow cooking
- Not over-thickening (this is a stew, not soup)
If you want, I can also share:
- 🥟 What to serve with Hungarian goulash
- 🇭🇺 Difference between goulash, pörkölt, and paprikás
- 🥬 Cabbage dishes from Eastern Europe
Just tell me 😊
