Try these original Hungarian goulash recipes! Sauerkraut and cream never tasted better

These recipes for Szeged goulash are so delicious that you’ll be making them almost all the time!

Try our variants, with pork, beef or belly.

Which one will you taste first?

Traditional Hungarian goulash from Szeged

Soft pork pieces with sauerkraut sauce! We are talking about recipes for Szeged goulash, one of the traditional Hungarian goulash, which is also very popular in Czech cuisine.

What will we need

• 680 g pork shoulder
• 110 g of bacon
• 3 medium sized onions
• 280 g sauerkraut
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of lard
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet ground paprika
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 720 ml beef stock or water
• 180 g sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Method

• Dice the pork.
• Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and press the garlic clove. Cut the bacon into small cubes. Drain the sauerkraut (do not rinse!) and cut into pieces.
• Melt half of the lard in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add diced bacon and fry for about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Set the browned bacon aside.
• Put the rest of the lard in the same pot, sprinkle with ground cumin. Stir.
• Add the chopped onion and fry until golden, stirring constantly.
• Increase the heat, add the pork and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle with sweet ground paprika.
• Add crushed garlic. Fry for 1 minute.
• Add the flour and fry for another 1 minute. Mix well.
• Salt the base for Szeged goulash, cover with water or beef broth.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
• Only now add the fried bacon, sauerkraut and let it cook for another 30 minutes or until the pork is tender. Stir occasionally.
• As a final step, add the sour cream, but do not boil anymore.
• Add salt to taste and the Szeged goulash is ready!

Slow-cooked Szeged goulash with pork and beef

This Szeged goulash contains slow-simmered, juicy meat, onions and sauerkraut in a wonderfully rich broth with paprika. It is incredibly tasty!

What will we need

• 4 slices thick bacon (diced)
• 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1 large tomato (finely chopped)
• 680 g of pork (e.g. shoulder) and beef (defatted and diced)
• 4 tablespoons of good quality sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1.5 teaspoons of salt
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• a pinch of cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• water or beef broth
• 140 g of sauerkraut
• Sour cream to serve

Method

• Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven or slow cooker until done.
• Add onion and cook over medium-high heat until golden.
• Add the paprika and garlic and cook for another two minutes.
• Add the pork and beef and cook for a minute. Stir in the paprika and remove from the heat.
• Add remaining ingredients except sauerkraut and sour cream.
• Add just enough broth.
• Return to the stove and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes.
• Stir in sauerkraut, return to a boil, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Add salt to taste.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
• Serve with crusty bread, homemade Spätzle or cucumber salad.

Hungarian goulash with pork belly and potatoes

This recipe for Szeged goulash is slightly fatter, but no less delicious! Try its delicious taste.

What will we need

• 500 g of pork
• 500 g pork belly
• 180 g of bacon
• 400 g of onion
• 810 g of sauerkraut
• 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 2 cubes of vegetable broth
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 juniper berries
• 5 spoons of sour cream
• 300 g of potatoes
• 500-600 ml of water

Method

• Wash the meat and belly, dry with a paper towel and cut into cubes of about 2.5 cm.
• Peel the onion and cut into strips. Peel the garlic and cut it into cubes. Cut the bacon slices lengthwise and then into small pieces.
• Heat the oil in a pot, add the bacon and meat cubes and belly and fry them.
• Add the onion and garlic, stir and fry for about 5 minutes.
• Mix the tomato puree with the ingredients and add the water to the pot. Add vegetables on top, then add salt, sugar, paprika, cumin, bay leaves and juniper. Stir well, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Let the stew cook for 50 minutes. Check the meat from time to time and add evaporated water if necessary.
• Add sauerkraut and sour cream to the goulash, mix the ingredients well and let it cook for another 25 minutes.
• Peel the potatoes and grate them into the stew using a grater with fine holes.
• Cook for another two minutes, stirring constantly, and turn off the heat.
• Remove bay leaves and juniper and season to taste.
• Serve Szeged goulash with boiled potatoes or dumplings.

The history of Szeged goulash

Szekely goulash or Szeged goulash is a Hungarian goulash made from pork and sauerkraut. This dish is synonymous with Hungarian traditional cuisine.

Szekely goulash is a somewhat unusual dish that does not follow the basic rules of traditional goulash preparation. Unlike traditional goulash, its main ingredient is pork with the addition of sauerkraut and cream.

Traditionally, it is prepared in larger quantities, because it can be heated and with each heating it tastes even better.

However, the way it was created explains a lot. The place and time when it was created is also known for this dish. This happened in 1846 in the Komlo Garden restaurant in today’s Budapest.

According to legend, the origin of this dish and its name are attributed to József Székely. He was a 19th century district archivist, poet and writer. According to legend, Székely came to the restaurant with his friend, the famous Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi. But they came for a late lunch when they ran out of food and all the waiter could offer were leftover sauerkraut and pork stew.

The funny Székely mixed it into one dish and that’s how Székely stew was created.

Very quickly, many Budapest restaurants had this dish on the menu. It was first mentioned under this name in the True Hungarian Cookbook from 1899.

According to another interpretation, the name comes from the land of Székely, an area in central Romania. This area is mainly inhabited by Hungarians, who are called Székely or “Seklers”.

We know it as Szeged goulash and the name refers to the city of Szeged in southern Hungary, famous for growing red peppers.

Goulash is best served with bread and sour cream, and pairs well with a glass (or two) of red wine.