Best Slow Cooker Beef Goulash Recipe

Name: The BEST Slow Cooker Beef Goulash Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 kg Beef; 2 tbsp Flour; 3 tbsp Cooking oil; 1/2 cup Onion (chopped); 3 cloves Garlic (sliced); 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 cup Stock; 1 cup Water; 2 Bay leaves; 1/8 tsp Cloves powder (or two cloves); 1/2 tsp Pepper powder (or 10 corns); 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds; 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary; 1/4 tsp Dried thyme

January 26, 2018 *Updated* December 19, 2019 By Veena Azmanov 42 Comments

Recipe Video Print

Best Slow Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash (video recipe)

This slow-cooker beef goulash is a thick stew with fork-tender meat flavored with garlic, cloves, and tomato before slow cooking for hours. Perfect comfort food for cold winter days. Traditionally served with noodles but goes equally well with mashed potatoes or steamed rice.

This slow-cooked beef goulash is a simple, easy and effortless recipe that produces fork tender, melt in the mouth meat that's richly flavored with garlic, cloves and caraway before slow cooking for hours. Traditionally served with noodles but goes equally well with mashed potatoes or steamed rice. — The BEST Slow-Cooker Beef Goulash Recipe – Hungarian Beef and Vegetable Stew

Beef goulash is originally a Hungarian beef and vegetable stew slow-cooked by herdsmen aka Hungarian Shepherds. The word goulash is derived from the Hungarian word guliyas which means herdsmen. Over the year the dish has come to be known as Gulash meat.

Slow cooking was very common back in the olden days when workers who worked hours outside the house either in the fields or with their cattle had not to time to come back and cook. Before they left home they’d put food on a safe fire to slow cook for hours so when they got back they would have something to eat.

Personally, I love slow-cooked meats over anything roast or fried. Meat falling off the bones, soaking up all those exotic spices and juices. How can you not like such melt in the mouth meat?

While the original dish is a stew with meat and veggies, today I have skipped the veggies and made a thick Beef Goulash with only melt in the mouth meat. This is how I like my goulash.. thick sauce with loaded with meat flavors. Don’t get me wrong you can add veggies too!

Table Of Contents

About this Slow Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)
Useful Tips and Tools
How to Make the BEST Slow Cooker Beef Goulash (Save/Pin)
Don’t have a slow cooker?
10 Tips when using the slow cooker or crockpot
Frequently asked questions
More slow-cooked recipes

About this Slow Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash

You don’t have to be a fan of Hungarian food to appreciate this slow-cooked beef goulash. I have made it in a slow cooker today but have been making it for years on the stovetop in a Dutch oven.

The recipe is simple and easy with most ingredients we usually have in the pantry. The prep time is very minimum while the cooking time can take hours. The best thing about cooking for hours in a slow-cooker is that you get fork-tender meat that just melts in your mouth. But most importantly you can leave it unattended which is perfect busy days.

The beef is very delicately spiced with some garlic, cloves, caraway, rosemary, thyme and balsamic. However, when combined together these spices make a wonderful dish packed with flavor.

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

Beef – I like to use lamb shoulder meat that works great for slow cooking but if you ask the butcher he will give you good meat that does really well for slow cooking and it is not necessarily expensive.
Flour – This helps not just sear the meat but also as a sauce thicker. BUT if you want to keep it gluten-free? Just substitute the flour with cornstarch. It will help sear the meat as well as thicken the sauce.
Spices – today I am using cloves, caraway seeds. and rosemary as my main flavors but if you prefer you can omit any of these. I love the depth of flavor the beef gets from the cloves and caraway seeds.
Balsamic Vinegar – This isn’t just any vinegar! It gives a very special flavor and color to the beef goulash that matures even more with slow cooking. While I do think you should stick to balsamic vinegar if you must substitute I’d rather you use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon.
Stock – Beef is full of flavor so adding stock only adds more depth of flavor. You can use any stock chicken, beef or vegetables. If you want you can even add water instead of stock.

Useful Tips and Tools

In the interest of good hygiene, it is a good practice to always use separate chopping boards one for the veggies and a separate one for the meat.
A Chef’s knife does a great job of cutting meats, while the utility knife works best for the veggies.
A heavy bottom saute-pan or cast-iron skillet to saute the veggies.
Slow cooker or Crock-Pots are easily available these days and quite affordable too. They make meal planning so much easier than last-minute stress of what’s for dinner? If possible choose one that has the option to saute in there so you can do everything in one pot including browning the meat. My only regret is that I can’t brown the meats or saute the onions in the same pot. By the way, the Instant Pot has a slow cooker option too and I’m pretty excited that I will be able to use it for slow cooking too.
If you don’t have a slow cooker a good quality Dutch oven does a great job of slow cooking on the stovetop.
If you plan to cook it on the stovetop, but don’t have a Dutch oven use a heavy bottom skillet that will endure the long slow cooking. You can also use a heat tamer or heat diffuser that you can place under the pan to distribute the heat evenly.
I like to use my wooden spatula to cook so I do not damage the surface of my pans.
If you following a recipe it’s best to use measure cups and spoons for accuracy.
Read – 10 essential pots and pan to help you cook better.

How to Make the BEST Slow Cooker Beef Goulash (Save/Pin)

Prepare

Cut beef into large bit size pieces.
Season with salt and pepper
Then add flour and toss well to coat.
Chop onions fairly small
Mince garlic fine
If using whole spices crush them with a mortar and pestle – set aside.

Pan Saute’

Heat 2 tbsp oil to a saute pan
Sear the floured beef pieces on all sides. – Lay them in a single layer, turning only when needed letting them get a bit of color.
Remove seared beef from the pan – keep warm.
In the same saute pan add the remaining oil and saute onions and garlic.
Cook for 2 minutes – remove and set aside
Deglaze the pan with the water removing any caramelized onions and beef residue
Add, sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar – cook another minute
Remove from heat.

Set slow cooker

Into the slow cooker – Add meat
Followed by onion and garlic mixture.
Ground spices
De-glazed pan mixture
Stock
Bay leaves
Season with salt and pepper.
Use a spatula to ensure the meat is well tucked into the liquid
Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours OR
Set the slow cooker on high for 4 hours.
I prefer to set it on high for 2 hours then on low for 4 hours.
Beef goulash is traditionally served with Noodles but I love to have it with mashed potatoes or even steamed rice..
Enjoy!

Don’t have a slow cooker?

Of course, you can make this Beef Goulash even if you don’t have a slow cooker!! I did it for years before I got mine. All you do is use a heavy bottom casserole pan or Dutch oven instead of a saute pan and follow the same process

Season the beef pieces with salt, pepper, and flour
In a heavy bottom pan (or dutch oven) sear the meat on all sides with the oil on high heat. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan saute the onions and garlic.
Add all the rest of the ingredients followed by the beef.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let the whole thing come to a boil.
Then lower the heat to a slow simmer.
Continue to simmer covered on low for 2 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
Enjoy!

10 Tips when using the slow cooker or crockpot

Plan your slow cooker recipe ahead of time so you choose the right meat as well as time for cooking.
Use the right size slow-cooker for the quantity of meat on hand.
Never overfill the slow cooker – leave enough space for the meat to release its juices without overspilling.
Low slow-cooking overnight works great for red meat and tough meat cuts – while short slow–cooking works best of chicken and fish.
Use cheap cuts for the slow-cooker and save expensive meats for stovetop or delicate cooking.
When choosing meat for the slow-cooker or crockpot, use cuts like beef brisket, lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, leg of lamb, chicken thighs.
You don’t need much fat when slow cooking so trim off as much fat as you can before slow cooking.
Use less liquid in the slow-cooker or crockpot because the liquid in the slow-cooker does not evaporate.
Use starch or slurry towards the end of slow-cooking so it won’t settle at the bottom of the crockpot. This can also ruin the cooker.
Leave the slow cooker alone – no peeking. Avoid opening the slow-cooker or crockpot during the cooking time because it will release heat and you will need to increase cooking time.

Frequently asked questions

how long with this beef goulash keep?

This slow cooker beef goulash will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. It can also be frozen for up to a month.

What kind of stock should I use for this slow cooker goulash?

You can use vegetable, chicken or beef stock instead of beer.

Can I throw the excess liquid out of this crock pot lamb?

No, the liquid in the recipes is very delicious and can be drunk like a soup. I love to serve a crusty baguette so we can soak up all the juices when eating a slow-cooked recipe.

How can I reduce the liquid in this slow-cooker goulash?

While we do need liquid to cook the meat, the excess liquid does not evaporate when slow-cooking. You can serve the extra liquid like soup, with bread or rice. Alternatively,
Remove the meat from the slow cooker and transfer the liquid in a saucepan. Reduce it over medium heat on the stovetop until it’s a thicker consistency. Then add the meat back to the liquid.

Can I use lamb instead of beef for this slow cooker beef goulash recipe?

Yes, actually, lamb and pork would work just as well instead of beef for this slow cooker recipe.

What can I substitute for the Worcestershire sauce in this crock pot beef goulash?

Worcestershire sauce will give you an authentic flavor but if you must you can use soy sauce instead.

Can I use regular vinegar instead of balsamic in this slow cooker beef goulash recipe?

Balsamic isn’t just any vinegar! It gives a very special flavor and color to the beef goulash that matures even more with slow cooking. While I do think you should stick to balsamic vinegar if you must substitute I’d rather you use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon.

What do you serve with this slow cooker beef goulash recipe?

Traditionally, beef goulash is served with cooked pasta such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or penne.

Today, I have served it with my kids’ favorite mashed potato. When I’m on a low carb mood I usually serve it with cauliflower rice. This recipe is versatile and goes well with couscous as well as creamy polenta.

You can, of course, serve veggies on the side such as garlic sesame asparagus, parmesan asparagus, sesame green beans, cheesy baked eggplant slices, lemon rosemary potatoes, roasted dill potatoes,

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The BEST Slow Cooker Beef Goulash Recipe

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 6 hrs

Total Time: 6 hrs 10 mins

Calories: 180kcal

$25

Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings

Description

This slow cooked beef goulash is a simple, easy and effortless recipe that produces fork tender, melt in the mouth meat that’s richly flavored with garlic, cloves and caraway before slow cooking for hours. Traditionally served with noodles but goes equally well with mashed potatoes or steamed rice.

Equipment /Tools

Ingredients

1 kg (2.2 lb) Beef
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Flour
3 tbsp (3 tbsp) Cooking oil
1/2 cup (2.82 oz) Onion chopped
3 cloves (3 cloves) Garlic sliced
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp (3 tbsp) Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Tomato paste
1 cup (7.95 floz) Stock
1 cup (8.45 floz) Water
2 (2 ) Bay leaves

Spices

1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) Cloves powder or two cloves
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Pepper powder or 10 corns
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Caraway seeds
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Dried rosemary
1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) Dried thyme

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE – 8 servings