Hearty Czech Goulash Potato (Printable Version)

Tender beef in paprika sauce served with crispy fried potato strips for a hearty, flavorful dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Goulash

01 - 1.76 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
06 - 1 tsp caraway seeds
07 - 1 tsp marjoram
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 3.17 cups beef broth
12 - 1 bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
14 - 1 bay leaf

→ Potato Strips

15 - 4 large potatoes, peeled
16 - 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
17 - Salt, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, caraway seeds, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Add beef cubes to the pot and brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, marjoram, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the meat and stir thoroughly to combine.
06 - Add diced bell pepper and pour in the beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes until beef is very tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
07 - While goulash simmers, cut peeled potatoes into thin matchsticks using a mandoline or sharp knife.
08 - Rinse potato strips in cold water thoroughly, then pat dry with a clean towel.
09 - Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F. Fry potato strips in batches until golden and crispy, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
10 - Remove bay leaf from goulash. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.
11 - Ladle hot goulash into bowls and top with crispy fried potato strips.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The goulash becomes silkier and more complex the longer it simmers, rewarding patience with deep, almost wine-like flavors.
  • Those crispy potato strips provide an addictive textural contrast that makes every spoonful feel like a small celebration.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to set in front of guests without apology.
02 -
  • If you rush the simmering time or crank the heat too high, the beef never becomes truly tender and the sauce stays thin and watery instead of rich and coating.
  • Paprika burns easily and bitterness is almost impossible to fix, so add it only to hot oil and stir immediately to prevent the taste from turning acrid.
  • Potato strips must be dried completely after rinsing, or the water content will cause dangerous oil sputtering and prevent them from crisping properly.
03 -
  • Make the goulash a day or two ahead—the flavors deepen overnight and reheating gives you back time on the day you want to serve it.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after the goulash finishes cooking, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with cold water into a slurry and stir it in over medium heat for a minute, then taste before adding more.
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