Traditional Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)

Bringing home the best of Hungary

We are delighted to welcome guest contributor Nelli from the award-winning Nellicious Travels to Wanderers Compass. We met Nelli in Budapest, Hungary, in the summer of 2022. During our last couple of trips, we started booking food tours on our first full day in a new destination. Finding a local guide who is passionate about food and the place they live is key. Our extensive research led us to Nelli, and what a find!

Food is an intricate part of a culture and provides a gateway to immersing ourselves in that culture. We need to become open to experiencing new cuisines, especially when traveling abroad. People often speak through their food. We make a habit of seeking out and learning local food traditions. Food tours are an incredible way to introduce ourselves to the foods and places we would not likely discover while learning about the history and traditions surrounding food. That was indeed the case with our private tour with Nelli.

Our Budapest Food Tour with Nelli

Nelli is a wealth of knowledge and is passionate about her homeland. Having lived in multiple countries during her lifetime, she came home to rediscover her roots and embrace the incredible cuisine it offers. In the process, she launched her own company, Nellicious Travels. It is where passionate foodies who love to eat and travel take you on an adventure to discover Hungary’s tasty dishes and drinks in places where they know you will have a quality experience. Along the way, you get an excellent introduction to Budapest, learn some Hungarian history, and walk away with great tips for making the most of your visit, such as where to dine and off-the-beaten-path sites to see.

During our time with Nelli, we connected with her right away. A bit into the tour, we mentioned we have a travel blog (we had to explain why we were taking so many pictures). By the end of our tour, we were so impressed we asked her if she would share her vast knowledge of Budapest and Hungarian cuisine with our readers. You can imagine how excited we were when she agreed to collaborate with us.

The first dish we tasted on our tour was traditional Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás). It was nothing like any goulash we had ever tried before. The flavors were incredible! As part of her business, Nelli teaches in-person and online cooking classes. We asked if she would share a recipe with us. Nelli kindly shared her authentic Goulash (Gulyás) recipe with the Wanderers Compass travel community, and we are so grateful. You will be blown away. Simple ingredients made into a soup that will wow you.

Are you planning a trip to Budapest? In addition to private food tours, Nelli offers sightseeing, wine tasting, and Danube boat tours. Check out her website, Nellicious Travels, for more information.

Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás): Is it a soup or a stew?

When Hungarians say Goulash (Gulyás), they mean soup. Soup is loved in Hungary, and Nelli grew up having three-course meals for lunch: soup, a main dish, and dessert or fruit. Of course, the portions used to be smaller in those days.

Pörkölt (beef stew) is one of the most popular traditional Hungarian foods, along with Goulash (Gulyás). You should taste both while in Hungary. The stew they eat is mainly served with “nokedli,” i.e., spaetzle or noodles; some call it small dumplings or just hand-made pasta in different shapes and sizes.

Another essential part of most meals in Hungary is pickled vegetables or a good cucumber salad with sour cream. You can find pickled vegetables everywhere; some market stands sell only them. They come in the cutest forms, such as the picture. A side of pickled vegetables is on most restaurant menus and is a unique, flavorful accompaniment to any meal.

The Origins of Goulash (Gulyás)

The word Goulash, or in Hungarian “gulyás,” is what the Hungarian cowboys are called. This is why sometimes you find Goulash (Gulyás) called Cowboy Stew. Gulyás (cowboys) were herdsmen who moved cattle. According to our knowledge, they were the first to cook it in the Puszta (the Steppe, a dry grassy plain region of Hungary, east of the Danube) over an open fire in a big metal kettle (cauldron). This is why you often see images of Goulash (Gulyás) cooking over an open fire in a pot.

The gulyás (cowboys) were responsible for trading cattle, so they walked long distances. To keep moving on, at times, they had to slaughter the weaker animals. They would then put the meat between the horse and saddle, so when they were riding, they tenderized the meat. Then they salted and dried it so they could take it on long journeys.

After being on the road for a while, the cattle and the gulyás (cowboys) needed to rest. Often, they would cross paths with other herds. In these cases, when the gulyás (cowboys) met up, they would rest together for a few days. As we all know, when people gather, they cook and feast.

They first cooked the pörkölt, the stew. This dish gets better the more you reheat it, as the meat becomes more tender and the flavors come out even more. But it also gets reduced and thicker.

Now for the Soup

This is how the soup evolved from the stew. They added water and root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and parsley roots, to the reduced stew. The result is a thick, nourishing soup Hungarians love to eat year-round. In some regions of Hungary, they even add “csipetke”—tiny little noodles or dumplings—to the soup.

Of course, every family and every restaurant cooks the soup differently; only the main ingredients stay the same. The core ingredient that gives it exceptional flavor and color is Paprika. In our view, the best Paprika is found in Hungary in volumes you can’t imagine. As a result, we brought quite a bit of this wonderful Paprika home for gifts and ourselves.

A Bit About Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from Capsicum annuum varietals in the Longum Group, including chili peppers. Still, the peppers used for Paprika powder tend to be milder and with thinner flesh.

All capsicum varieties are descended from wild ancestors in North America, particularly Central Mexico, where they have been for centuries. The peppers were then introduced to the Old World when they were brought to Spain in the 16th century. The seasoning was used to add color and flavor to many dishes.

The trade of Paprika expanded from the Iberian Peninsula to Africa and Asia and ultimately reached Central Europe through the Balkans while under Ottoman rule. This may explain the Hungarian origin of the English use of Paprika. Despite its presence in Central Europe since the beginning of Ottoman conquests, it did not become popular in Hungary until the late 19th century. It is now a defining element of Hungarian cuisine.

Paprika can range from mild to hot – the flavor also varies from country to country – but almost all plants grown produce the sweet variety. Sweet Paprika is mainly composed of the pericarp (the fruit coat), with more than half of the seeds removed, whereas hot Paprika contains some seeds, as well as stalks and other components.

A Medicinal Component

Paprika contains capsaicin, a compound found in peppers, which is reputed to have a wide range of health benefits. Its antioxidant properties can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, improve immunity, and even alleviate gas. It is also reputed to aid pain relief, maintain a healthy weight, and protect against UV rays.

Now, let’s get to what we all came for, Traditional Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)

Jó étvágyat (Bon Appetit in Hungarian)

Traditional Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás) Preparation Slideshow

_{Images from Nellicious Travels and our recipe practice}

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Is a Budapest adventure on your bucket list? Check out our blog post on our Budapest visit, and before you know it, you will find yourself planning your next trip.

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Try out one of the other fun recipes from our travels: Pastel de Nada from Portugal

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