Hairy Bikers Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Most goulash recipes you find online skip the dumplings, but this Hairy Bikers Hungarian goulash recipe from One Pot Wonders puts them front and centre. Braising steak simmers with sweet and hot paprika for nearly two hours at 525 calories per serving, so the meat falls apart before the suet dumplings even hit the pot.

Si and Dave say they are “goofy about goulash” and call this version a winner because of the dumplings. Their peppers get two rounds in the pot though: a hard sear first for smoky colour, then a gentler simmer later so they keep some bite.

The dumplings sit on top of the stew for the last 20 minutes with the lid clamped shut, and the steam puffs them into glossy golden pillows. Skip them and the recipe still works as a straight beef goulash, but then you lose the reason Si and Dave wrote it.

Hairy Bikers Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Braising Cuisine:British Hungarian Courses:Main Course

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time:1 hour 50 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:2 hours 10 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:525 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A proper Hungarian one-pot where the beef slow-simmers until it falls apart, then fluffy suet dumplings steam on top under a clamped lid for the last 20 minutes. Finish with a cold spoonful of soured cream and you have Sunday sorted.

Ingredients

For the Goulash:

• 2 tbsp oil or beef dripping
• 2 red peppers, cut into slices
• 1 green pepper, cut into slices
• 750g braising steak (such as chuck), diced
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600ml beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper

For the Dumplings:

• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g suet
• Cold water

To Serve:

• Soured cream

Instructions

1. Sear the peppers: Heat a tablespoon of the oil or dripping in a large flameproof casserole dish, then add the peppers and cook over a high heat until the skins are starting to brown and blister. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
2. Brown the beef: Add the diced braising steak to the same pan and sear over a high heat until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside with the peppers.
3. Build the base: Warm the rest of the oil or dripping in the pan, then add the onions and cook over a medium heat until they are starting to soften and take on some colour. Return the beef to the pan and sprinkle over both paprikas, the tomato puree, and the crushed garlic, then stir to combine and pour in the beef stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and add the bay leaf with plenty of seasoning.
4. Simmer the stew: Leave to simmer gently for an hour, then put the peppers back in the pan and leave for another 30 minutes until the beef and peppers are tender.
5. Make the dumplings: While the stew simmers, put the flour and suet into a bowl with plenty of seasoning and add just enough cold water to form a slightly sticky dough. Shape into 6 to 8 rough balls.
6. Steam the dumplings and serve: When the beef is tender, drop the dumpling balls onto the surface of the stew without pushing them under. Cover with a tight lid and leave to cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid, since the trapped steam is what puffs them up. The dumplings should be glossy and doubled in size when done. Serve with spoonfuls of soured cream.

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FAQs

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes, and it is an easy adaptation because braising steak is built for long slow cooking. Brown the beef and sear the peppers on the hob first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the stock, paprikas, onions, puree, and garlic on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

The dumplings need direct steam to puff up, so switch to high for the last hour and drop them on top with the lid firmly closed. If your slow cooker runs too cool for that, bake them separately on a tray at 180C for 15 minutes and sit them on top when serving.

How does this compare to the Hairy Dieters beef goulash?

The Dieters version from Eat for Life, also featured on the BBC, is a healthier recipe at 306 calories because it drops the dumplings entirely, swaps dripping for sunflower oil, and uses hot smoked paprika instead of the sweet and hot split in this version. It also adds canned chopped tomatoes, which makes the sauce thinner and more acidic.

This One Pot Wonders version is richer at 525 calories, with suet dumplings and just tomato puree for a thicker, more concentrated base that clings to the meat. If you want the skinny calorie count but prefer this recipe, skip the dumplings and you drop to about 270 per serving.

Is Hungarian goulash the same as beef goulash?

Yes, this Hungarian goulash is a beef goulash, since the recipe is braising steak simmered in paprika. Beef is the default meat for goulash, and the Bikers’ own books show it, because their soup version is titled Beef Goulash Soup.

That Hungarian name on it, Gulyás leves, points to the other difference, since in Hungary goulash is traditionally a soup rather than a British-style stew. Their goulash soup is the closest thing to that original, so try it if you fancy the brothier style.

Can I add potatoes instead of dumplings?

Goulash is Hungarian, not Russian, and the traditional Budapest versions rarely include potatoes in the stew itself. Si and Dave left them out here because the suet dumplings already soak up the sauce and add bulk, so both together would make the bowl too heavy.

If you prefer potatoes, use waxy ones like Charlotte or Maris Piper and add them for the last 45 minutes of simmering, since they hold their shape better than floury varieties. The goulash soup from the Big Book of Baking was actually designed around potatoes in a thinner broth, and Si and Dave serve it with pogacsa, a type of Hungarian scone you can see them making in the Bakeation video on YouTube.

Can I leave out the dumplings?

Yes, and you drop from 525 to about 270 calories per serving. Serve the stew over buttered egg noodles or with crusty bread for mopping up the sauce, since both are traditional Hungarian pairings that work well with the thick paprika base. The pork goulash was designed for noodles from the start if you want the same pepper and paprika technique with a different cut of meat.

One cook who tried this recipe without dumplings said it felt closer to four portions than six, because the dumplings add serious bulk to each bowl. If suet is hard to find, frozen butter grated on the coarse side of a box grater works as a substitute and gives a very similar result. The lancashire hotpot is another one-pot comfort dish that uses sliced potatoes on top instead if you want that crispy-lid finish.

What goes well alongside this?

Soured cream and the dumplings make this a full meal, so all you need is something fresh and cold to cut through the richness. A crunchy caesar salad works well because the sharp dressing lifts the heavy paprika flavours, and the potato salad is good served cold alongside since the vinegary dressing balances the suet dumplings.

Braised red cabbage is the traditional Hungarian side and pairs naturally with the paprika and soured cream. If you are serving it without dumplings, buttered egg noodles are the classic pairing and they soak up every drop of the sauce.