Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash Soup (Gulyásleves)

Cozy up with a bowl of our Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash Soup (Gulyásleves)! This isn’t just any goulash recipe; it’s the real deal, taught to us by our Hungarian Friend. You are going to love the tender beef, hearty vegetables and sweet Hungarian paprika coming together in just 25 minutes in the pressure cooker!

Our unique “homemade paprika cream” elevates the flavor, while traditional petite dumplings and parsley stems add that authentic touch.

A special thank you to our dear friend Anna for teaching us how to make traditional Gulyásleves together in September 2014. Today we are sharing with you the updated and simplified authentic Hungarian goulash so that you can make it anywhere with easy to find ingredients. 

Warm up on these cool days with this hearty aromatic soup!

Hearty Wholesome Ingredients

Beef – As the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) will be doing all the hard work of tenderizing the meat, tougher cuts of beef like beef chuck or shank work well. You can even use a pre-cut beef stew meat from the grocery store to save you time.

Potatoes – Waxy potatoes like a red potato or Yukon gold are less apt to breakdown during the cooking process. We are all about using what you have on hand, so we used russet potatoes. Just be sure to keep them large enough so they get tender but don’t break down in the Instant Pot.

Carrots – Cut them into thicker slices like you would if you were making a stew or Cantonese ABC Soup.

Tomato – Check out our video below to learn our quick and easy hack for pureeing a fresh tomato and leaving the tomato skin behind. Grated fresh garden tomatoes are delicious in this Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash soup but also in our spicy tomato glass noodle soup. You can also use canned pureed tomatoes.

Broth – We were taught how to make Hungarian goulash soup with Vegeta bouillon, and it is quite nice. You can also use a beef broth or homemade bone broth.

Petite Hungarian Dumplings

Eggs – we used two whole eggs.

Salt – to flavor the dumplings.

All Purpose flour – or a measure for measure or cup for cup gluten free flour for gluten sensitivities.

Flavorful Spices and Aromatics

Onions and garlic – but of course, right?

Bay leaves – Did you know that bay leaves contain certain enzymes that break down tougher cuts of meat? Yes, they do, and bay leaves help round the flavor in soups and stews.

Caraway seeds are optional, but they add tons of flavor. Be sure to use a mortar and pestle to grind them up before putting them in the soup.

Hungarian Sweet Paprika – is an essential ingredient for a traditional goulash. It has a bright red-orange color, slightly sweet with little essence of pepper but not hot and spicy.  As you may already know, there are 3 main types of paprika: hot, smokey and sweet. Each one has a very different flavor. Using sweet paprika will give you the best flavor. In a pinch, you can try a smokey paprika, but the soup will have a different flavor profile and will be a darker red color.

Parsley – This fresh herb adds a ton of flavor to the soup. If you are living in Europe, you may be able to find parsley root which is a traditional ingredient in Gulyásleves. However, if you are living anywhere else in the world – good luck! By the way, parsley root is a NOT a parsnip.

We found the easiest solution is to use the “chopped parsley stems” to season the soup whilst it cooks in the Instant Pot. It’s frugal, convenient and a great way to use this underestimated herb! We add the freshly “chopped parsley leaves” upon serving for a delicious aroma and flavor.

Paprika Cream (piros arany, red gold) – is a traditional Hungarian Paprika paste. This paste adds a savory and deep peppery flavor to many Hungarian dishes.  This paste is difficult to find unless you live in Europe. You can find the mild version on Amazon or at specialty European food markets.

We have no idea why they call it a cream instead of a paste because the ingredients do NOT include any dairy. According to Univer the producer, Red Gold includes raw spice- and red bell paprika (87%), salt, modified starch, thickener: xanthan gum, acid: citric acid, preservative: potassium-sorbate.

We know how frustrating it can be when you want to make a recipe but can’t find the ingredients. That is exactly why we went to our test kitchen and created homemade paprika cream.

How to Make Homemade Copycat Paprika Cream for Goulash

Here is our quick and easy recipe for homemade paprika cream.

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large roasted red bell peeled or about 1 heaping cup.
• 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of garlic chili sauce, sriracha sauce, or Cento Hot Cherry Pepper Hoagie Spread.
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Add the roasted peppers, tomato paste, chili sauce and salt to a small food processor or high-powered blender and blend well. We think the flavor is pretty darn close to the real deal. This copycat homemade paprikacream recipe has a cleaner and brighter flavor without all the preservatives.

Step by Step: Hungarian Goulash Soup in the Instant Pot

This is a quick overview of the steps to make the soup. Please scroll down to the recipe card for all the recipe tips and details.

• Set the Instant Pot setting on sauté. Add oil and sear beef cubes on all sides.
• Add the onions and garlic and sauté until aromatic.

• Next add the potatoes and carrots.
• Turn the Instant Pot off. Then, add the Hungarian sweet paprika.

• Add Paprika Cream or Homemade Copycat Paprika Cream.
• Ground caraway seeds are optional but add them if desired.

• Next, add the grated fresh tomato and vegetable or beef broth.
• Add the finely chopped parsley stems and bay leaves.
• Close and lock the Instant Pot. Set on high pressure for 25 minutes.
• Make the petite dumplings. Beat eggs and add in flour.
• Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10-15 minutes.
• Carefully open the Instant Pot and remove the bay leaves.
• Change the Instant Pot setting from warming to sauté.

• Once the Hungarian Goulash soup coming to a light boil, drop in the petite dumplings.

• Add in the chopped parsley leaves and serve hot!

Petite Dumpling Tips

• The ratio between egg to flour is 1: 2-3 or just enough flour to make a thick paste that leaves a line on the bowl. See the photo above.
• Use a standard small spoon from your silverware set – about ½ tablespoon size or less to form the dumplings.
• Drop the dumplings carefully into the soup in separate areas of the pot to cook – not on top of each other!
• Dumplings will float to the top, like Grandma’s Chicken and Sliders or our Thai dumpling soup, when they are fully cooked.

What to serve with Hungarian Goulash?

• Crackers, crusty bread or whole wheat focaccia bread.
• Salad with lemon balsamic vinaigrette.
• Antipasto skewers or Ricotta Crostini
• Sandwiches like our Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap or grilled cheese.
• A nice glass of red for the chef!