I made the Cooking Light Hungarian Goulash over 2 years ago. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that recipe. I’ve made it many times for #SundaySupper because it’s just not a dish you can throw together on a weeknight. There are many ingredients, many steps, and lots of simmering. LOTS of simmering.

I don’t know about you, but when the weather gets cooler I like to make soups and stews. I consider this to be a stew. It’s not really, but it just has that flavor and comforting affect as a stew would. Since I had one last Octoberfest beer in the fridge, I knew this would be a perfect way to use that ale up.

Yes, this calls for beer. You can’t taste it. It has a very subtle flavor like wine in a cacciatore. You know it’s there, sort of, but it’s not so strong that it’s all you taste. Whaaaa? You haven’t put red wine in your cacciatore? SHAME ON YOU! You must go make some now. I’ll wait.

See what you’ve been missing? Even when I make it in the slow cooker, I add the wine. I know. I was the same way. But it seriously DOES elevate the sauce to another level. You really should try it at least once.

Speaking of taste, I don’t know about your garlic, but ours has gotten a little pungent lately. That’s another reason I like this recipe. You mash the garlic into a paste with a little bit of salt and the back of your knife. It’s a little difficult to master at first, but once you do you’ll use it quite often. It has the garlic flavor without that sharp taste that ours has had of late. It almost makes me want to use *gasp* granulated garlic. Sacrilege! I know!

This recipe inspired by my memory of the Cooking Light recipe. I’ve kept some of the steps I liked, and ditched the rest. I added some convenience items and some that I think it needs that didn’t have.

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Name: Hungarian Beef Goulash
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound beef stew meat, trimmed; 2 teaspoons caraway seeds; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika; 2 cups onion, chopped; 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste; 14 ounces canned tomatoes, undrained; 1 cup beer (Octoberfest); 1 cup beef broth; 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika; 2 whole bay leaves, crushed; 1/4 cup fat free sour cream; 8 ounces egg noodles; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

When the weather gets cooler I like to make soups and stews. This Hungarian Beef Goulash is full of textures and flavors and definitely worth the time to make it. It's stick to your ribs delicious!

Ingredients

1 pound beef stew meat, trimmed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste
14 ounces canned tomatoes, undrained
1 cup beer (Octoberfest)
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 whole bay leaves, crushed
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
8 ounces egg noodles
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add stew meat and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Return pan to heat and coat with cooking spray. Add onions and saute 2 minutes. Add red bell peppers and saute 2 minutes.
Mash the garlic and garlic salt into a paste using the back of a knife. Add to vegetables and saute 1 minute.
Add canned tomatoes, beer, beef broth, paprika and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes or until peppers are tender.
Return beef to pan and simmer until done; approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
Spoon 1 cup egg noodles on each of 4 plates and top with 1 cup of beef mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley.