This Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash recipe is a hearty and delicious beef stew made with paprika-seasoned gravy sauce. It’s great over noodles, potatoes, rice or with a side of bread to soup any sauce.
What Is Hungarian Goulash?
Not to be confused with American Goulash, which is a pasta dish made with ground beef, tomato, and elbow macaroni noodles, the Hungarian Goulash is a hearty, meat stew heavily seasoned with paprika.
The Hungarian goulash is typically made of beef and will often feature vegetables like carrots and potatoes. The stew sauce is based on beef stock, garlic, onions, lots of paprika, and tomatoes. It is often finished or topped with sour cream.
Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash
The Instant Pot recipe for Hungarian goulash is super easy and takes advantage of pressure cooking speed to make tender, hearty beef stew in half the time.
The beef is first cooked in a delicious paprika broth and then the carrots and potatoes are added for a second (very quick) cooking stage. The sauce is thickened with a little flour slurry right at the end and the addition of sour cream makes it extra creamy.
We hope you try this Hungarian goulash version in your Instant Pot.
Ingredients For Hungarian Goulash
Beef - Any stewing beef steak cut will work here. We recommend something like beef chuck for tender, succulent results. It's great for extended cooking, as it contains more collagen and will remain more tender and succulent, rather than becoming dry.
For the sauce - paprika is the key flavor, and if you can, try to get the Hungarian paprika powder; otherwise, sweet or mild paprika will work. Garlic, salt, pepper, tomatoes, paste and beef stock are other ingredients for the sauce.
Vegetables - onions and bell peppers make the base for the sauce, while potatoes and carrots are added at a later stage so they don't overcook and get too soft.
Finishing touches - flour and water to make a slurry for thickening the sauce and sour cream. A little parsley is traditional and tasty as well.
You will find the full recipe with ingredients and nutritional breakdown in the recipe card below.
There are two simple parts to making this Hungarian Goulash in the pressure cooker. The first stage is to cook the beef. The second stage is to cook the vegetables in the beef stew. You then thicken the sauce and finish it with sour cream right at the end.
Let's break it down with step-by-step photos and video. You can use a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
Step 1. Turn the Instant Pot on and select the Saute setting on Normal. Add olive oil, onions and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are softened.
Step 2. Add the beef chunk and press the Saute setting again until it shows High (hotter setting, although you can also keep it on Normal). Cook for 1 minute and stir. Cook for another minute and stir again. Press Cancel to stop the Saute.
Step 3. Add garlic, diced bell pepper, black pepper, sweet and smoked paprika and stir.
Step 4. Pour in the stock and stir through the beef. Spread the canned diced tomatoes over the top and do the same with the tomato paste. Don’t stir through all the way as to avoid the pesky Burn error notice, which can sometimes come up when cooking with tomatoes.
Step 5. Secure and lock the lid. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 25 minutes. Once the timer is done, leave on natural release for maybe 5 minutes and then do the quick release. Open the lid and stir the stew.
Step 6. Add the diced carrots and potatoes, stir through and pop the lid back on top. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes. Once the timer is done, release naturally all the way.
Step 7. Open the lid and stir. Whisk 1-2 tablespoons of flour with 3-4 tablespoons of water or the liquid from the stew. Once smooth and thick, stir this flour slurry into the stew to thicken the sauce slightly.
Recipe Tips
You can use chuck, tri-tip or “country rib’ beef in thai recipe. Any cut of beef that would usually require longer cooking time would work here.
For ultimate flavor, using real Hungarian paprika is the key. Hungarians love using LOTS of paprika in this stew so don’t be worried if it seems like you’re adding a lot. If you can’t find Hungarian paprika, look for ‘sweet’ paprika. We also add a little smoked paprika for smokiness but it can be all one type if that’s what you have.
How To Serve Hungarian Goulash
In Hungary, this beef goulash is often served over homemade noodles known as nokedli, which is a little bit like gnocchi but without the potatoes. It’s also similar with spaetzle noodles, which are great with this stew.
Or you can go for something simple as pasta noodles, mashed or boiled potatoes or rice as an accompanying side dish.
Sometimes, all you need is some bread or dinner rolls to sop up any leftover goulash gravy.
Storing The Goulash
Hungarian goulash will last for up to 3 days in the fridge and is great for freezing. Make sure to cool it completely and store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat properly.
MORE INSTANT POT BEEF STEW RECIPES
Rate This Recipe
Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients
Part 1
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2.2 lb beef steak for braising or stewing , cut into bite-size chunks (1 kg)
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon sweet paprika (ideally, Hungarian paprika)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups beef stock (about or close to 500 ml)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (14-15 oz can)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Part 2
- 1 carrot cut into circles or half circles
- 1 white potatoes diced into large cubes
Part 3
- 1.5 tablespoon flour
- 4 tablespoon water or broth from cooked beef
- ½ cup parsley freshly chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on and select the Saute setting on Normal. Add olive oil, onions and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are softened
- Add the beef chunk and press the Saute setting again until it shows High (hotter setting, although you can also keep it on Normal). Cook for 1 minute and stir. Cook for another minute and stir again. Press Cancel to stop the Saute.
- Add garlic, diced bell pepper, black pepper, sweet and smoked paprika and stir.
- Pour in the stock and stir through the beef. Spread the canned diced tomatoes over the top and do the same with the tomato paste. Don’t stir through all the way as to avoid the pesky Burn error notice, which can sometimes come up when cooking with tomatoes.
- Secure and lock the lid. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 25 minutes. Once the timer is done, leave on natural release for maybe 5 minutes and then do the quick release. Open the lid and stir the stew.
- Add the diced carrots and potatoes, stir through and pop the lid back on top. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes. Once the timer is done, release naturally all the way.
- Open the lid and stir. Whisk 1-2 tablespoons of flour with 3-4 tablespoons of water or the liquid from the stew. Once smooth and thick, stir this flour slurry into the stew to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Taste for salt and pepper and season further if needed. Finish by stirring in ½ of the cup of the sour cream and top with parsley. Reserve the remaining sour cream to serve on the side or as dollops in the bowls.
Kushigalu
Love the flavors in the stew here. Looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing
Gina
This was quick, easy, and delicious! A delicious meal to make after a busy day!
Liz McCray
I just recently got an instant pot and I'm definitely going to make this!
Lima Ekram
Had it over rice - it was absolutely delicious
Carrie Robinson
This looks like the best comfort food to me! 🙂 I know my family will love this too.