Polish Beef Goulash with Carrot and Onion Recipe
Polish beef goulash is a bowl full of tender chunks of meat in a thick, dark sauce. In Poland it often lands on the Sunday table next to groats or potatoes – a bit like Hungarian goulash, but milder and more onion-forward.
This Polish-style beef goulash focuses on slow-cooked tenderness, a rich onion base and gentle spices, giving you a comforting, homely dish that’s perfect with groats or potatoes.
Chef's tips
Brown the meat well in batches – this step builds the deep flavour of the sauce. Don’t rush the simmering time; the longer, gentle cooking makes even tougher cuts of beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls with buckwheat groats, mashed or boiled potatoes, or soft dumplings. Add a side of pickled cucumbers, beetroot salad or a simple cabbage slaw for acidity and crunch.
Ingredients
- beef for goulash (e.g. shoulder, beef neck) cut into cubes about 2×2 cm - 800 g
- onion large - 3 piece
- carrot medium - 2 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- flour for coating the meat - 1 tablespoon
- oil for frying - 3 tablespoons
- beef or vegetable stock can be from a cube, but homemade tastes better - 700 ml
- bay leaf - 3 piece
- allspice berries - 5 piece
- paprika - 2 teaspoons
- dried marjoram - 1 teaspoon
- tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels so it isn’t wet. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with flour and gently mix so each piece is lightly coated.
- Peel the onion and cut into thin wedges or a chunky dice. Peel the carrots and slice into half-moons. Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over fairly high heat in a large heavy pot. Add the meat in batches (not all at once) and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate. Add the remaining oil if needed.
- Add the onion to the same pot. Fry for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until it softens and lightly browns at the edges.
- Add the garlic and fry for about 1 minute, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the sweet paprika, stir quickly and after about 20–30 seconds pour in a little stock (about 100 ml) so the spices don’t burn.
- Return the browned meat and any juices from the plate to the pot. Add the carrot, bay leaves, allspice, marjoram and tomato paste.
- Pour in the rest of the stock so the meat is almost covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 1.5–2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Stir from time to time and add a little water if needed.
- Towards the end of cooking, remove the lid and cook for another 10–15 minutes uncovered so the sauce thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the hot goulash with buckwheat groats, potatoes or dumplings, and with pickled cucumber or beetroot on the side.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is the kind of goulash that often appears on Polish Sunday tables – simple, aromatic and very forgiving. It reheats beautifully, so it’s worth making a larger batch for the next day.
