Lamb Goulash

This easy Lamb Goulash is a rich Hungarian stew made with tender chunks of lamb in a smoky tomato and paprika sauce. Below you'll find stovetop, oven, and slow cooker methods, so the pot mostly takes care of itself. Make it a day ahead if you can. The flavor gets even better overnight.

In Hungary, goulash is actually a soup. Herdsmen first cooked it in big cauldrons over open fires. Cooks abroad gradually thickened it into the stew most of us know today. My version sits firmly at the stew end, with meat so soft it falls apart at the touch of a fork. Everything cooks in one pot with a handful of simple ingredients.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You'll Need
• how to make lamb goulash
• Oven and Slow Cooker Methods
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Instructions
• Make Ahead
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Lamb Goulash

Versions of goulash are eaten all over Central Europe, from Austria to the Czech Republic. Hungarians make it with beef, pork, or lamb, always with plenty of paprika. The lamb version has its own name there: Báránygulyás.

If you prefer yours closer to the original soupy style, leave out the flour. The sauce stays thinner and more broth-like.

My other lamb recipes such as Kuzu Tandır Kebab, Sac Kavurma (Turkish Lamb Sauté), and Beyti Kebab could be of interest to you if you enjoy lamb.

Why This Recipe Works

• Lamb shoulder is a budget-friendly cut. Slow cooking melts its connective tissue and turns the meat silky and tender.

• The sauce gets its color and rich taste from paprika, so you don't need a long list of spices.

• It turns out right every time. The method is simple and forgiving, even if this is your first goulash.

• This Hungarian lamb stew is easy to scale up for a crowd. Double everything and use a bigger pot.

• It's versatile. Swap the lamb for beef or pork, or add potatoes and carrots to stretch it further.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Lamb - Well-exercised muscles rich in collagen such as the shank, shin, or shoulder are the typical cuts of meat for goulash stew. The lamb shoulder is my favorite cut of meat and the one I use for slow-cooked dishes like Tavë Kosi (Elbasan Tava) and Kuzu Güveç.

• Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater.

• Tomatoes - You can use canned tomatoes if you don't have fresh ones. Add a teaspoon of sugar if using canned tomatoes to balance the acidity.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

• Stock - I prefer using Homemade Beef Stock but Chicken Bone Broth works great as well. You can also use stock cubes. Make sure you don't add too much salt as ready-made stocks and stock cubes contain salt already.

• Red Peppers - I use sweet Romano peppers. You can substitute it with red, orange, or yellow bell peppers.

• Red wine - Use a good quality wine that you would be happy to drink. Skip it if you are cooking for kids.

• Paprika - Sweet paprika is the star ingredient of this recipe but smoked paprika works great too if you want to add a slight smokiness to the dish.

how to make lamb goulash

Prepare the Flavor Base

My preferred method is cooking it low and slow on the stove in a Dutch Oven as they retain heat well. It's a great pan for cooking large batch dishes, such as Kuru Fasulye, Slow Cooked Lamb Tagine With Apricots, and Lamb Bolognese With Linguine.

Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pan over medium-high heat and brown the lamb pieces. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, until slightly softened.

Stir in the peppers and sauté for a few more minutes before adding the garlic. Cook the garlic for a minute stirring continuously to avoid it burning.

Cook the Lamb

Stir in the tomato paste and flour, and cook for a minute before adding the red wine. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the red wine and let it evaporate.

Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, salt, bay leaves, and sugar.

After bringing the pan to a boil, cover it, reduce the heat to low-medium, and let it gently simmer for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the lamb becomes tender and easily falls apart when prodded with a fork. Stir the pan every 15 minutes or so while cooking. 

Taste the seasoning and add some more salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves and serve on a bed of rice or mashed potatoes.

Oven and Slow Cooker Methods

The stovetop method above is my usual way, but this Hungarian lamb stew adapts easily to the oven or the slow cooker.

In the Oven

Follow the recipe up to the point where the pan comes to a boil. Cover the Dutch oven with a tight lid and move it to an oven preheated to 320°F (160°C).

Cook for about 2 hours, until the lamb is completely tender. Check once or twice and top up with a splash of stock if the sauce looks dry.

In the Slow Cooker

Brown the lamb and cook the vegetable base in a pan as directed, then deglaze with the wine. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and reduce the beef stock to 2 cups.

Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for about 4 hours. Slow cookers lose very little liquid, so the sauce stays thinner. Leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes if you want it thicker.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

Even in Hungary, every family makes this dish their own way. These are the tips that make the biggest difference in my kitchen:

• Brown the lamb in batches. Overcrowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it.
• Let the wine evaporate fully before adding the tomatoes and stock. This cooks off the raw alcohol taste.
• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes the lamb tough before it has a chance to soften.
• Don't let the paprika catch on the bottom of the pan. It burns quickly and turns bitter, so stir it in with the liquids.
• Use a good beef stock. Bone broth also works and gives the sauce extra body.
• A small pinch of ground caraway is a classic Hungarian addition. Add it with the paprika if you like it.
• Rest the goulash for 10 to 15 minutes off the heat before serving. The sauce settles and thickens slightly.

Serving Suggestions

This Hungarian lamb goulash is a filling main dish that pairs well with all sorts of sides. In Hungary it often comes with egg noodles or nokedli, small soft dumplings. A spoonful of sour cream and some crusty bread work with every version.

Here are some ideas from the blog:

• Turkish Rice

• Pomme Puree - Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• Mujadara

• Bazlama

• Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread

• Greek Pita Bread.

Storage Instructions

Let the goulash cool to room temperature, then move it to an airtight container. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Defrost it overnight in the fridge and reheat it gently on low heat until piping hot.

Make Ahead

Cook the goulash up to two days before you need it and keep it covered in the fridge. When it's time to eat, warm it slowly on the stove. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious and hearty stew recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this hearty and rich Lamb Goulash recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂