Easy Slow Cooker German Goulash (Beef Stew)
Warm up your week with this slow cooker German Goulash – a no-fuss, flavor packed slow cooker dish, perfect for a family dinner.
Tender beef, hearty veggies and traditional warming goulash spices make this dish a must-have on your menu rotation. With only 15 minutes prep and then slow cooked, it’s great for busy cooks too.
I was lucky enough to grow up in Germany, and let me tell you, the Germans know their way around meat. Seriously, from bratwurst sizzling on the grill, to juicy frikadellen and rich, hearty goulash, they don’t mess around. If it involves meat, they’re going to wow you with it.
Now let’s talk about German Goulash. It’s a hearty beef stew and the cozy cousin of Hungarian goulash – still warming, delicious and packed with flavor but with a slightly thicker texture and a bit less of that bold paprika kick.
Think warm hug on a cold day from your Oma.
One of the best parts about this German goulash recipe is that it’s quick to prepare – one of those meals you can stick in the slow cooker in the morning and come back to when you’re ready to eat at dinner time. Perfect for a busy family.
As my dad would say, ‘Schön! Prima! Wundebar!’. Basically, it’s amazing!
Serve your delicious beef goulash with dairy free mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread and veg like red cabbage, roasted broccoli or green beans.
If you’re looking for more easy dairy free dinner inspiration, try our Instant Pot Frozen Pork Chops and Gravy recipe or Instant Pot Beef Curry next!
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker German Goulash
- Comforting classic
- Easy crockpot recipe made with simple ingredients
- Great for batch cooking and preparing ahead
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Diced beef: In the UK, I buy a pack of ready-diced beef. If buying a whole piece of beef, cut it roughly into 1-inch cubes. Use a well-marbled cut like chuck or stewing beef for tender meat and great flavor. For this recipe, I also brown the beef before slow cooking, as this adds a greater depth of flavor to the final dish. If you’re short on time you can skip the browning step, but it’s still a good idea to toss the beef in the flour before adding it to the slow cooker as this helps the sauce to thicken as it cooks.
- Paprika: Use sweet paprika for this recipe. In Hungarian goulash, smoked paprika is sometimes added as an extra layer of flavor, so feel free to do the same if you like it. So, although it’s not traditional, it will work well.
- Caraway seeds: These give the goulash a distinctive earthy flavor. If you don’t have caraway seeds, substitute for ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
- Tomato paste: In the UK we call this tomato purée and it almost always comes in a tube. If you can only buy it in a tin, freeze the leftover in ice cube trays to avoid wasting it.
- Beef stock: I always make up my beef stock with a cube, but you can use homemade beef stock if you prefer. A good quality stock will enhance the over all flavor of the dish. Gluten free and low-sodium versions are available in cubes if you need that.
How to Make Authentic German Goulash in the Slow Cooker
- Prepare the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then toss it with the flour and paprika until well coated.
- Brown the meat: Brown the beef on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Once browned, remove the beef from the pan and transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add the chopped onion, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the aromatics: Stir in the caraway seeds and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour in a small amount of the beef stock, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
- Simmer the sauce: Add the remaining beef stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Assemble ingredients in slow cooker: Transfer the sautéed vegetables and sauce to the slow cooker with the beef. Add the chopped tomatoes, and sugar and stir everything to combine.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- Thicken the sauce: At the end of the cooking time, if the sauce needs thickening, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the goulash. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes on high.
- Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm with mash potato, crusty bread or rice, and add a vegetable or salad side.
What to Serve With Goulash
German Goulash is usually served with:
- Boiled potatoes
- Crusty bread
- Spaetzle
- Egg noodles
- German potato dumplings
But who says you have to be traditional? You could have it with pasta or mashed potatoes too, as I often do!
Leftovers
Store Cool to room temperature, place in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat Heat in a saucepan on the stove until fully heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a cut of beef that is well-marbled for best flavor and texture. Chuck roast is often used, but cuts like stew beef or brisket would work too. In the UK I buy beef packs labelled ‘diced beef’, which is often a mix of these cuts.
German goulash is traditionally served with noodles, dumplings, crusty bread, rice, potatoes or spaetzle (a German soft, egg based pasta). I like adding a side of red cabbage or a side salad as well.
While a dollop of sour cream is more popular in Hungarian goulash recipes, it would still be a nice touch on German Goulash as an optional garnish. Just be sure to use dairy free sour cream!
Yes, you can skip browning the beef if you’re short on time. Browning the meat helps develop deeper flavors, so if you skip it be sure to season the meat well before adding to the slow cooker.
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If you make this Slow Cooker German Goulash recipe I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram (@thesunshinepantry) or Facebook so I can see your amazing creation!
Easy Slow Cooker German Goulash
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs 900g diced beef
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 bell peppers chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (tomato purée)
- 1 cup 250ml beef stock
- 1 can 14 oz / 400g chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then toss it with the flour and paprika until well coated.
- Add the beef cubes to the hot pan and brown the beef on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Once browned, remove the beef from the pan and transfer it to the slow cooker.
- In the same pan, add the chopped onion, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the caraway seeds and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Deglaze the pan by pouring in a small amount of the beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
- Add the remaining beef stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the vegetables and sauce from the frying pan to the slow cooker with the browned beef. Next, add in the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Stir everything to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- At the end of the cooking time, if the sauce needs thickening, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry and stir it into the goulash. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes on high.
- Season to taste and serve with mashed potato, noodles and vegetables.
Notes
- Beef: What kind of beef?
- Browning the beef: Browning meat before slow cooking adds a much deeper flavor to the goulash. It’s not absolutely essential, so you can skip it if you’re short on time, but we do recommend it for a much tastier final dish!
- Substitute: Caraway seeds: If you don’t have caraway seeds, substitute with ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
- Storage and reheating:
- Freezing:
- Serving suggestion: Goulash pairs well with rice, mashed potato or crusty bread.
Want more dairy free slow cooker recipes? Try these!
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My family loves this recipe! It’s easy to make and delicious.