Summary: Cubes of pork shoulder simmered with sauerkraut, onions and sweet paprika, finished with cream and served with bread dumplings. Ready in 2 hours, serves 6.
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Category: Pork, Czech Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Szeged Goulash (Segedínský guláš)
- Category: Pork, Czech Cuisine
- Cuisine: Czech (inspired by Hungarian Szeged)
- Main ingredient: Pork shoulder, 1000 g (boneless, cut into 3 cm cubes)
- Guide: 20 Most Famous Czech Dishes
- Total time: 120 minutes (20 min preparation + 100 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (Portion weight: 400 g)
- Key technique: Simmering
- Preparation types: Braising, simmering
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains gluten, dairy, eggs
- Suitable for: Sunday lunch, family dinners, everyday cooking
- Nutritional values (per serving): 620 kcal, Protein: 38 g, Fat: 34 g, Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer
- Pairing: Pilsner, dark lager, light red wine
- In short: Pork cubes simmered with tangy sauerkraut and sweet paprika until the meat is tender, then rounded off with cream.
- Last updated: 18 September 2026
WAGUU says: “Szeged goulash is the dish that proves how well pork and sauerkraut belong together. The sauerkraut is not a side dish here – it is the sauce.”
Key facts
| Preparation time: | 20 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 100 minutes |
| Temperature: | Gentle simmer (95 °C on the hob) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a glance
Cubes of pork simmered low with a large amount of sauerkraut, onions and sweet paprika until the meat falls apart and the cabbage has melted into a thick, tangy sauce. Finished with a swirl of cream.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 • Portion weight: 400 g
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Pork shoulder | 1000 g | boneless, cut into 3 cm cubes |
| Sauerkraut | 800 g | drained, mild, not too sour |
| Onions | 3 pieces | brown, medium, finely chopped |
| Pork lard | 60 g | or beef dripping |
| Sweet paprika | 3 tbsp | Hungarian, fresh |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | fresh, peeled, crushed |
| Plain flour | 30 g | fine |
| Beef stock | 600 ml | good quality |
| Bay leaf | 1 piece | dried |
| Caraway seeds | 1 tsp | whole, lightly crushed |
| Dried marjoram | 1 tsp | rubbed between fingers |
| Caster sugar | 1 tbsp | fine |
| Double cream | 200 ml | 33–36% fat |
| Fine sea salt | 2 tsp | fine |
| Black pepper | 0.5 tsp | freshly ground |
| Plain flour (for dumplings) | 500 g | strong white bread flour |
| Milk (for dumplings) | 250 ml | whole |
| Eggs (for dumplings) | 2 pieces | large, room temperature |
| Stale bread rolls | 3 pieces | day-old, cubed |
| Dried yeast | 7 g | fast-action |
| Caster sugar (for dumplings) | 1 tsp | fine |
| Fine sea salt (for dumplings) | 1 tsp | fine |
Why you will love this recipe
- One pot does everything: The pork, the onions and the sauerkraut go into a single pot and simmer together. The sauerkraut becomes the sauce – nothing else is needed.
- Better on day two: The sauce thickens overnight and the paprika deepens. Like most braises, it is even better reheated.
- Sweet, sour and rich in one bite: The sauerkraut’s acidity, the sugar’s sweetness and the cream’s richness balance each other. Every spoon tastes complete.
Why it works: The sauerkraut brings both acid and body. Its lactic and acetic acids cut through the pork fat, and its own fermented cabbage melts down over the long simmer into a thick sauce. The sweet paprika is added off the heat so it does not burn – burnt paprika turns bitter. The small amount of flour, stirred into the onions before the liquid is added, gives the sauce a light body without making it heavy. The cream is added at the very end and tempered first, so it does not split.
Recipe overview
Preparation: 20 min | Cooking: 100 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Main course | Origin: Czech
Detailed method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Preparation – 20 min
Equipment: Chopping board, sharp knife, kitchen paper, colander
1. Pat the pork cubes dry with kitchen paper. Do not wash them. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Peel the onions and chop them finely – they should be small enough to melt into the sauce. Drain the sauerkraut in a colander and squeeze it lightly with your hands – not too hard, you want to keep some of the juice. If the sauerkraut tastes very sour, rinse it briefly under cold water and squeeze it again. Peel and crush the garlic cloves.
VKB: The pork is dry and seasoned. The onions are finely chopped. The sauerkraut is drained but still moist and tastes tangy but not sharp.
Before you continue:
Do not squeeze the sauerkraut completely dry. It should still be moist – that juice becomes part of the sauce. Only rinse it if it tastes aggressive and sharp.
Phase 2: Onion and paprika base – 15 min
Equipment: Large heavy pot (5 litres), wooden spoon
2. Heat the lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft, golden and slightly sticky. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Take the pot off the heat completely. Add the sweet paprika and stir it into the onions – the residual heat is enough. Add the flour and stir well. Return the pot to low heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until the flour smells faintly nutty.
VKB: The onions are soft and deep golden. The paprika has coloured the onions a bright red. The flour has disappeared into the mixture and no lumps remain.
Before you continue:
Never add paprika over direct heat. It burns in seconds and turns the whole pot bitter. Take the pot off the heat, stir the paprika in, then return it to low heat.
Phase 3: Braising the pork – 60 min
Equipment: Same pot, wooden spoon, lid
3. Add the pork cubes to the pot and stir so they are coated with the paprika base. Add the beef stock, bay leaf, caraway seeds, marjoram, sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The pork should be tender but not yet falling apart – it still needs time with the sauerkraut.
VKB: The pork is tender – a fork slides in with slight resistance. The sauce is dark red and glossy. The onions have completely melted into the sauce.
Before you continue:
Do not let the goulash boil. A rolling boil makes the pork tough and the paprika bitter. Keep it at a lazy simmer with the lid on.
Phase 4: Sauerkraut – 40 min
Equipment: Same pot, wooden spoon, lid
4. Add the drained sauerkraut to the pot and stir it into the pork and sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for another 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The sauerkraut should soften and melt into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of beef stock or water. If it is too thin, take the lid off for the last 10 minutes to let it reduce.
VKB: The sauerkraut is soft and has lost its raw sharpness. The sauce is thick and glossy. The pork is fully tender – it falls apart when pressed with a fork.
Before you continue:
Taste the sauce before adding the cream. If it is too sour, add a teaspoon of sugar. If it is too sweet, add a splash of the sauerkraut juice or a few drops of vinegar. Adjust now, not after the cream goes in.
Phase 5: Cream finish – 5 min
Equipment: Small bowl, whisk, ladle
5. Take the pot off the heat. In a small bowl, temper the cream by whisking in a ladleful of the hot sauce – this warms the cream gently so it does not split. Pour the tempered cream back into the pot and stir well. Taste one more time and add salt, pepper or a pinch of sugar if needed. The goulash should be creamy, tangy and sweet all at once, with no single element dominating.
VKB: The sauce is pale red, creamy and glossy. It tastes balanced – tangy from the sauerkraut, rich from the cream, with a gentle warmth from the paprika.
Before you continue:
Never pour cold cream directly into a simmering pot. It will split into greasy flakes. Always temper it first with a ladleful of hot sauce.
Phase 6: Dumplings and serving – 60 min
Equipment: Large mixing bowl, clean tea towel, large pot, string, serving plates
6. While the goulash simmers, make the dumplings. Warm the milk to lukewarm. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk and eggs and mix into a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Fold in the cubed bread rolls. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 45 minutes, until doubled in size. Shape into two logs about 20 cm long. Tie each log tightly in a clean tea towel. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer and cook the dumplings for 20 minutes, turning once. Slice into 2 cm thick rounds and serve with the goulash.
VKB: The dumplings are firm and spring back when pressed gently. The goulash is thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. When served, the sauce coats the dumplings but does not soak into them instantly.
Required equipment
| Equipment | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large heavy pot | 5 litres, with lid | Dutch oven | Thin pots burn the onions |
| Colander | 24 cm | Sieve | Too fine = sauerkraut sticks |
| Whisk | Balloon whisk | Fork | Fork leaves lumps in the cream |
| Clean tea towel | 40 × 40 cm, cotton | Muslin cloth | Synthetic cloth will melt |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per serving (with dumplings). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 155 kcal | 620 kcal | 3720 kcal |
| Fat | 8.5 g | 34 g | 204 g |
| of which saturated | 3.9 g | 15 g | 90 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11 g | 44 g | 264 g |
| of which sugars | 3.2 g | 13 g | 78 g |
| Protein | 9.5 g | 38 g | 228 g |
| Salt | 0.6 g | 2.2 g | 13.2 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Tested recipe with exact ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use good sauerkraut – not the sweet-and-sour tinned kind. Look for plain fermented white cabbage, ideally with no sugar added. The flavour is more honest and less sweet.
- Tip 2: Add a tablespoon of the sauerkraut juice after the cream. It brings a fresh tang that the cream can otherwise soften too much.
- Tip 3: If you have smoked pork stock or a small piece of smoked sausage, add it to the pot for the last 20 minutes. It deepens the flavour without overpowering the sauerkraut.
- Tip 4: If the goulash is too sour after all adjustments, add a grated apple. The natural sugars soften the acid without adding more sugar.
Scientific background
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. During fermentation, lactic acid bacteria convert the cabbage’s natural sugars into lactic acid. This is what gives sauerkraut its tang and its long shelf life. When sauerkraut is simmered with pork, two things happen: the acid begins to break down the pork’s connective tissue faster than water alone would, and the cabbage’s cell walls soften and release pectin. This pectin, along with a small amount of flour, gives the sauce its body. The sweet paprika contains fat-soluble pigments – mainly capsanthin and capsorubin – which dissolve into the pork fat and colour the sauce deep red. Cream is added at the end because its fat carries the paprika’s aromatic compounds, and the acidity of the sauerkraut is balanced by the sweetness of the cream’s lactose.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Spoon the goulash into a shallow bowl, place two dumpling rounds on the side, and add a small swirl of cream on top just before serving.
- Texture contrasts: The tender pork and soft sauerkraut contrast with the fluffy dumplings.
- Temperature contrast: Serve very hot with a spoonful of cold sour cream on top – the temperature contrast lifts the dish.
- Aromatic additions: A few fresh marjoram leaves over the top and a small pinch of freshly ground caraway.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Deep red-brown sauce with visible pieces of pork and pale sauerkraut, white dumplings
- Aroma: Sweet paprika, sauerkraut, onion, caraway
- Taste: Tangy from the sauerkraut, sweet from the paprika and sugar, rich from the cream
- Texture: Tender pork, soft sauerkraut, thick sauce, fluffy dumplings
Pairing
- BEER: Pilsner Urquell or a dark lager like Kozel Černý
- WINE: Light red – Pinot Noir or Zweigelt
- SOFT DRINK: Sparkling water with lemon, or apple juice
Other preparation variations
- Szeged goulash with smoked sausage: Add 150 g of sliced smoked sausage in the last 20 minutes. The smoke deepens the flavour and turns the dish into a one-pot meal.
- Szeged goulash with darker beer: Replace 200 ml of the beef stock with dark lager. The beer adds depth and a slight bitterness that balances the sweet paprika.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Gluten, dairy, eggs • Gluten: Yes (dumplings, flour for sauce) • Not suitable for: Coeliac disease, lactose intolerance (without substitutions)
Suitable for
Sunday lunch, family dinners, everyday cooking, autumn and winter meals
Substitution catalogue
- Pork shoulder: Pork neck or pork belly (more fat, more flavour)
- Sauerkraut: Braised red cabbage with vinegar (less authentic but works)
- Pork lard: Beef dripping or sunflower oil
- Double cream: Crème fraîche or lactose-free cream
FAQ
My goulash is too sour. How do I fix it?
Add a teaspoon of sugar and a grated apple. Cook for another 10 minutes and taste again. If it is still too sour, the sauerkraut you used was very strong – next time, rinse it briefly under cold water before cooking.
My goulash is too sweet. How do I fix it?
Add a splash of the sauerkraut juice or a few drops of vinegar. Stir well and taste again. Do not add more salt – salt does not reduce sweetness, acid does.
My sauce split after adding the cream. What happened?
You added cold cream to a boiling sauce. Always take the pot off the heat, temper the cream with a ladleful of the hot sauce, then return the mixture to the pot. If it has already split, whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream – often it comes back together.
Can I use tinned sauerkraut?
Yes, but choose a plain one without added sugar or caraway. The sweet-and-sour tinned sauerkraut changes the balance – you will need less sugar and possibly more acid at the end.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Increase the pork to 1.4 kg and the sauerkraut to 1.1 kg. Keep the cream the same at first, then add a splash more if the sauce needs it. 10+ people: Cook in two pots – do not overcrowd. Sauerkraut needs space to soften properly and a crowded pot makes it watery.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 2 months (without dumplings) • Reheating: Gently on the hob, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened. Do not boil. Reheat the dumplings by steaming for 5 minutes.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 18 Sep 2026
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Most common mistakes
- Burning the paprika – add it off the heat. Burnt paprika turns the whole pot bitter and nothing can fix it.
- Squeezing the sauerkraut too hard – the juice is part of the sauce. Squeeze gently and keep some moisture.
- Adding cold cream to boiling sauce – it splits. Always temper the cream first with a ladleful of hot sauce.
- Not balancing the sweet-sour at the end – taste before serving. Add sugar if too sour, add sauerkraut juice or vinegar if too sweet.
