Summary: Viennese beef goulash with a mountain of onions, sweet paprika and a touch of vinegar, braised until the meat falls apart. Ready in 2.5 hours, serves 6.
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Categories: American Beef, American Austrian Cuisine
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Quick Overview
- Dish: Wiener Gulasch
- Categories: American Beef, American Austrian Cuisine
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Main ingredient: Beef chuck, 2⅔ lb (cut into 1¼-inch cubes)
- Guide: 12 Most Famous Austrian Dishes
- Total time: 160 minutes (25 minutes preparation + 135 minutes cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (portion weight: 10 oz)
- Key technique: Slow braising
- Preparation types: Braising
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains gluten (if served with bread), milk (if using sour cream)
- Suitable for: Sunday dinner, family dinner, winter warmer
- Nutritional values (per portion): 445 kcal, Protein: 40 g, Fat: 22 g, Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer
- Pairing: Vienna lager, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, sparkling water
- In short: Viennese goulash is a goulash for people who like onions more than paprika.
- Last update: September 29, 2026
WAGUU says: “Viennese goulash has three times the onion of Hungarian goulash and half the paprika. If your goulash tastes of paprika, you are making the wrong one.”
Key Facts
| Prep time: | 25 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 135 minutes |
| Temperature: | 325 °F oven or 195–205 °F on the stove |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a Glance
Viennese goulash is a deeper, richer, more onion-driven version of the Hungarian classic. The onions cook down until they almost disappear into the sauce, and the paprika is there for color and warmth, not heat.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Portion weight: 10 oz
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Beef chuck | 2.67 lb | Cut into 1¼-inch cubes |
| Yellow onions | 2.2 lb | Finely chopped |
| Lard | 2.8 oz | Pork lard or clarified butter |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | Finely chopped |
| Sweet paprika | 1 oz | Hungarian, sweet |
| Tomato paste | 1 oz | Double concentrate |
| Beef stock | 3.4 cups | Good quality, hot |
| Red wine vinegar | 1.4 tbsp | For acidity |
| Caraway seeds | 0.1 oz | Lightly crushed |
| Marjoram | 0.07 oz | Dried |
| Bay leaves | 2 pcs | Dried |
| Fine sea salt | 0.5 oz | For seasoning |
| Black pepper | 0.07 oz | Freshly ground |
| Sour cream | 3.5 oz | Optional, for serving |
| Hard rolls | 6 pcs | For serving |
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Onion-driven: Two and a quarter pounds of onions for six portions — the sauce is built from them, not from flour.
- Hands-off after the first 30 minutes: Once it is in the oven, it cooks itself.
- Better the next day: Like all braises, it improves overnight.
Why it works: The onions are cooked down slowly until their sugars caramelize and their moisture evaporates. This gives the sauce its body without flour. The paprika is added off the heat so it does not burn — burnt paprika is bitter and there is no way to fix it.
Recipe Overview
Prep: 25 min | Cook: 135 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Main | Origin: Austrian
Detailed Method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Preparing the Ingredients – 20 min
Equipment: Cutting board, sharp knife
1. Peel and finely chop the onions — they should be small, about ¼ inch. Cut the beef into 1¼-inch cubes. Finely chop the garlic. Measure out the paprika, caraway and marjoram into a small bowl and mix them together.
VKB: The onions are uniform in size — no large pieces that will still be crunchy after two hours of cooking. The beef cubes are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
Before you continue:
Do not wash the beef. Pat it dry with paper towels. Wet meat will steam instead of brown.
Phase 2: Cooking the Onions – 25 min
Equipment: Large heavy Dutch oven (5 quart)
2. Melt the lard in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook them slowly for 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until they are soft, golden and reduced to about a third of their original volume.
VKB: The onions are pale golden, completely soft, and reduced to a thick jam-like paste. There is no liquid left in the pan.
Before you continue:
Do not brown the onions. Browned onions make the sauce bitter. Keep the heat at medium and stir often.
Phase 3: Browning the Beef – 15 min
Equipment: Heavy Dutch oven, tongs
3. Push the onions to the side of the Dutch oven. Increase the heat to high. Add the beef cubes in a single layer and brown them on all sides — about 6 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. Do not stir too often — let them develop a crust.
VKB: The beef cubes are dark brown on all sides, with no gray patches. The bottom of the pan has a layer of dark brown fond.
Before you continue:
Do not overcrowd the pan. If you put too much meat in at once, it will steam instead of brown. Brown in two batches if necessary.
Phase 4: Adding the Paprika – 5 min
Equipment: Dutch oven, wooden spoon
4. Take the Dutch oven off the heat. Add the garlic and the paprika mixture and stir well. The residual heat will bloom the paprika without burning it. Add the tomato paste and stir again. Deglaze with the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
VKB: The paprika has turned the mixture a deep, rusty red. It smells sweet and warm, not acrid or bitter.
Before you continue:
Never add paprika to a hot pan. It burns in seconds and there is no way to fix the bitterness. Always take the pan off the heat first.
Phase 5: Slow Braising – 120 min
Equipment: Dutch oven with lid, oven
5. Return the beef and onions to the Dutch oven. Add the hot stock, bay leaves and half of the salt. Cover with a lid and transfer to a preheated oven at 325 °F. Braise for 120 minutes, stirring once every 30 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender.
VKB: After 120 minutes, a fork slides into the beef with almost no resistance. The sauce has reduced and thickened. It coats the back of a spoon.
Before you continue:
If the sauce looks too thin at the end, remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes to reduce it. If it looks too thick, add a splash of hot stock.
Phase 6: Finishing and Serving – 5 min
Equipment: Warm bowls, sour cream (optional)
6. Season the goulash with the remaining salt and the black pepper. If you like, stir in a spoonful of sour cream just before serving. Serve in warm bowls with a hard roll on the side.
VKB: The goulash is thick and glossy, the meat is tender and the sauce clings to the spoon. It smells of paprika and slow-cooked onion.
Required Equipment
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Dutch oven with lid | 5 quart, cast iron or enameled | Large ovenproof pot | Thin pots scorch the onions at the bottom |
| Wooden spoon | 12 inch | Silicone spatula | Metal spoons scratch the enamel |
| Sharp knife | 8 inch chef’s knife | Any sharp kitchen knife | A blunt knife crushes the meat instead of cutting it |
Shopping List
Nutritional Profile
Values per portion (without side dish). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 159 kcal | 445 kcal | 2670 kcal |
| Fat | 7.9 g | 22 g | 132 g |
| of which saturated | 3.6 g | 10 g | 60 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5.0 g | 14 g | 84 g |
| of which sugars | 3.2 g | 9 g | 54 g |
| Protein | 14.3 g | 40 g | 240 g |
| Salt | 0.9 g | 2.6 g | 15.6 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro Level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with exact ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use beef chuck or shin, not top round. These cuts have more collagen, which turns into gelatin and gives the sauce its body.
- Tip 2: Cook the onions until they are a thick jam. This is what gives the goulash its depth. Do not rush this step.
- Tip 3: Take the pan off the heat before adding paprika. Burnt paprika is bitter and there is no way to fix it.
- Tip 4: Goulash is better the next day. Cool it overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
Scientific Background
Beef chuck and shin contain a lot of collagen — the protein that holds muscle fibers together. Collagen does not dissolve in water at low temperatures, but at 160–175 °F it slowly turns into gelatin. That is why long braising makes these cuts tender. The onions, meanwhile, provide body to the sauce. When they cook down, their cell walls break and their sugars caramelize, giving the sauce a natural thickness without flour. The paprika provides color and flavor compounds that dissolve in fat, which is why it is bloomed in the lard rather than added to the liquid.
Fine Dining – Professional Techniques
- Plate composition: Spoon the goulash into a warm shallow bowl. Place a hard roll on the side. Add a scoop of sour cream on top.
- Texture contrasts: The soft meat and thick sauce against the crisp bread roll.
- Temperature contrast: Serve the goulash hot and the sour cream cold.
- Aromatic additions: A few fresh marjoram leaves on top of the sour cream.
Sensory Radar
- Appearance: Deep rusty red sauce, dark chunks of beef, a white swirl of sour cream.
- Aroma: Sweet paprika, slow-cooked onion, a hint of caraway.
- Taste: Rich, savory, slightly sweet from the onions, with a warm paprika finish.
- Texture: The beef falls apart under a fork. The sauce is thick but not gluey.
Pairing
- BEER: Vienna lager, Märzen, or a dark bock.
- WINE: Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, or a light Cabernet Franc.
- SOFT DRINK: Sparkling water, or apple cider.
Preparation Variations
- With smoked paprika: Replace half the sweet paprika with smoked paprika for a deeper, woodier flavor.
- With potatoes: Add 1¼ lb of waxy potatoes, cut into chunks, in the last 30 minutes of cooking. They thicken the sauce and make the dish a one-pot meal.
Allergens and Dietary Information
Contains: Milk (sour cream, optional), gluten (bread roll) • Gluten: Yes (in the bread) • Not suitable for: Vegan, vegetarian, lactose intolerance (without the sour cream)
Suitable For
Sunday dinner, family dinner, winter warmer, meal prep
Substitution Catalogue
- Beef chuck: Beef shin (more collagen, richer sauce) or beef brisket (fattier)
- Lard: Clarified butter or vegetable oil
- Sour cream: Crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
FAQ
What is the difference between Wiener Gulasch and Hungarian goulash?
Wiener Gulasch uses more onion, less paprika and often a touch of vinegar or lemon zest. It is a richer, less spicy stew, usually served with a hard roll rather than with potatoes.
Why is my goulash bitter?
Usually from burning the paprika. Add the paprika off the heat and stir it in quickly, then add liquid straight away.
Can I make it without paprika?
You can, but it will not be goulash. Paprika is the defining ingredient. If you cannot eat paprika, try a beef stew instead.
How do I thicken the sauce?
If the sauce is too thin after 2 hours, remove the lid and cook for another 10–15 minutes to reduce it. If it is still too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it in, then cook for 5 more minutes.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Use a 6-quart Dutch oven and double the onions. The cooking time stays the same. • 10+ people: Make it a day ahead. The flavor improves and reheating is simple.
Side Dishes and Serving
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 3 months • Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove at low heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 30 Sep 2026
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Most Common Mistakes
- Burning the paprika – Paprika burns in seconds and turns bitter. Add it off the heat and stir it in quickly.
- Browning the onions – Browned onions make the sauce bitter. Cook them slowly until soft and golden, not dark.
- Not cooking the onions long enough – They need at least 25 minutes to break down. Rushed onions leave the sauce thin.
- Adding cold liquid – Always add hot stock. Cold liquid shocks the meat and makes it tough.