This is a paprika-heavy ground beef stew finished in the oven, served over fresh egg dumplings you make in about 10 minutes. It takes just over an hour start to finish and puts a genuinely filling, high-protein meal on the table for four people. The spaetzle is easier than pasta and far more satisfying alongside a saucy stew than rice or bread would be.
Before you start
Two things actually matter here. First, browning the beef properly before adding anything else — a minute or two over medium-high heat until you see color, not grey steaming meat. That browning builds the savory base the whole dish depends on, and it won’t happen once the onions and liquid go in. Second, the spaetzle batter needs to be loose and pourable, not stiff like bread dough. If it holds a peak, add a splash more milk. A batter that’s too thick clogs the colander holes and gives you lumps instead of the irregular, sauce-catching dumplings you want. Get those two things right and the rest of the recipe is straightforward.
Shopping notes
- Hungarian paprika: This is the one ingredient worth seeking out rather than substituting. Standard grocery-store paprika is much milder and less complex. Look for it in European delis, international grocery stores, or online. Sweet Hungarian paprika is the right type for this recipe.
- Passata: Passata is smooth, uncooked tomato purée — not tomato paste. If you can only find crushed tomatoes, blend them briefly or use them as-is for a slightly chunkier result. Either works fine.
- Ground beef fat content: 80/20 (chuck) works well here. The oven braise renders out excess fat, and the richness carries the paprika. Very lean beef can turn dry over 30–40 minutes in the oven.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the water added to the passata container: The recipe tells you to rinse the can or jar with water and add it to the pan. If you skip this, the goulash will likely scorch on the oven floor or come out paste-thick rather than saucy enough to coat the spaetzle.
- Overcrowding the spaetzle in the pot: Cook the batter in two or three batches. Too much batter at once drops the water temperature sharply and the dumplings stick together before they float. A slotted spoon and a warm bowl nearby keeps things moving.
- Letting the spaetzle sit too long before serving: Fresh spaetzle clumps as it cools. Toss it with a small knob of butter right after draining if you’re not plating immediately — skip the garnish parsley if you want one less step, it adds nothing the paprika doesn’t already cover.
- Not tasting the goulash before it goes into the oven: Paprika quantity and passata acidity vary by brand. Taste after adding the tomato and water, and adjust salt now — seasoning after a long braise is less effective.
- Opening the oven lid repeatedly: Every time you lift the lid during the 30–40 minute braise you lose steam and slow the cook. Put it in, set a timer, leave it alone.
Storage and reheating
The goulash keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and actually tastes better on day two once the paprika has had time to settle into the sauce. Reheat it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen it, stirring occasionally — it thickens considerably when cold. The goulash also freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Spaetzle is best made fresh, but leftover cooked spaetzle can be refrigerated for 2 days and pan-fried in a little butter to reheat, which actually improves the texture by adding a light crisp to the outside.
Satisfying Goulash With Homemade Spaetzle
Ingredients
Goulash Ingredients
500 grams ground beef (minced beef)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 pinches salt
2 medium green pepper (green capsicum)
3 tablespoons paprika - Hungarian
2 tablespoons dried parsley
500 grams passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed)
2 sprigs parsley
Spaetzle Ingredients
4 medium eggs
⅓ cup milk- 2 teaspoons salt
2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
1 teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Goulash Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Dice up your onion and peppers.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. If you have a pan with a lid that can go into the oven, this would be a good tip and less washing up later.
- When your oil is hot, add your beef and seal them up. This takes 1 to 2 minutes until they are nice and brown.
- Add your onions, pepper and salt to your beef and cook until translucent.
- Now, add your peppers, paprika and dried parsley, making sure you coat your meat well. Fry for about another 2 minutes.
- Now add your tomato puree to the pan. Fill up the puree can/jar with water and add this to your pan as well.
- Make sure you stir well and taste. Add salt or pepper to your taste. Once the mixture is boiling, put on the lid and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Once done, chop up your fresh parsley and add it over the goulash.
Spaetzle Ingredients
- Boil a large pot of water and add a good pinch of salt to it. Like you would when cooking pasta.
- In a mixing bowl, mix your eggs, milk and salt.
- Once everything is mixed, start adding the flour bit by bit and mixing it further until it is combined well. If the mixture seems runny, don’t worry this is how it should be – think and smooth.
- When the water is boiling, take a colander and hold it over the water. Add some of the spaetzle batter through the botte holes of the colander into the water. Don’t do all of the batter at once. Doing it in portions might make this more manageable.
- The spaetzle is done when it floats. Spoon it out with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
- Add some nutmeg, pepper, and fresh parsley once the spaetzle is cooked.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make this on the stovetop instead of finishing it in the oven?
Yes — keep the lid on and simmer over low heat for 30–40 minutes instead. Stir every 10 minutes or so to prevent the bottom from catching, since stovetop heat is less even than the oven.
How do I know the ground beef is fully cooked?
Ground beef needs to reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). In this recipe the oven braise runs long enough that temperature is not a concern if the meat was properly browned first, but if you want to check, a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the stew should read at least 160°F before you serve it.
I don’t have a colander with large enough holes for the spaetzle. What else can I use?
A spaetzle maker is the easiest tool if you have one, but a box grater with large holes held over the pot works well. You can also use a zip-lock bag with one corner snipped off to pipe small drops of batter directly into the water.
Can I make the spaetzle batter ahead of time?
Yes, up to a few hours ahead. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it. Give it a good stir before using since it can settle slightly, and add a teaspoon of milk if it has thickened up.
Is 3 tablespoons of paprika really correct — that seems like a lot?
It is correct, and it’s what gives the goulash its depth and color. Hungarian paprika is much milder than chili powder, so the quantity is appropriate. If you’re using a generic supermarket paprika, taste as you go and reduce slightly if needed.
What can I serve alongside this to make it go further for a larger group?
A simple green salad or steamed green beans alongside adds volume without competing with the stew. Crusty bread also works well for mopping up the sauce if you’ve run out of spaetzle.
If you liked this one
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
- Wild Game Stroganoff Reimagined
