Czech Beef Goulash with Bread Dumplings

Czech beef goulash is a rich and comforting dish made with tender beef, slowly cooked onions and paprika. Unlike Hungarian goulash, the Czech version is usually thicker, less soupy and commonly served with soft bread dumplings that absorb the flavorful sauce.

This is an excellent family meal for colder days and tastes even better after resting, when the flavors become deeper and more balanced.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the beef goulash

• 1 kg beef chuck, cut into 4 cm cubes
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil or lard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 750 ml beef stock
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional
• 2 tablespoons cold water, optional
• Fresh parsley, for serving

For the bread dumplings

• 500 g all-purpose flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 250 ml warm milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 stale bread rolls, cut into small cubes
• Extra flour for shaping

Instructions

Prepare the goulash

1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the oil or lard in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
3. Brown the beef in batches. Do not overcrowd the pot. Transfer the browned meat to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions.
5. Cook the onions slowly for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and soft.
6. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Remove the pot briefly from the heat and stir in the sweet paprika, smoked paprika and caraway seeds. This prevents the paprika from burning.
8. Add the tomato paste and stir for one minute.
9. Return the beef to the pot.
10. Pour in the beef stock and add the bay leaves.
11. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the beef is very tender.
12. Stir occasionally and add a little extra stock or water if the sauce becomes too thick.
13. Add the marjoram during the final ten minutes of cooking.
14. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
15. For a thicker sauce, mix one tablespoon of flour with two tablespoons of cold water. Stir the mixture into the goulash and simmer for another five minutes.

Prepare the bread dumplings

1. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the warm milk and egg.
3. Mix until a soft dough forms.
4. Knead for approximately eight minutes, until smooth and elastic.
5. Gently knead in the bread cubes.
6. Cover the dough and let it rise for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size.
7. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
8. Shape each portion into a long oval loaf.
9. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil.
10. Add the dumpling loaves and cook for approximately 20 minutes, turning them halfway through.
11. Remove carefully and pierce each dumpling several times with a fork to release steam.
12. Slice using a sharp knife or clean kitchen thread.

Serve

Serve the hot beef goulash with several slices of bread dumpling.

Spoon plenty of sauce over the dumplings and garnish with fresh parsley.

Alya’s Kitchen Tips

The onions are essential to the sauce. Cooking them slowly until deeply golden creates sweetness, body and a richer color.

Add the paprika only after lowering the heat or briefly removing the pot from the stove. Burned paprika becomes bitter.

Beef chuck is ideal because it becomes tender during slow cooking while still holding its shape.

The goulash can be prepared one day in advance. Its flavor often improves overnight.

Storage

Store the goulash in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Store the bread dumplings separately and refrigerate them for up to three days.

Reheat the dumplings by steaming them briefly or warming the slices gently in the microwave.

The goulash can be frozen for up to three months, but the dumplings are best served fresh.