This healthy Goulash is based on a traditional Serbian stew of rich beef and vegetables. Similar to a casserole, it is delicious and super easy to make. Instead of topping with starchy dumplings, I’ve chosen to top with scalloped potatoes. This potato crust is sensational and gives the meal a good crunch – my kids try to pick out the most golden crispy slices from the top!
This is the perfect all-in-one meal. Protein, veggies and some carbohydrates and free from gluten, eggs and dairy. A one pot meal, perfect to have on the go for a busy afternoon.
Health benefits
This dish provides a great balance of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates with about 35g protein and 10g fibre per serve. The slow-cooked beef is rich in collagen and essential nutrients, while the vegetables add fibre and antioxidants to support overall health.
Ingredients
For this healthy, easy goulash recipe, you will need diced beef brisket or chuck steak, onions, cloves garlic, capsicum, carrots, celery, and a blend of Hungarian sweet paprika, oregano, and thyme. Tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and bone broth create a deep, rich flavour, while thinly sliced potatoes add a crispy topping.
How to make this delicious goulash
Slow-cook the beef, vegetables, and seasonings in a Dutch oven until tender. Increase the heat to thicken the sauce, then layer the dish with olive oil-coated potato slices and bake until golden. Make sure the potato is very thinly sliced or it wont cook through in the time we’ve suggested.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve with steamed greens for a complete meal. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer and reheated in a low oven until just hot.
Vary this goulash to suit your dietary needs
For an onion-free version, replace the onion with a small bulb of fennel. If using a slow cooker, adjust the liquid and cooking time based on your device’s instructions, and finish with the crispy potato topping in the oven for the best result.
For more delicious, healthy slow cooked dinner recipes, click HERE
Ingredients
- 800 g beef brisket or chuck steak – diced
- 1 onion/s – diced
- 3 clove/s garlic – minced
- 2 red capsicum/s – diced
- 2 carrot/s – diced
- 3 stick/s celery – diced
- 2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 ltr chicken broth or stock (4 cups)
- 4 potato/s – peeled
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- fresh parsley leaves – to serve
Serve
- 1 head/s broccoli (or any other green)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F (fan-forced).
- Place the beef, onion, garlic, capsicum, carrots, celery, herbs and spices, rapadura, tomato paste, balsamic and stock or broth into a Dutch oven or pot with a tight fitting lid, mix and cook for 90 mins with the lid on. You could also cover a casserole dish with foil (tightly) if you don’t have a Dutch oven.
- Remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F and cook for another hour. Check after 30 mins and if there is a lot of liquid, further increase the oven to 200°C/390°F to reduce and thicken.
- Slice potatoes very thinly with a mandoline or the side of your cheese grater, toss in olive oil and seasoning. Place on top of the stew and bake for 30 mins or until the potato is cooked through and golden brown.
Serve
- With steamed broccoli.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a low oven until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Slow Cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the speed and temperature varies between the many brands of slow cookers, base the amount of liquid you add and the cook time on a similar style of recipe in the guide book for your specific slow cooker. The general rule of thumb is to halve the liquid and double the cook time, but understanding your own slow cooker is the best guide.
- I would make the goulash in the slow cooker then top with the scalloped potatoes as per Step 4 for the best result.
Grab Bag Formula Method
- If you've done the **Grab Bag Formula Short Course, this is the method to convert this recipe…
- Place the beef, onion, garlic, capsicum, carrots, celery, herbs and spices, rapadura, tomato paste, balsamic and stock or broth into the Grab Bag.
- Carefully seal your grab bag. I close most of the seal then press out as much air as I can then complete the seal. Place the Grab Bag in the freezer.
- To cook, remove the Grab Bag from the freezer, place on a baking tray and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Tip the contents of the Grab Bag into a large oven proof dish (with a tight fitting lid) or Dutch oven. It may still be a bit frozen; that’s okay. Place the lid on the pot, set your oven to 150°C/300°F (fan-forced) and cook for 2 hours. Remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F and cook for another hour. Check after 30 mins and if there is a lot of liquid, further increase the oven to 200°C/390°F to reduce and thicken.
- Top with the scalloped potatoes as per Step 4 for the best result.
- ** The Grab Bag Formula Short Course is available to purchase for just AU$46 HERE.ORIf you are a full-access Well Nourished Family member, the course is included in your membership and you can access in the members portal – HERE.
Variations
Onion-free
Replace the onion with a small bulb of fennel.Let me know what you think of this deliciously rich stew.
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Renata Rafferty says
My husband was salivating from the aroma of this dish and then when he tried it, he just kept shaking his head in disbelief… it was amazingggggggg!
I’m vego so I actually made a smaller one with nutmeat and it was sooooo delicious!
Thankyou so much! This will be part of a regular in our household 😊
Georgia Harding says
So pleased it was a winner Renata for both of you ☺️ cheers for the 5 stars too G x
Kath Gilbert says
Flavours are sensational
The only thing I would do next time is thicken the liquid a little before topping with the potato as there was a lot of liquid and it was very thin.
Will definitely make again.
Thanks Georgia
Georgia Harding says
So glad you enjoyed it Kath. Perhaps increase your oven temperature a bit more once you take the lid off next time to thicken and reduce it further. It’s impossible to get the timing 100% accurate as every cooking vessel heats and cooks a bit differently so always worth using your judgement for the final reduction. G x
Annie says
The flavours are amazing and it’s really easy to make, perfect comfort food for the chilly wet Sunday we had in the mountains.
Luckily there was some left for lunch and we could enjoy it two days in a row!
Will definitely become one of our regular meals.
Xox
Georgia Harding says
Fabulous, so pleased you enjoyed it Annie and thanks for the 5 stars too G x
Rachel Knowles says
Fantastic thank you! I took a big risk making this as my son hates capsicums but it was loved by all. I didn’t do the potato part but followed the steps to use a slow cooker instead and it worked well.
Georgia Harding says
So pleased you (ad your son) loved it too Rachel, it’s fabulous comfort food for sure G x
Trish Cuthbert says
Loved this as did my husband ( who is usually a tough critique). I took the slow cooker option and put the pot in the oven for the potato cook – really enjoyed it. My son will be getting a serve delivered to him tomorrow 🧡🧡
Georgia Harding says
So glad it was a winner Trish G x
Rachel Schilling says
This one keeps coming back into our rotation.
Super easy, always magnificent in flavour and better the next day when hopefully there’s enough for left overs. I just love recipes that require so little preparation for such a wonderful meal.
We’ll soon be back in the sweltering QLD summer, so enjoying this while we can.
Georgia Harding says
So happy you love it Rachel, yes make the most of it for sure x
Jessica Denholm says
Absolutely delectable. Melt in your mouth meat.
Georgia Harding says
It’s a bit special this one, so pleased you enjoyed it G x
ROBYN CLARKE says
Oh my goodness, First time making this one. My husband kept asking…..when is dinner? Smells so good! Did not disappoint. The potato topping is a great addition.
Well Nourished Team says
Such a delicious recipe for sure, so glad you enjoyed 😊
Melinda Benstead says
Delicious! I ran out of broth so ended up using about 3 cups all up which seemed to work well! Had some leftover freshly grated Parmesan which I topped the potatoes with. Served with Brussels. Can’t wait for leftover tomorrow!
Well Nourished Team says
Delicious! ☺️
Kerrie Ryan says
Really delicious
Well Nourished Team says
Glad you loved the recipe Kerrie ☺️
Sharon Kinnear says
The method shown here is different to how I usually start a “stew” but this took less time and the outcome the same…..so a win!
A few changes I made were.
Used smoked sweet paprika, added chunks of potatoes into goulash at 90min mark instead of sliced spuds on top.
Well Nourished Team says
Sounds amazing Sharon, so happy to hear you loved it ☺️
Chantel Collins says
I think the first time I made this it was a flop because the potato on the top took forever to cook through. This time I didn’t have an oven and just needed something I could throw in the slow cooker. I added the potato into the stew at the start instead of on top at the end. Only halved the stock, same amount of everything else, but I waited until an hour left to throw in the capsicum hoping it wouldn’t disintegrate. Also added some chopped kale near the end because I needed to use it up. Topped with some greek coconut yoghurt as a DF replacement for sour cream, sprinkled with some chilli powder – because no dish is complete without some spice.
Sooo much better than I remember when I first tried the recipe! Looking forward to next winter to make a big batch up for cold nights spent in front of the fire.
Well Nourished Team says
Sounds like some great additions Chantel! So glad you tried the recipe again.