Deliciously tender beef, slow cooked in a rich tomato broth flavoured with Sweet Hungarian Paprika and caraway seeds. Easy to make on your stove, slow cooker on Instant Pot and Slimming World Syn Free too!
½tspcayenne pepper(optional - use if you like a bit of spice)
2cups(500ml) beef stock (low sodium broth)
14oz(400g) chopped tomatoes
3carrots, roughly chopped
3potatoes, peeled and cubed (optional)
2red bell peppers, sliced
Salt and pepper to season
Soured cream to serve(optional)
Instructions
STOVETOP & OVEN METHOD
Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 160C /325F and set the shelf on lower third of the oven.
Heat a little olive oil (or use olive oil spray) in a large heavy lidded casserole dish. Gently cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until softened.
Turn the heat up slightly and add the caraway seeds, sliced garlic and salt. Add beef, in batches if necessary. Brown the beef for a couple of minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and add the paprika, stirring well to incorporate the aromatic spice into your meat.
Return the heat and add the beef stock, tomatoes and carrots.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour either on the stove over low heat or in a 160C /325F preheated oven.
Uncover and stir in the potatoes. Cover and cook for another hour.
Now add the peppers and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Check the seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with some soured cream and crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
INSTANT POT GOULASH
If you prefer a thicker stew add only 1 cup (250ml) beef stock
Select Sauté, heat the oil and cook the onions for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the garlic and caraway seeds. Sear the beef, in batches if necessary until sealed.
Add a splash of the stock to deglaze the pot. Stir in the paprika, carrots and potatoes.
Add the beef stock and top with the tomatoes (do not stir them in).
Set vent to sealing, cover and cook for 35 minutes at high pressure. Allow for 10 minutes Natural Release and then manually release.
Stir in the peppers and select Sauté again. Cook for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Check seasoning and serve as desired.
SLOW COOKER METHOD
If you prefer a thicker stew add only 1 cup (250ml) beef stock
Follow steps 1-5 of the stove method then transfer to the slow cooker adding the potatoes in as well. Cook on low for 7 hours without opening the lid.
Uncover and stir in the sliced peppers. Cook for 30 minutes or until the peppers have softened. Check the seasoning then serve.
Video
Notes
This recipe is gluten free, dairy-free, Slimming World - FREE, 13 WW SmartPoints
This stew freezes beautifully! Cool completely, portion into suitable containers and freeze for up to three months.
The stew will also keep for up to 4 days in the fridge with the flavours intensifying as time goes on. I always make a double batch just so I can have leftovers! ––––––
Please note I am not affiliated in any way with Slimming World or Weight Watchers. Syn values and SmartPoints are based on online calculators.
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Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.