Hungarian Goulash

Background

Goulash is a dish of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. It originated in Hungary, is one of Hungary's national dishes and a national symbol, and is common throughout Central Europe. According to English Wikipedia, the name comes from the Hungarian “gulyás”: “gulya” means a herd of cattle, and “gulyás” means a herdsman. Its roots go back to the stews eaten by Hungarian herdsmen in the 10th century: the cooked and seasoned meat was dried and packed into bags made from sheep's stomachs, and water was simply added when it was eaten. Early goulash contained no paprika, because peppers only reached Europe in the 16th century. In Hungary, “gulyás” generally means a soup (gulyásleves); the thick stew commonly found abroad is closer to Hungarian “pörkölt”. In 2017 goulash soup was added to the list of “Hungarikums” (Hungarian national treasures).

Local customs

• Order "gulyásleves" at a Hungarian restaurant and you get a red soup with chunks of beef, potato and carrot, often served as a starter or light meal with bread
• at outdoor festivals it is cooked over a fire in a large iron kettle (bogrács)
• some places serve it in a hollowed-out bread loaf.

Religion & beliefs

• Goulash has nothing to do with religion
• it represents the culture of Hungarian herdsmen and national identity, and was championed as the national dish when national consciousness rose in the 19th century. Goulash is mostly made with beef, but some versions use pork or lard, so visitors with religious dietary requirements should check first.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Traditional restaurants (vendéglő) in Budapest, the snack stalls on the second floor of the Central Market Hall and many cafés serve goulash soup
• a bowl takes about half an hour and makes a good lunch. You can combine it with the Central Market Hall, Liberty Bridge, Fisherman's Bastion and a walk along the Danube. Dietary notes: goulash is usually made with beef, but there are pork versions too, so ask first if you don't eat pork
• some add pinched noodles (csipetke), which contain gluten and egg
• paprika comes in sweet and hot varieties, and if you dislike spice you can ask for no hot paprika. The Central Market Hall is closed on Sundays—check official announcements. Prices and opening hours are as set by each shop
• popular old establishments often have queues, so avoiding peak mealtimes is more relaxed.