This gluten-free beef goulash recipe is a cozy winter meal you'll want on a cold day. Served over warmed gluten-free noodles with a dollop of sour cream, it's a warm and hearty gluten-free dinner!
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About This Gluten-Free Goulash Recipe
Gluten-free beef goulash is another travel-inspired recipe here on The Nomadic Fitzpatricks. Not authentic, but my take or twist on this beef stew that originates in Eastern Europe. This is a recipe that has been made in my family for many years, and after tweaking it a bit, I've found a way to enjoy it in gluten-free form. Plus, you can also make this dairy-free, provided you substitute a few ingredients (more of which I will share below).
This hearty stew combines beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and lots of paprika. It cooks for a good 2-3 hours on low heat so the meat gets nice and tender. It goes well over gluten-free noodles or pasta, or even with a side of potatoes and vegetables. This gluten-free beef goulash will make your house smell cozy and comforting, and it's also great for entertaining!
Ingredients You Will Need For Beef Goulash
Unsalted Butter (Not pictured): This will be the fat that we brown the onions, garlic, and beef. You can substitute olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil if you can't do dairy.
Onions: Onions will give sweetness and liquid to the goulash. I use yellow onions or Spanish onions.
Paprika: The primary spice in beef goulash. This doesn't make it spicy, but definitely adds heat and flavor. If you can find it, a good quality, Hungarian paprika makes this taste even better. Or, just use the Paprika you have on hand in your spice cabinet (I use McCormick. Their single spice blends are gluten-free). You'll want regular paprika, not smoked or spicy.
Salt: Only a small amount of salt is used in this recipe - ½ teaspoon. Feel free to add more if you like.
Garlic: I use 2 cloves of garlic here, minced. If you're a garlic aficionado, add more. You do you.
Beef Chuck: The star of gluten-free goulash! DON'T BUY PACKAGES LABELED 'STEW MEAT' AT THE GROCERY STORE. This is usually leftover bits and chunks of meat they have available, which they package and put a price on it. Don't buy this! You'll want beef chuck, which when cooked for a long time at a low temperature, becomes mouthwateringly tender. That's what we want! We'll use 2 pounds of beef chuck, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Please note: the pieces of beef chuck at the grocery store can be fatty, so when cutting it at home, you may find that you're actually throwing a way quite a bit. Buy more than 2 pounds in the grocery store so if you end up discarding pieces or trimming away fat, you're still left with 2 pounds to cook. Don't do what I did and end up with about a pound because you didn't think ahead (Ha!)
Gluten-Free Flour: I use Cup4Cup multipurpose flour, my go-to gluten-free flour for baking and cooking. More on that below. And to be honest, I've experimented with dredging and not dredging the meat in gluten-free flour when recipe testing this gluten-free goulash, and I have to admit, I liked it better with dredging. We only use a very small amount of gluten-free flour here - lightly tossing and coating them, and shaking off the excess before browning. This will help the sauce of the goulash to thicken as it cooks. Be mindful that your gluten-free flour might stick to the bottom of your pan as you brown your meat, so keep adding an additional 1 tablespoon of butter at a time to prevent this.
Canned Tomatoes: 2 cups of canned tomatoes. I use the petite diced of whatever is on sale. Remember to drain the tomatoes, as we won't need the juice!
Tomato Paste: This will help give us more of a concentrated tomato flavor in the goulash, while also helping to thicken the liquid.
Gluten-Free Pasta, for serving: I like Jovial or Barilla noodles to serve this over! You can do a short noodle or a long one, but either way, it will be delicious. If you aren't sure which gluten-free pasta brands are worth buying, check out this post. I really love having this over Jovial's egg tagliatelle, if you can find it!
Sour Cream, for serving: By far my favorite part of the meal is getting a huge spoonful of sour cream to mix everything all together- gluten-free noodles, beef goulash, and sour cream. I use Lactaid as I am slightly lactose-intolerant, and then don't have to feel bloated later!
How To Make Gluten-Free Goulash
To make gluten-free beef goulash, the most steps will be at the beginning of the recipe. Then, you can leave the goulash to cook and go about the rest of your day!
First, you'll melt the butter and cook the onions for 10 minutes in a thick, heavy-bottom pot, like a Dutch oven. This is important so the onions, don't burn while cooking. The onions will release their juices while they cook, and start to add yummy brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Then you'll add the garlic, salt, and paprika, and stir to combine for just a minute or two, before removing the onions with a slotted spoon to a plate and setting them aside.
Next, you'll brown the beef chucks that have been lightly dredged in gluten-free flour in batches, being sure to not crowd the pan. This will help the beef cook evenly. As each batch browns, remove to a plate, and continue browning until all of the beef is browned. We're not cooking the beef completely, just browning the outside. It will finish cooking later.
Finally, you'll add all of the beef back into the pot, along with the canned tomatoes (drain first, we don't need the juice, there will be plenty of liquid), tomato paste, and all the onions from before. Stir to combine, lower the heat to a simmer, and leave it to cook for 2 ½ - 3 hours.
You can check the goulash from time to time and give it a stir, but you really don't have to. It's one of those "set it and forget it" type recipes (Cue the 90's infomercial).
Gluten-Free Flour For Beef Goulash
Gluten-Free Flour: I use Cup4Cup multi-purpose gluten-free flour for this recipe. It is my #1 choice for cookies, pastries, and yeast-based baked goods, as well as thickening soups, sauces, and stews. Cup4Cup has given me great success in the kitchen over the last eight years, helping me to create delicious croissants, empanadas, naan, chocolate chip cookies, pierogi, bagels, as well as homemade macaroni and cheese.
Based on my own experience, I believe that GF Jules, Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, or King Arthur Measure For Measure would also work well to thicken the gravy of the goulash. Please note, that you do not have to dredge the beef pieces in gluten-free flour, this is optional! I've made it both ways and have found that with the flour, the sauce tends to be a little thicker.
Can I Make This Dairy-Free?
Yes, of course! Just make sure to use a gluten and dairy-free flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, or King Arthur Measure For Measure. My go-to blend for baking is Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour, but it does contain milk powder. You'll also want to use cooking oil, like olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil, for browning the onions, garlic, and meat, but be mindful it doesn't start to smoke or burn, and would need dairy-free sour cream for serving if you choose.
Tips For Making Gluten-Free Goulash
Use a Thick Pot. Gluten-free goulash is going to cook for 2-3 hours, and we don't want the beef or onions to burn. Use a pot with a thick, heavy, bottom to make sure this doesn't happen. I love my Dutch oven and use it for these kinds of stews and beef recipes.
Good Paprika. If you can find it, Hungarian paprika is of higher quality than the paprika in the spice aisle. Often I've seen it at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Good quality ingredients will add more depth of flavor and more yumminess to your recipes!
Low and Slow. The point of gluten-free beef goulash and why it tastes so good is that it cooks low and slow - at a low temperature, slowly, for a number of hours. Be patient with goulash and know that the end result will be worth it. Don't rush it!
Can I Make This Without Dredging The Meat In Gluten-Free Flour?
Yes, you can! I've made it both ways, and the final result is still so tasty. However, I noticed the sauce of the goulash was thicker when the meat was lightly dredged in gluten-free flour before browning. You are welcome to skip the dredging in flour, and just brown the beef without it, but the sauce of the goulash may not thicken as much.
Please note that if you choose to dredge the meat, the gluten-free flour may stick to the bottom of the pan as you are browning. Make sure to add more butter 1 tablespoon at a time to prevent this and limit any burnt flour!
How To Store Goulash
Goulash should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and will last for 2-3 days. I do not have experience with freezing beef goulash, but you are welcome to try it! I would suggest storing it in a tightly sealed bag or container. When you are ready to eat, defrost in the refrigerator the day before, then reheat on the stovetop, or in a crockpot/Instant Pot.
How To Serve Beef Goulash
I love serving beef goulash over buttered gluten-free pasta noodles (egg noodles would be ideal, but those are hard to find, and I don't really feel like making pasta from scratch most days!) And of course, with some sour cream on top to mix in, it makes it like a creamy tomato beef stew. Yum! You can also serve this just as a protein and have it with some roasted vegetables on the side, or maybe a slice of gluten-free garlic bread to dunk in there. I'm drooling just thinking about goulash again!
I hope you love this gluten-free beef goulash recipe and it brings you comfort during the cold winter!
More Gluten-Free Soup & Stew Recipes
Try this gluten-free chicken noodle soup with a secret ingredient.
Enjoy lots of veggies in this no-meat vegetarian chili - made in the crockpot.
Get cozy with this equally scrumptious gluten-free beef stew, perfect over potatoes!
Discover all 100+ gluten-free recipes on the blog right here.
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Here's the recipe for gluten-free beef goulash!
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Beef Goulash
A hearty, travel-inspired stew with beef, onions, and tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large yellow or sweet onions, sliced thin
- 2 HEAPING Tablespoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup gluten-free flour, for dredging
- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, no juice (DRAIN before adding!)
- 2 Tablespoons canned tomato paste
- Gluten-Free pasta, for serving
- Sour Cream, for serving
Instructions
Melt the butter in a thick, heavy bottomed pot like a Dutch oven. When the butter is melted, add in the sliced onions and cook for 10-12 minutes over medium heat. We want the onions to sweat (release juices), and not burn. Stir in the paprika, salt, and minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Remove onions with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
Lightly coat the cubed beef pieces in the gluten-free flour and shake off excess. Brown these pieces in batches in the hot pan, removing them to a plate when browned. We are not cooking the beef completely, just browning the outside, as it will continue to cook later. Continue to brown beef in batches, removing pieces that are browned to a plate, until all beef has been browned. Watch the heat here, and lower as needed so nothing burns.
When all beef has been browned, return all the meat to the pot, along with the onions. Add the drained, diced tomatoes, the tomato paste, and give everything a big stir. Lower the heat and simmer (light, small bubbles), covered (with the lid on) for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Check periodically and stir once in a while, but really, just leave it as it will cook low and slow.
Around the 2 ½ hour mark, check a piece of beef for tenderness. We want the beef to be juicy and tender, so if it's perfect, turn off the heat. But if it's still tough (and perhaps your pieces were a bit larger), keep cooking and check at the 3 hour mark. Overcooking can lead to the meat drying out, so just be mindful once you've gone for 3 hours.
Serve over gluten-free pasta with butter, and sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Dredging is Optional: You don't have to dredge the beef in gluten-free flour, but it will make for a thicker sauce in the end.
Make it Dairy-Free: Use a gluten and dairy-free flour blend, substitute the butter for oil, and make sure your sour cream is dairy-free.
Storage: Store in the refrigerator sealed and covered for up to 2-3 days. Freeze in a sealed bag or container for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator the day before , then reheat on the stovetop or in a crockpot.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 354Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 125mgSodium 305mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 3gSugar 8gProtein 39g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Gluten-Free Beef Goulash Recipe
Have you ever had goulash?
Would you like to have this over pasta, or with potatoes and veggies?
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