Goulash soup is one of the best-known soups in Hungarian cuisine, made with beef, paprika and vegetables.

It originated in the countryside, where shepherds used to make it in a cauldron.

Goulash has the consistency of a soup, whilst the pörkölt is a thicker, juicier dish.

Gundel refined it and made it famous internationally.

At Gundel Restaurant, where the classic recipe is prepared in the traditional way.

Beef goulash soup is classically made from beef shanks. However, we use the best part of the animal, the fat-covered cheek meat, because the juicy meat adds a special flavour to the soup. The meat is cooked for 3 hours. The secret of the best goulash soup is the proportion and consistency of the root vegetables used. Noodles are prepared in the traditional way. The chopped refreshing greens add an exciting vibrancy to the rich flavour of the silky thick soup with every bite.

“Goulash is a soup-like dish made with plenty of broth, onions and paprika, served with diced potatoes and csipetke,” wrote Károly Gundel some time ago. He invented the restaurant version of goulash soup, basing it on the traditional paprika-flavoured goulash stew. He also popularised the recipe internationally, so the dish owes its great fame to the Gundel restaurant.

‘Hungarian goulash soup’ has been a Hungarikum since 2017. It is named after the greatest legend, Puskás, who is what most foreigners think of when they think of Hungary. Along with its close relatives, pörkölt and paprikash, goulash is one of the most important dishes, traditionally cooked in a bogrács. However, the method of preparing goulash soup, made from goulash, is quite different from that of the shepherds’ bogrács goulash. Traditional goulash soup is considered our national dish. According to Taste Atlas, it is the 16th best soup in the world.