👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well-seared on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.

   💡 Tip: Browning the meat in batches prevents overcrowding the pot, ensuring a good sear.
2. 2

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

   💡 Tip: Slowly cooking the onions caramelizes them, adding depth of flavor.
3. 3

   Stir in the sweet paprika, hot paprika, ground caraway seeds, and dried marjoram. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the paprika.

   💡 Tip: Toasting the spices briefly enhances their aroma and flavor.
4. 4

   Return the browned beef to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

   💡 Tip: Deglazing the pot with broth helps to incorporate all the flavorful browned bits into the soup.
5. 5

   Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Stir occasionally.

   💡 Tip: Low and slow simmering is crucial for tenderizing the beef.
6. 6

   Add the cubed potatoes and chopped bell pepper to the pot. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

   💡 Tip: Add vegetables in the last part of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy.
7. 7

   Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the goulash soup into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or Quark and fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.

   💡 Tip: A dollop of sour cream or Quark adds a creamy tang that complements the rich flavors.