How to make Gulasch and knödel from Germany

Ever wondered how to get the authentic taste of Gulasch and knödel from Germany? Well, you are in luck. Carolyn of Holidays to Europe is sharing a very real experience with us.

With a German-born husband, I’ve been fortunate to taste many of the dishes of his country of birth and one of my favourites, and one I make often, particularly in winter, is beef goulash served with bread dumplings (known as knödel in German).

The dish is a winter staple in Germany, Austria and Hungary as it makes a hearty meal but is relatively easy to prepare.  You do need to start preparation a few hours in advance but the results are well worth the effort.

This is my mother-in-law’s recipe and it gets a tick of approval every time I make it.

Beef Goulash or Gulasch 

Ingredients

• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 2 cups of water
• 750g to 1kg of stewing steak cut in 1cm cubes
• Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method for cooking Gulasch 

• Heat some oil in a large saucepan then add the chopped onions and cook until soft.  Add the capsicum, sweet paprika, tomato paste and water and bring to the boil.
• Add steak and return to the boil then simmer for 2 to 3 hours until steak is very tender.
• Season with salt and pepper before serving with knödel.

How to make

Ingredients

• 1 day-old breadstick cut into 1cm squares
• 2 or 3 eggs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 rashers of bacon, chopped
• ½ cup milk
• Small bunch of parsley or chives, chopped
• Plain flour (amount required varies)

Method

• Place chopped bread into a large mixing bowl.
• Heat some oil in a frying pan and sauté the chopped onion and bacon.  Remove from heat and add to bread.
• Warm milk in a pan, then add all ingredients together.  Add some plain flour if needed to make the mixture firm.  Roll into tennis ball-sized balls.
• Boil in a large pot of boiling water for approximately 10 minutes.

So, now you know How to make Gulasch and knödel from Germany. I am hungry.