Gulyásleves

What it really is

Gulyásleves is a Hungarian beef soup seasoned with paprika, usually containing potatoes and vegetables. It is a soup rather than the thick, concentrated stew often called goulash abroad.

Hungarian gulyásleves is a broth-rich beef soup, not a thick reduced stew. A familiar form uses onion, paprika, cubed potato and csipetke, small pinched pieces of dough; the broth is not thickened with a roux. The red paprika broth carries the beef and vegetables, with regional recipes varying in the additional vegetables and exact consistency. It is a well-known Hungarian soup. The beef-and-vegetable version does not always include csipetke, so menus should disclose wheat dough when it is added. Use “goulash soup” or explain the broth-based style to distinguish it from foreign dishes also called goulash.

Gulyásleves is a broth-based soup, though recipes vary. The paprika seasons the beef broth, while potato and any additional vegetables depend on the regional formula. Csipetke may be included or omitted, so the menu should say whether these small dough pieces are included. That detail affects both texture and wheat disclosure. A bread accompaniment, if offered, is separate from the soup itself.

How it's served

• Serve hot as a hearty soup, sometimes with bread.
• Keep the broth and vegetables distinct from a reduced beef stew.

How to write it on the menu

• Describe it as Hungarian beef soup and list the actual vegetables used.
• This page gives a general description; confirm the actual ingredients with the kitchen.