A Vegetarian Goulash is a thick spicy stew flavoured with smoked paprika. I've used mixed beans and vegetables which makes it hearty, filling and great comfort food. This goulash recipe is also vegan, gluten and dairy free, ready in under 30 minutes and uses lots of Fairtrade ingredients.
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People ask...
A goulash is a traditional Hungarian stew seasoned with paprika. Most commonly made with beef but vegetarian versions are becoming increasingly popular. Other vegetables that are sometimes added to a goulash are potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, peppers and tomatoes.
There is not alot of difference between a goulash and a chilli. Whilst both get their flavours from peppers, goulash has paprika added and chilli has chilli peppers or chilli powder plus other spices such as cumin for example.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- The most important ingredient in a goulash, is the paprika. You can't have a goulash without paprika and lots of it. I've used 2 - 3 tablespoons in the recipe and just to reassure you, yes that is tablespoons and not teaspoons. I use a sweet smoked paprika as I love the flavour but you can use another paprika.
- I use red onions in this recipe as they have a slightly sweet flavour that goes well with the sweet paprika. If you don't have red onions, you could use brown ones.
- Red peppers or yellow peppers work best. You should be aware that green peppers have a slightly bitter taste.
- As this is a quick vegetarian goulash recipe, I use cooked mixed beans rather than dried. You could use any tinned or canned pulses. Always drain and rinse them first before adding. Dried pulses need a much longer cooking time.
- Fresh parsley leaves give a lovely flavour and add some colour to the dish. If you don't have any, just leave it out altogether.
- This recipe is a great storecupboard staple. If you'd like more 'Storecupboard Staple' recipe inspiration, check out my collection.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time and just reheat it when ready. It will keep in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
- As a vegan alternative to soured cream and also to keep this completely dairy free if you need to, a vegan creme fraiche, organic oat cream or even plain soy yoghurt are good alternatives. I would stir in a dash of lemon juice and maybe even a little mustard to make it taste more sour. If you need to thicken it up, mix some cornflour into a paste and stir it in.
Other recipes for mixed beans
How to make it
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- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions and red peppers over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
- Stir in the sweet smoked paprika for 1 minute. Be careful not to leave the paprika any longer as over cooking can make it taste bitter.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock and sugar and season with salt and pepper and let it all simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the mixed beans and cook for 2 minutes until the beans are heated through. Stir through some fresh parsley and serve with your choice of toppings.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this vegetarian goulash with a jacket potato, baked in the oven so the skin is nice and crispy. You could also serve it with rice if you prefer or even fresh crusty bread. A spoonful of soured cream goes well as it provides a contrast to the slightly spicy flavour. For little children, you can stir the soured cream into their portion to tone down some of the spice if you need to. Grated cheese is also a great addition. I also like to serve this with green runner beans or a green salad to add some nice colour and extra nutrition.
Sustainability
Many of the ingredients in this vegetarian goulash can be bought Fairtrade. Olive oil, sweet smoked paprika, brown sugar, black pepper and mixed beans are now all available as Fairtrade products. Fairtrade is a global movement. It works to make a difference in the lives of the farmers who produce our food and ensures they are paid a fair price. As well as this, the Fairtrade movement works hard to tackle climate change and promote sustainable farming practices. Check out my most popular Fairtrade recipes.
Storage
A vegetarian goulash can be kept in the fridge for 2 days. It also freezes well for up to 6 months. If you are cooking it for freezing, just stir in the beans but don't cook them any further as freezing can soften the beans slightly. Just de-frost and re-heat the dish when you are ready.
More Tasty Vegan Recipes
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil organic, fairtrade
- 2 red onions organic, chopped
- 2 red peppers organic, de-seeded, diced
- 2 cloves garlic organic, peeled and crushed
- 2 - 3 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika fairtrade
- 800 g chopped tomatoes organic, use tinned
- 400 ml vegetable stock organic
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar organic, fairtrade
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade, freshly ground
- 1 dash salt
- 800 g mixed beans organic, fairtrade, tinned, drained and rinsed
- 4 tablespoon fresh parsley organic, chopped, to garnish (optional)
- 4 tablespoon fat free soured cream organic to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions and red peppers over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
- Stir in the sweet smoked paprika for 1 minute. Be careful not to leave the paprika any longer as over cooking can make it taste bitter.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. stirring occasionally
- Add the mixed beans and cook for 2 minutes until the beans are heated through.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves and serve
Notes
Tips
A goulash is all about the paprika. Don't miss this out or it won't be a goulash. The quantites in the recipe are tablespoons and not teaspoons. Use tinned or canned beans and make sure you drain and rinse them before adding.Serving Suggestions
Serve with a jacket potato, rice or fresh crusty bread. A spoonful of soured cream goes well as it provides a contrast to the slightly spicy flavour. For little children, you can stir the soured cream into their portion to tone down some of the spice if you need to. Grated cheese is also a great addition. I also like to serve this with green runner beans or a green salad to add some nice colour and extra nutrition.Storage
Keep in the fridge for 2 days. Freeze for up to 6 months. If you are cooking it for freezing, just stir in the beans but don't cook them any further as freezing can soften the beans slightly. Just de-frost and re-heat the dish when you are ready.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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