Slow Cooker Goulash with Scallion Knödeln

Some Hungarian Inspiration

It’s been a little while since we cooked something inspired by “1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die”*, by Mimi Sheraton – our Guidebook.  But it’s cold outside and Mary wanted a meal that was warm and filling for a cold winter night. She settled on goulash, a traditional Hungarian dish that is made throughout Europe.

Mimi talks about goulash, or “gulyas” on page 392 – “Gulyas of All Sorts”.  This rich, hearty stew dates back to the 9th Century. “Gulya” in Hungarian translates to “shepherd”, reflecting the dish’s history as a meal often cooked on the move by sheep herders. A predominant feature in goulash, which separates it from other stews, is the inclusion of paprika.  Mimi notes that Christopher Columbus brought paprika chiles from the New World to Europe, and the Hungarians now grow the most “highly prized” paprika.  

Since Mimi did not include a recipe for goulash, we had to find one elsewhere.  Mary found a recipe for an Austrian version – “Slow Cooker Goulash with Scallion Knödeln” in Molly Yeh’s cookbook / memoir “Molly On The Range”.

Yay for Molly Yeh!

If you want an honest interpreter of the food from another culture, my vote goes to Molly Yeh.  Her last name is pronounced “Yay!”, which is a fitting one word synopsis of her positive outlook and unique personality.  Molly is a young woman of Chinese / Jewish heritage, a Julliard-trained percussionist with an amazing sense of humor and wonder about the world. 

Molly also has her own TV show, “Girl Meets Farm” on the Food Network.

The recipes in “Molly On The Range” reflect her wide ranging interest in foods of all types from a multitude of cultures.  On one page you’ll find “The Ideal Hole in the Middle”, her take on what many folks know as “Toad In the Hole” or “Eggs in a Basket” – an egg fried in a hole cut in a piece of grilled toast.  Molly’s version gets seasoned with “Tabasco sauce and a sprinkling of za’tar and sumac or a smashed avocado”. Later in the book you find instructions on how to make Asian Scotch Eggs, which are coated in her family’s potsticker recipe.  Our favorite recipe is Tater Tot Chicken Pot Hotdish, a variation of the traditional Minnesota hotdish casserole that “has the body of a chicken pot pie” covered with tater tots, arranged with loving OCD care in rows and columns on top.  Make that and you will rock your next pitch in (or “pot luck”, if you’re not from the midwest).

Making the goulash

Molly’s recipe for “Slow Cooker Goulash with Scallion Knödeln” is one of those meals that makes a big mess at the very start.  The first step is browning two pounds of beef in a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.

This generated a thin film of oil over the entire stovetop.  We put up a barrier behind the burners to protect the backsplash but did not realize we needed something on the floor, too. The hardwood floor became a “slip ‘n slide” for adults!

The other ingredients for goulash were onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, caraway seeds, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, red wine and, of course, paprika.  Mary put it all in the Instant Pot and set the timer for 8 hours on low heat.

The Instant Pot is a new addition to our kitchen, and we immediately found a problem with this method of cooking – the Instant Pot traps all of the cooking aromas.  When you’re cooking in a Crockpot, you expect to live with, and be tormented by the enticing smells all day. Not so with the Instant Pot. It’s got a great seal, so no odors escape.  Without the smell to reassure her that the dish was cooking as planned, Mary had a few minutes of worry. “What happens if we open it up after 8 hours and it’s not done?”  

The good news was that the goulash was mostly done when she opened the Instant Pot later in the day, but the meat was still not tender enough.  Mary turned the heat up to high and cooked it under pressure for five more minutes. The result was a hot, rich soup with large chunks of tender beef and delicious bits of carrot and onion.  (Note in the cook book: Next time, cook it on low for 10 hours.)

European dumplin’s

Molly’s recipe also called for scallion knödeln.  Knödel, pronounced “noodle”, are boiled dumplings frequently found in Central and Eastern European cuisine.  They come in many varieties, made from bread or potatoes. Molly’s version uses cubes of bread combined with eggs, milk, scallions and Swiss or Gruyere cheese.  (Mary used Gruyere.) We were both raised in the southern US, where “chicken and dumplin’s” is a cultural favorite, but not in our homes. Neither of us had eaten it more than once or twice.  

Making the knödeln was easy enough.  Mary tore up 12 ounces of bread and toasted it in the oven, then mixed it in a large bowl with the other ingredients.  She was initially concerned that there was not enough liquid to make all the dry ingredients combine, but after sitting for 15 minutes, the dough was easily formed into 2” balls.  These were boiled for about 15 minutes.

• 

• 

This is real kényelmes étel (that’s “comfort food” in Hungarian)

The first spoonful of goulash fooled us.  We both thought it was too thin. But the second bite was better, and the third better still.  The soup was rich and flavorful, with the savory beef and the well cooked vegetables. After a few more bites, Mary said she felt an incredible sense of calm come over her as she ate.  “This is a really beautiful soup”, she said. “I’m sad for anyone who will never eat it.”

The knödeln were moist and savory, with a slightly liquid consistency.  Our first impression was that they might need a bit of cornstarch to thicken them, but again we were mistaken.  

The recipe made eight servings, so we had it for several days.  The goulash was just as good reheated on the second night as it was on the first. We microwaved the knödeln and found they stood up to the soup well, not getting soggy and dissolving as we thought might happen.  

Our conclusion: This one’s a keeper! We’ll figure out a way to control all the oil in the first step and will definitely enjoy this recipe again!

---

The Recipe

Slow Cooker Goulash with Scallion Knödeln

From “Molly On The Range: Recipes and Stories from An Unlikely Life on a Farm”*, by Molly Yeh.

Ingredients

For the Goulash:

• 2 pounds chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosh salt and black pepper
• Flavorless oil, for cooking the beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups vegetable or beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 can or carton (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes
• Chopped scallions or parsley (optional) for serving

For the Scallion Knöedln:

Makes 8 Knöedln

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 12 ounces stale bread, cut or torn into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 6 ounces Swiss or Gruyere cheese, shredded

Directions

For the Goulash:

Season the beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few turns of pepper. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil (a few tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, adding more oil to the pan if it dries out. Transfer the beef to a large slow cooker.

Drain off some of the fat from the skillet if needed (you want there to be just a light coating) and add the onion, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, tomato paste, and caraway seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker along with the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, broth, wine, and tomatoes and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10, until the beef is tender.

About 30 minutes before serving the goulash, make the knöedln. To serve, ladel the goulash into bowls and add a knöedl. Top with chopped scallions or fresh parsley, if desired.

Note: If you’d like to make this on the stove, use a large Dutch oven or pot and simmer it, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

For the Knöedln:

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, salt, and a few turns of pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the bread cubes, scallions, and cheese and stir to combine. Mixin the flour mixture and let sit for 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a 1/3-cup ice cream scoop, form firmly packed balls of the mixture and boil them until firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

---

---

* All links to books are direct to Amazon.com. At the time of this writing (February, 2020), we receive no affiliate payment if you buy a copy. If that changes in the future, we’ll let you know.