Are you in a search for a perfect and easy to make comfort food recipe to warm you up in cold weather? How about goulash with smoked sausage and potatoes? This one pot Hungarian goulash has the yummiest sauce and is freezer friendly. In this post I will walk you through the process of how to make a mouth-watering stew slightly differently than usual.
This Hungarian style goulash truly has more flavor that you will ever guess. It’s a guaranteed way to make sure that every single bite of potatoes and sausage medallions disappears from your plate. This basic recipe is living proof that a few simple ingredients can create amazing results in the kitchen.
I’ll walk you through the best potatoes to use for goulash and how to achieve that perfect comforting stew aroma.
Goulash Basics
- Smoked sausage. As we all know they can make sausage out of different types of meat. In this recipe either chicken or pork sausage will do. In terms of what kind of smoked sausage works best here, I found that I prefer Italian style smoked sausage, even though andouille, kielbasa and even chorizo are easy to work with as well:).
- Potatoes. I always use red skin potatoes in this recipe because this type of potatoes do not disintegrate while cooking. You should not use russet potatoes here because they are way more starchy the the red potatoes and will make your stew look like a mush.
- How to cut your potatoes. Simply cut them in half, and then slice into ½ inch pieces as shown below.
What potatoes are good in goulash or stew
As I mentioned above I usually use red skin potatoes in my goulash. And I’ve been doing to for quite some time(ok, for many years). But I also successfully used Yukon Gold or whites as well as fingerlings.
What I do is wash the potatoes, peel them, and then chop them into ½ inch squares, skin on and then they are ready for the stew pot. Play around with the timing until you get the potatoes to turn out exactly how you like them. I find that 15 minutes of simmering with the lid on and 10 minutes with the lid off just does the trick for me.
Should I brown my smoked sausage?
First things first, let’s slice the sausage on the bias. Slice it at an angle into thin medallions. Then brown you sausage before starting the potatoes. Simply add a bit of olive oil in the large deep skillet and brown those sausage medallions away!
Once done, those sausage slices will become deep brown in color:
After your smoked sausage is nice and brown, you can caramelize those onions in butter and sausage drippings. So good!
Finally add sliced potatoes and chopped parsley to the pan with onions and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid closed. Then uncover, and let the potatoes to simmer for 10 more minutes.
Add sliced sausage back to the pan to reheat.
Substitutions
Chicken Stock: 1 ½ cups of chicken stock can be substituted for 1 cup of white wine and 1 chicken stock. If using wine, add it to the pan after onions and garlic. Let it simmer in the pan for about 1 minute. You can also use beef broth instead.
Potatoes: Not any type of potato can be used in this recipe. Red potatoes are a first choice since they are firm and have a waxy texture that’s ideal for stews. If you’re looking for a creamy texture, opt for Yukon Gold potatoes. We find red, yellow, or baby potatoes hold their shape best, which is what we want here. Russet or baking potatoes should not be used.
Can I make goulash ahead?
Yes! Always make enough stew for the next day, it is always better on day two. Do what I do. If I want the stew on Saturday, I make it on Friday and put it in the fridge until Tuesday. Try it for yourself and see if you prefer it the next day.
Enjoy!
You might also like
Creamy Chicken and Potatoes in Dijon Mustard
Creamy Cajun Chicken and Smoked Sausage Pasta
Goulash with Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 14-16 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press
- Salt, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1.5 to 2 pounds medium-size red skin potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½” thick circles (about 2 ¾ lbs)
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large deep skillet. Once the oil is hot, add in the smoked sausage medallions, and brown them for a few minutes until they become a deep brown color. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan add in the butter, and allow it to melt; add in the onions, and caramelize those in the butter and sausage drippings, about 5-7 minutes. Now add in the garlic, a couple of pinches of salt, the freshly cracked black pepper and the paprika, and stir to combine with the onions. Saute for two more minutes.
- Next, add in the sliced potatoes, chicken stock and parsley, and stir to combine. Cover the pan with a lid that and simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Then, uncover and allow the potatoes to continue to simmer for 10 more minutes, or until they are tender and the sauce a bit thickened, stirring once or twice during that time.
- Finally add the smoked sausage back into the pan, and add a couple more pinches of salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve hot
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
David says
Fantastic. I added green beans and my family loved the flavor. Would recommend. Not too heavy.
Olya says
Wonderful! Thank you
RACHEL says
Can I make in crocpot?
Olya says
Yes!
RC* says
What adjustments would would be needed to make in a crock pot/slow cooker??
Olya says
I would cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Susan says
I have a couple of russet potatoes to use up. Do you think this would work ok?
Olya says
Yes, they would work great!
Jannette says
Do you have to peel the potatoes or could you leave the skins on?
Olya says
Definitely peel them in order for the texture of goulash to come through.
Robert (Bob)Mullen says
Dear Olay, As I said yesterday, I just had to try this sausage goulash recipe….And I did. I used 16 oz. of Savoie’s Real Cajun Hickory Smoked Andoville Sausage. Just for a spicier touch. The results were perfect. My family raved their appreciation; Now, you need to know here I am with a Dutch-Irish heritage making an incredible Hungarian dish from your recipe. Thank you so much. Now, onto some of your other recipes, which I feel will be just as delicious.
Bob Mullen
Olya says
I am so excited you reported back successful results! And sounds like you nailed it.
Bob Mullen says
Okay, I’m a guy who likes to cook different meals. I found your web site and was really impressed with the variety of recipes. Thank you so much for posting them…I have book marked your page. I will start with the sausage goulash. Looks great!
Bob
Olya says
Thank you Bob – I am glad you are here! Goulash is an excellent choice!
Gabriella says
Love the recipe! Although many of my fellow Hungarians would call this “paprikás krumpli” (peppered potatoes), this is how I grew up knowing gulyás. I figured maybe it was just a thing in my village/family.
Gabriella says
I meant the difference being that not many people use sausage, but I love sausage (especially Csabai), so it seems like the only logical thing to add to a delicious gulyàs!
Olya says
I googled it -it’s a spitting image of this recipe. Wow! Thank you so much for making this and a 5-star rating!
Bette says
Thank you so much for answering my question!! My husband is a new diabetic and we are counting carbs. Most of your recipe that I have looked at are perfect for his carb count. Cant wait to make this one!!!
Olya says
I hope you both enjoy it!
Bette says
Just a quick question. The carb count for this recipe, does it include the potatoes? I just discovered your website and have loved all of the recipes that I have made so far. Thank you
Olya says
Bette – thank you for your question! It did not include potatoes – I am so sorry for this. I just updated the information and it’s 24 g. of carbs per serving INCLUDING potatoes.
Cheryl Howerton says
This was easy to make and very good.