For many years, I have been making this hearty soup known as Goulash. It’s a well-filled soup and is a very filling one! Good any time of the year, this soup is especially tummy-warming on cold days.
This soup is not difficult to prepare but there are vegetables to chop which does take a bit of time. I have weighed the main ingredients in this recipe because I find that recipes that call for ingredients in bulk form such as 1 onion or 2 carrots or 2 stalks of celery are not very helpful, particularly for less experienced cooks. For example, is the onion big or small? Does the recipe developer mean to use 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, or 1 cup of onion? Then, of course, there is always the issue of how finely chopped the onion is meant to be – it takes a lot more onion that is finely chopped to fill a cup measure than it does if the onion is coarsely chopped. So, to simplify things and to help ensure success when making this soup, I am using weight as the main measurement for many of the ingredients. I use my digital kitchen scales all the time and could not get along without them.
My recipe calls for extra lean ground beef; however, if you prefer to use cubed stew beef, that also works in this dish. I recommend, the first time making this soup, to make it exactly according to the amount of spices the recipe calls for then, next time, if you want it a bit more or less spicy, adjust the quantities accordingly. The recipe also calls for tomato truffle ketchup. If you can’t find this in your area, you can certainly substitute regular tomato ketchup; however, the truffle ketchup has earthy undertones that do contribute to the flavour of this rustic soup.
The beef broth/tomato base for this soup is incredibly tasty so it makes it a great soup to serve in a hollowed out bread bowl. Break apart the bowl as you eat the soup and use the bits of bread to soak up the tasty juice of the soup.
This is a main meal, full deal kind of soup!
(Printable version of recipe follows at end of posting)
Rich and Hearty Goulash Soup
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
5 oz. celery, chopped (apx. 2 stalks or 1 cup)
7 oz carrots, peeled and diced (apx. 2 carrots or 1½ cups)
5 oz. onion (1 cup – 1 large onion)
7 oz rutabaga, peeled and diced (apx. 1½ cups)
2 oz parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced (apx. 2/3 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp caraway seed
Pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
1¼ lb extra lean ground beef
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
2 tbsp tomato truffle ketchup
6 cups beef stock, heated
1½ tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
5 oz chopped zucchini (apx. 1 cups)
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced (apx. 3 cups)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
In large soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, rutabaga, parsnip, garlic, spices and bay leaf. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and scramble fry till no longer pink – about 8-10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, ketchup, beef stock, vinegar, brown sugar, zucchini, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf.
To serve, ladle into bread bowls or soup bowls.
Yield: Apx. 12 – 1-cup servings
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A wholesome and filling beef and vegetable soup in a tomato-based sauce
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- 5 oz. celery, chopped (apx. 2 stalks or 1 cup)
- 7 oz carrots, peeled and diced (apx. 2 carrots or 1½ cups)
- 5 oz. onion (1 cup – 1 large onion)
- 7 oz rutabaga, peeled and diced (apx. 1½ cups)
- 2 oz parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced (apx. 2/3 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ½ tsp caraway seed
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 bay leaf
- 1¼ lb extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tbsp tomato truffle ketchup
- 6 cups beef stock, heated
- 1½ tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 5 oz chopped zucchini (apx. 1 cups)
- 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced (apx. 3 cups)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In large soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, rutabaga, parsnip, garlic, spices and bay leaf. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and scramble fry till no longer pink – about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, ketchup, beef stock, vinegar, brown sugar, zucchini, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf.
- To serve, ladle into bread bowls or soup bowls.
- [Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
For other great soup, chowder, chili, and stock/broth recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:
SOUPS
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Cream of Celery Soup
Ham Lentil Soup
Roasted Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Rich and Hearty Goulash Soup
PEI Potato Leek Soup
Cream of Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Cock-A-Leekie Soup
Roasted Cream of Asparagus Soup
Hamburger Soup
The Bistro’s Beefy Minestrone
Boiled Ham Dinner
Classic Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Classic Homemade Turkey Vegetable Soup
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
CHOWDERS
PEI Mussel Chowder
PEI Lobster Chowder
Turkey Chowder
Creamy Ham and Potato Chowder
STOCKS/BROTH
Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade Beef Stock
CHILI
My Island Bistro Kitchen’s Chili
Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
STEWS
Irish Stew
Rustic Homestyle Beef Stew