Meatless Monday - Vegetarian Hungarian Goulash

Have you ever looked for a recipe for Hungarian Goulash?  You can find a long list of different recipes that all say  “authentic.”  That’s because most stews are simply a way of making a tough cut of meat easier to eat while getting some vegetables into the diet. I suspect it was normally made with whatever was in the pantry or root cellar. So that is how I normally make it. The most important part is the paprika. I suggest that be proper Hungarian paprika, and yes, you can tell the difference.  It’s a delicious and very flavor full stew. It’s rich and hearty, serve it with some crusty bread and a good dark beer or red wine.

The veggie crumbles or quinoa in this recipe should satisfy most die-hard meat eaters, just don’t tell them.

Vegetarian Hungarian Goulash

Since you can cook this goulash for several hours it’s a great dish to prepare when you aren’t certain what time everyone will be home for dinner. In my opinion it gets better the longer it cooks.

Ingredients:

2 TBS cooking oil (vegetable or olive are fine)
1 diced onion
4-5 crushed cloves of garlic
1 package ground veggie crumbles or 1-2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups Not-Beef-Boulion or veggie bouillon
1/4 cup Hungarian paprika
1 can of diced tomatoes or the equivalent fresh if you have them
2-3 bay leaves
2-3 Hungarian peppers, diced


1 - 3 each of any of these assorted root vegetables, diced:
 potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and/or sweet potatoes.

Directions:

Heat a dutch oven then turn heat to medium, add the oil followed by the onion, sauté until they start to turn translucent then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Add the veggie crumbles or quinoa and cook until they start to brown, stir frequently. Add the paprika and stir to coat.

Next add the bouillon, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Let these heat until nearly boiling then add the root vegetables and bring to a boil. Let the stew boil for about a minute, add the hungarian peppers and turn the heat down to a simmer. The dutch oven should be lightly covered and the lid vented. Simmer for at least 20 minutes to 2 hours stirring occasionally. The flavors will blend best as the stew simmers. Add more water if cooking for longer.

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