Goulash soup

While skiing with my family in Austria we had a delicious Goulash soup. It was such a delicious combination of herbs and filling that I was still craving this soup when I got home. So I got to work trying to replicate the soup, and I have to say this recipe is very close to the original.

This goulash soup is rich, full of meat and vegetables. Every bite is so full of flavor! I think it could make a complete lunch or dinner but it is best when consumed with some bread; we combined it with my sourdough bread. You can find the recipe for my sourdough bread here.

Skiing as a family is something we have always loved doing. We lived in America for 11 years. In California we loved to go to Lake Tahoe with its beautiful views over the lake. When we moved to Pennsylvania we traveled up to the mountains of Vermont and had a blast there too. After moving back to the Netherlands we planned our first family ski trip to Austria. We were there during Christmas with my husband’s brother, his sister-in-law and their kids. Growing up my family often went skiing in Austria, so being back there felt so familiar. We had beautiful ski holidays in the USA, but Austria feels like home to me. The slopes were gorgeous and we could ski from one delicious restaurant to another eating all the foods we had been missing. Nothing beats a good filling soup for lunch after spending the morning in the cold on skis. Paired with some homemade sourdough this goulash soup hits the spot for sure.

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes: pureed with flour and some garlic this is the base for the soup. 
  • Ground beef: I choose ground beef for this recipe. Most soups call for diced meat, but that can turn out dry and tough so I prefer ground meat.
  • Bacon: gives the soup an extra salty flavor.
  • Caraway seed: also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin. It is highly aromatic and has a distinctive mild anise flavor.
  • Paprika powder: dried and ground red peppers.
  • Garlic: I used fresh minced garlic.
  • Vegetables: onions, bell peppers and potatoes. 
  • Flour: to thicken the soup.
  • Beef broth: The base is the tomato base with the beef broth.
  • Bay Leaf: I used dry bay leaves.

Vegatables

Meat and bay laf

Preparations:

Start with cutting up all the ingredients. Next we will make the tomato base. Start by frying the shallot and when it is soft add in the tomatoes and fry till softened. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Next add in the tomato paste, stir and add 2 tablespoons of flour continuing to stir for a bit. Finally add in one cup of broth. Put this into a blender and combine till smooth. Set aside for now. 

In the same pan, add some oil and fry the bacon to a crisp. I like to use this Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven pan. Then add in the ground beef and spices, breaking it up until the meat is cooked through. To the meat mixture add in 2 tablespoons of flour, or more if a thicker soup is preferred. Continue to cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Then add in all the vegetables, tomato base and the rest of the broth to the meat mixture. Finally, add the bay leaves and let it simmer for 1 hour. 

Goulash soup

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Course: Soup
Cuisine: soup
Keyword: Goulash soup

Ingredients

Tomato base

  • 1 Shallot diced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 5 Tomatoes diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Flour
  • 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (70 gram)
  • 1 Cup Water

Goulash soup

  • 300 Grams Ground Beef
  • 2 Teaspoon Ground Paprika Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
  • 150 Grams Bacon diced
  • 1 Bell Pepper diced
  • 3-4 Golden Potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoon s Flour
  • 500 Milliliters Beef Broth
  • 1 teaspoon Caraway Seed
  • 2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

Tomato base

  • Start with cutting all the vegetables. I choose to dice all the vegetables into small pieces.
  • In a warm pan, add some oil or butter. Fry the shallots until soft. Then add garlic and fry for another 30 secondes or until fragrant.
  • Add your diced tomatoes, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Stir quickly. Then add the flour. Combine and cook for 1 -2 minutes.
  • Slowly stir in one cup of broth.
  • Transfer your tomato base to a blender and blend until smooth and set aside.

Soup

  • In the same pan where the tomato base was prepared, on medium heat add some oil and the bacon. Fry until the bacon is crisp.
  • Add the ground beef to your pan with the bacon and stir in the spices; salt, pepper, paprika powder. Cook the meat throughly. Add the onion to the meat mixture. Cook until they are soft.
  • To thicken the soup you will be adding 2 tablespoons of flour to the meat mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
  • Add all your diced vegetables, tomato base and the rest of the broth little by little. When all is combined add bay leaves and let the soup simmer for 1 hour with lid on the pan.
  • Taste and adjust spices to your preference. Remove the bay leaf and serve with some delicious sour dough bread. Enjoy!

Creamy cauliflower soup

This creamy cauliflower soup not only gets its creaminess from the main ingredient of cauliflower but also from the addition of potatoes. They give it the extra body to the soup. The heavy whipping cream in the end is the perfect finishing touch.

Cauliflower is not only a good source of vitamin C and K, it is also an excellent source of fiber, folate and vitamin B6.

Our family loves a good soup for dinner. My kids request soup based on its color instead of the ingredients. For example, the “green soup” is a huge favorite of my kids. You can find the recipe here.  Even though it is white, this creamy cauliflower soup is a close second choice in my house. Both soups are quick and easy to make. Also have a tomato soup on my site here.

Ingredients creamy cauliflower soup

Cut cauliflowerCut potatoes

Preparation:

Most cauliflower soup recipes will have you roast your cauliflower as a first step. My recipe skips this and the end result is just as yummy. I was in a time crunch one day, so I opted to skip the roasting, and the end results didn’t disappoint at all! For my recipe, begin by melting butter in a pan, and cook your shallot till it is soft and browning. Next, add in the garlic and cook until it is fragrant. Finally, add your cauliflower and herbs and cook for couple of minutes. 

Shallot cooked oft and slightly browned

Cauliflower and potatoes added to browned shallot

Vegetables ready to add the bone broth After you have cooked your cauliflower for around 5 minutes, add your broth. I have chosen to use bone broth for its nutritional benefits. You can also use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian. Bring the soup to a boil, and then lower the heat and let it simmer until the vegetables are soft. This should take around 15-20 minutes.

Vegatable with broth getting to a broil

Blending soup with a hand blender

After the vegetables are tender, use a hand blender to mix the soup until nice and smooth. I use this kitchen aid hand blender. Taste your soup and add some heavy whipping cream and lemon juice to your desired taste before blending again. One final taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper. If not serve it hot and enjoy this delicious creamy cauliflower soup with some toasted bread. Delicious for lunch, or an appetizer at dinner.   

Creamy cauliflower soup

 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: soup
Keyword: Creamy cauliflower soup
Author: Ester van Boesschoten

Ingredients

  • 1 Shallot minced
  • 2 Tablespoon Unsalted butter
  • 2 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 Potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 Head Cauliflower broken into florets
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried parsley
  • 32 Fl oz Chicken bone broth
  • 2 Tablespoon Heavy whipping cream
  • Lemon juice to taste

Instructions

  • In large pot, on medium heat, melt your butter. Then add your minced shallots with a pinch of salt, and cook them till soft and slightly browned.
  • Add your minced garlic and cook until fragant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn it. Burning it will give a bitter taste.
  • Add the washed and cut potatoes, cauliflower, salt, freshly ground pepper and parsley. Cook them on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Stirring often will prevent it from burning.
  • Add in the broth, bringing it to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are soft. This takes around 15-20 minutes.
  • Blend your soup to your preferred consistency. Add some heavy whipping cream and a splash of lemon juice, to your taste. If needed add some extra salt and pepper. Serve hot with some bread. Enjoy!