German Potato and White Bean Goulash (Kartoffelgulasch)
Kartoffelgulasch is the everyday German cousin of Hungarian goulash, a paprika stew built on potatoes rather than a slow-braised roast, and it takes to a plant version without any strain. The flavor comes from three moves: onions sweated soft and sweet in water, tomato paste darkened in the dry pot, and paprika bloomed gently in that warmth so it stays deep instead of turning bitter. Potatoes do double duty, some holding their shape and some breaking down to thicken the broth, while cannellini beans stirred in at the end bring the body and protein. Caraway and marjoram are the quiet markers that make it read as German rather than generic, and a spoonful of cider vinegar at the close carries the seasoning that no added salt provides.
Ingredients
- 2 wholes Yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 wholes Carrots (cooking), diced
- 1 whole Bell peppers, diced
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Caraway, crushed
- 1 tsp Dried marjoram
- 2 wholes Bay leaves
- 2 lb Potatoes, peeled, cut in 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 cup Canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1 1/2 cups Cannellini beans, cooked or canned, drained
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Sweat the onions in a wide pot in a splash of water until soft and just golden, about 8 minutes, then add the garlic, carrots, and bell pepper for 3 minutes more. Building the base slowly in water is what gives a no-oil stew the sweet depth a browned mirepoix would.
- Push the vegetables to one side, drop the tomato paste into the bare pot, and let it darken for a minute before stirring in both paprikas, the caraway, and the marjoram off direct heat. Paprika scorches and turns bitter in seconds over high heat, so blooming it in the residual warmth with the tomato paste is the difference between deep and acrid.
- Add the potatoes, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, bouillon, and 3 cups (710 ml) water. The potatoes should be just covered; add a little more water if not. Simmer uncovered 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and some of the smaller pieces have broken down. Those dissolved edges release starch that thickens the broth into a proper goulash with no flour.
- Stir in the beans and warm them through for 5 minutes. Adding them at the end keeps them whole and creamy instead of blowing them out; they carry the protein that the meat would have.
- Turn off the heat, fish out the bay leaves, and stir in the vinegar and black pepper. The splash of acid at the very end lifts the whole pot and does the job salt usually gets credit for. Rest 10 minutes, then finish with parsley. It tastes better the next day and freezes well.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 300 calories, 12 g protein, 11 g fiber, 120 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
