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If comfort food is what you’re craving, you can’t beat a Slow Cooker Beef Goulash. Tender chunks of beef are cooked in a smoky, paprika and tomato sauce, perfect for serving with rice, pasta or mashed potato. Plus making this Hungarian Beef Goulash in the slow cooker makes it so much easier. Gluten free and perfect for batch cooking and freezing.

A bowl of Hungarian beef goulash with soured cream.
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This slow cooker goulash recipe is such a perfect winter meal, with chunks of tender beef, peppers and a rich tomato sauce. Plus it’s completely gluten free!

I absolutely love a bowl of Hungarian goulash on a cold evening and making slow cooker beef goulash takes all the effort out of cooking.

Enjoy this Hungarian beef goulash swirled with soured cream and with a helping of rice or gluten free pasta for a comforting, winter meal.

Plus it’s a great meal for batch cooking and freezing – perfect to have in stock for those nights when you need something in a hurry.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a slow cooker, I’ve got a beef goulash recipe for the oven below as well. So nobody has to miss out!

If you love this beef goulash slow cooker recipe, check out my other gluten free slow cooker recipes, like my tasty Beef and Chorizo Stew or Pulled BBQ Chicken.

A slow cooker full of beef goulash.

Ingredients

To make Hungarian beef goulash in the slow cooker you will need:

  • Beef Skirt: this is a great cut of beef for slow cooker. Been shin and chuck steak are also good alternatives. Leaner cuts of beef may go tough in the slow cooker.
  • Plain Gluten Free Flour: Any plain gluten free flour blend will work.
  • Onion: I use a standard brown onion.
  • Red Pepper: You can use yellow, orange or green peppers if you prefer.
  • Chopped Garlic: Or use a garlic paste or fresh minced garlic cloves.
  • Paprika: This recipe calls for a mixture of smoked paprika and normal paprika which I think provides the perfect balance. You’ll also need some cayenne pepper but you can omit this if you don’t like any spice.
  • Chopped Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes help form the rich sauce.
  • Beef Stock Pot: Any gluten free beef stock cube or pot variation will work but the Knorr rich beef stock pots are my absolute favourite.
  • Soured Cream: You can use a natural yoghurt if you prefer. For a dairy free goulash omit this or use a dairy free yoghurt instead.
A bowl of Hungarian beef goulash with soured cream.

How to make Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

Here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this beef goulash recipe is to make in the slow cooker.

First, coat the beef in the gluten free flour and then fry in the oil, over a high heat, for 3-4 mins until browned all over.

Frying off the beef and vegetables for the slow cooker goulash.

Remove from the heat and add to the slow cooker. Place the pan back on the heat.

Fry the onion and peppers to the pan and fry for another 3-4 minutes. Add to the slow cooker once they have started to soften.

Adding all the ingredients to the crock pot for the slow cooker goulash.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well, then place the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

For best results, leave in the fridge overnight then reheat the next day and serve with sour cream and chives. I have mine with rice but it also goes well with gluten free pasta.

The slow cooker beef goulash before and after cooking.

How to make beef goulash in the oven

If you don’t have a slow cooker you can make this gluten free beef goulash in the oven.

To do this, cook the meat and veg as per steps 1 and 2 in the recipe, then add them back into a lidded casserole dish with all the other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 160C / Fan 140C / Gas Mark 3 and then place the dish, with the lid firmly on, in the oven for at least 4 hours until the meat falls apart.

But ultimately this easy goulash recipe is made for the slow cooker so I’d definitely recommend it as the best and most efficient way to make it!

A slow cooker beef goulash in the crockpot.

What to serve with goulash

I like to serve my gluten free slow cooker beef goulash with basmati rice, gluten free pasta, cheesy mashed potatoes or even spooned over a crispy, air fryer jacket potato.

You can also serve it with a steaming plate of green vegetables or my air fryer baby potatoes.

Some people add potatoes to goulash when cooking, but I prefer not to as they can go a bit soft in the slow cooker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about this beef goulash recipe. If you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!

How do you thicken goulash in slow cooker?

Simply add 1 tsp cornflour to a tiny bit of cold water and mix until it forms a liquid (aka a slurry). Add the slurry to the hot goulash, stir well and cook for a further 30 minutes. It should thicken up nicely.

What’s the difference between Hungarian and American goulash?

This recipe is for a Hungarian beef goulash, which typically includes beef steak, peppers, onions and smoked paprika. Some recipes add potatoes too but I prefer to leave these out so I can serve it with rice.
American goulash is typically made with minced beef, with the addition of macaroni. It’s sometimes called American Chop Suey – and as you can see is an entirely different meal altogether!

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.

gluten free slow cooker beef goulash
4.69 from 16 votes

Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

This easy slow cooker beef goulash is a Hungarian goulash recipe with tomatoes, peppers and smoked paprika. This is best made the day before and left in the fridge overnight for the flavours to develop, but can be served straight away too.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Total: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 500 g beef skirt
  • 2 tbsp plain gluten free flour
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped into large chunks
  • 2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 Knorr beef stock pot
  • 150 ml hot water

Instructions 

  • Coat the beef in the gluten free flour and then fry in the oil, over a high heat, for 3-4 mins until browned all over.
  • Remove from the heat and add to the slow cooker. Place the pan back on the heat and then fry the onion and peppers in the same pan for another 3-4 minutes. Add to the slow cooker once softened.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well, then place the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
  • For best results, leave in the fridge overnight then reheat the next day and serve with sour cream and chives. I have mine with rice but it also goes well with gluten free pasta.

Video

Notes

  • Any leftovers can be frozen. For tips on how to cook this recipe without a slow cooker, see the blog post above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 191mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
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About Sarah Howells

Hi, I'm Sarah! Diagnosed with coeliac disease 20 years ago, I'm on a mission to create the best gluten free recipes since sliced bread. No fruit salads or dry brownies here.

4.69 from 16 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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