Food - Drink
Hungarian Vs. American Goulash: What's The Difference?
By NIKITA EPHANOV
The stew known as goulash was first prepared by Magyar shepherds in the 9th century, and has since become a popular European staple; Hungarians have even claimed goulash as their national dish. When Hungarians began immigrating to the U.S. following the year 1870, an American adaptation of goulash was born.
Hungarian goulash is served alongside bread (rye is ideal), dumplings, or egg noodles called csipetke, and the soup’s most important ingredient is vibrant, bright red Hungarian paprika. However, American goulash replaces the typical chunks of beef or pork with ground meat, drowned in a tomato sauce and served over macaroni.
Additionally, paprika is not even a requirement in American goulash, and all these changes to the Hungarian dish are a result of decades of adaptation in the restaurants and buffets of post-war America. Goulash merged with Italian-American pasta casseroles and Midwest-style hot dishes to create a unique U.S. twist on the dish.