Vegan Hungarian Goulash

Soy cutlets are sometimes referred to being tasteless or loosing taste but the magic trick is the way how to prepare them. Cause if you get it right you can imitate meat pieces in very different way. And this Hungarian Goulash is the perfect partner to do it. There is quite a vibrant taste in this recipe and I just love it 😍

Classical Goulash is a Ragout that intensifies its taste by waiting and letting the taste soak into the dish. The same goes for the vegan soy cutlet version.

Ingredients

For the Soy Cutlets (our Beef replacement)

• 150g Soy Cutlets
• 1 Onion, cut in quartered slices
• 1L Water
• 1tbsp Vegetable Broth Powder
• 40ml Dark Soy Sauce
• 2tsp Smoked Salt
• 1tsp Peppercorns
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2tbsp Red Wine
• 1½tbsp Red Pepper Powder
• 2tsp Starch

For the Sauce

• 275ml Red Wine
• 2tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 6 Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 Small Pickles
• 2 Red Sweet Peppers
• 100ml Vegetable Broth
• 350ml Water
• 1tbsp of Flour (glutenfree if you want)
• Margarine or Vegan Butter for Browning

Even though it looks like a lot of ingredients and a lot of work its actually quite straightforward.

Instructions

Beefy Soy Cutlets

1. Take all ingredients listed in the Soy Cutlet section - excluding the starch and onion - and put them into a pot alltogether.
2. Start cooking these cutlets slowly but steadily. The goal is that they soak up the delicious liquid nearly completely (~90%). This takes a while. Do not use a lid but let the steam flow.
3. Whilst stirring always check how much liquid is left. If you feel like they soaked enough (probably around 20-40mins) then make a first consistency/taste test.
4. With the rest of the liquid now add the starch and stir. It should transform from normal liquid to a bit thicker liquid. Stir well.
5. Now prepare a pan with a good amount of vegan butter or Margarine and the onion and then put the wet soy cutlets in there with a straining spoon.
6. Now stir-fry them on very high level. This process will make the thick liquid even thicker and the soy cutlets sticking on it. Get it brown but be careful not to burnit.
7. Put them into a bowl and put em aside so they can dry and cool down a bit

The Goulash Sauce

1. Cut the onions into small squares
2. Cut the garlic cloves into thin pieces
3. Cut the red pepper into coarse pieces
4. Cut the Pickles into small squares
5. Quarter the cherry tomatoes
6. Use a big pan (e.g. baking dish, wok), add some vegan butter and fry the onions and the garlic in it.
7. After 1 minute add the flour to it so it becomes a sticky mass
8. Now add the vegetable broth liquid and stir
9. Throw the tomatoes and the pepper into the mass and stir
10. Add the wine and let it boil a bit so that the alcohol is cooked away
11. You will notice that the sauce starts to thicken again - That is good.
12. Add the tomato paste now and stir
13. Add the remaining water and let it boil again. Make sure nothing gets burned by stirring thoroughly.

Bring it together

1. Okay so we got our Hungarian Goulash Sauce and our Hungarian "Beefy" Soy Cutlets.
2. Add the cutlets to the sauce now
3. Let it cook on very low level for another 20 minutes at least (better: 30-40 if you can spare some more time).
4. Enjoy your Hungarian Goulash with e.g. noodles as side dish 😍😋