Spicy and savoury, traditional Hungarian Goulash pairs best with rich red wines with high acidity, such as Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Côtes du Rhône, Gamay Noir, or Blaufränkisch. For extra spicy Goulash with some fire to it, reach for an off-dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer.
Traditional Hungarian Beef Goulash is a stew/soup consisting of tender chunks of beef, potatoes, onions and other vegetables and spiced with paprika. Recipes vary, however, Goulash in stew form is often served over egg noodles.
American Goulash, or American Chop Suey, is a completely different traditional styled Goulash with entirely different ingredients. Chock full of tomato sauce, ground beef and macaroni noodles, American Goulash, is pure comfort food and requires red wines that are high in acidity such as Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chianti Classico, Barbera and Beaujolais Villages.
+ Click on the plus sign in the table below to expand upon why these individual pairings work! +
Ribera del Duero's full body and robust tannins complement the rich, hearty flavours of beef goulash perfectly. Its dark fruit notes enhance the dish's savoury elements, while its high acidity cuts through the meat's fattiness. The wine's oak-aged character adds complexity that matches the depth of the slow-cooked stew.
I'd go with a young Ribera del Duero that has not seen so much oak aging, as the higher tannin of the oakier versions will clash with the tomatoes in the dish.
Zinfandel's bold fruit flavours and black pepper notes pair excellently with the robust taste of beef goulash as its full body stands up to the dish's richness. The wine's spicy notes complements the paprika in the goulash, while its moderate tannins help cut through the meat's fattiness.
Châteauneuf du Pape's full body and complex flavours stand up beautifully to the rich taste of beef goulash. Its blend of grapes creates a wine with enough structure to match the hearty stew. The wine's spicy notes complement the paprika in the goulash, while its high alcohol content holds up to the dish's richness.
Red Wine
Corbières, Red (AOC)
Beef Goulash
Corbières red's full body and robust flavours stand up well to the rich taste of beef goulash. Its blend of grapes creates a wine with enough structure to match the hearty stew. The wine's garrigue (herbal) notes complement the paprika and other spices in the goulash. Its moderate tannins help cut through the meat's fattiness.
Red Wine
Zweigelt
Hungarian Goulash
Zweigelt, with its bright red fruit flavours, spice, and medium body, pairs beautifully with Hungarian goulash. The wine's vibrant acidity and subtle peppery notes cut through the dish's rich, paprika-laden sauce, enhancing the hearty beef and vegetable elements. Its soft tannins and fruity character provide a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the goulash, creating a balanced and satisfying pairing. Together, Zweigelt and Hungarian goulash bring out each other's earthy, comforting qualities for a deliciously rustic dining experience.
Red Wine
Blaufränkisch
Hungarian Goulash
Blaufränkisch's medium to full body and spicy character pair perfectly with Hungarian goulash. Its black fruit flavours complement the rich meat, while its high acidity cuts through the dish's fattiness. The wine's peppery notes enhance the paprika and other spices in the goulash.
Côtes du Rhône's medium to full body and spicy character pair well with Hungarian goulash. Its red and black fruit flavours complement the rich meat, while its moderate tannins help cut through the dish's fattiness. The wine's herbal notes enhance the goulash's seasoning.
Beer
Spiced Beer
Hungarian Goulash
Spiced beer's aromatic profile complements the paprika and other spices in Hungarian goulash wonderfully. Its complex flavours mirror the depth of the slow-cooked stew. The beer's carbonation helps cut through the dish's richness, while its spices enhance the goulash's warmth. This pairing offers an interesting alternative to traditional wine matches.
Beer
Dunkel Beer
Hungarian Goulash
Dunkel beer's malty sweetness and subtle roasted notes pair well with the rich flavours of Hungarian goulash. Its medium body complements the stew without overpowering it. The beer's caramel undertones enhance the dish's savoury elements, while its crisp finish helps cleanse the palate.
Beer
Doppelbock
Hungarian Goulash
Doppelbock's strong malty flavours and full body stand up beautifully to the robust taste of Hungarian goulash. Its caramel and dark fruit notes complement the dish's rich sauce. The beer's higher alcohol content matches the goulash's heartiness, while its smooth finish balances the meal.
Pinot Noir's light to medium body and bright acidity complement Hungarian goulash well. Its red fruit flavours provide a pleasant contrast to the savoury stew. The wine's earthy undertones can enhance the dish's depth, while its low tannins prevent it from overpowering the goulash. This pairing offers a more delicate alternative to bolder red wines, allowing the dish's flavours to shine.
Rioja Crianza's medium body and balanced flavours pair nicely with Hungarian goulash. Its red fruit notes complement the paprika-spiced sauce, while its subtle oak aging adds complexity that matches the stew's depth. The wine's moderate tannins and acidity help cut through the dish's richness.
Red Wine
St. Laurent
Hungarian Goulash
St. Laurent's medium body and bright acidity complement Hungarian goulash beautifully. Its cherry and spice notes enhance the paprika flavours in the dish. The wine's soft tannins balance the goulash's richness without overpowering it.
Red Wine
Cabernet-Shiraz
Hungarian Goulash
Cabernet-Shiraz blend's full body and rich fruit flavours complement Hungarian goulash well. The Cabernet provides structure and tannins to cut through the dish's fattiness, while the Shiraz adds spicy notes that enhance the goulash's paprika flavours. The wine's complexity matches the depth of the slow-cooked stew.
Grenache's medium to full body and red fruit flavours like cherry, strawberry and raspberry mingle beautifully with Hungarian goulash. Its spicy notes of black pepper, herbs, smoke and white pepper enhance the paprika in the dish. The wine's moderate tannins help balance the goulash's richness.
Grenache is a very fruity red wine, with a velvety texture. Beware, however, it can be very high in alcohol when full-bodied.
Red Wine
Gigondas
Hungarian Goulash
Gigondas' full body and spicy character pair excellently with Hungarian goulash. Its Grenache-based blend provides rich red fruit flavours along with flavours of mushroom, black pepper and spices that complement the paprika-spiced sauce. The wine's high alcohol content matches the dish's heartiness, while its moderate tannins help cut through the meat's richness.
Red Wine
Mavrud
Hungarian Goulash
Mavrud's full body and robust tannins complement the rich flavours of Hungarian goulash beautifully. This Bulgarian varietal's dark fruit notes enhance the dish's savoury elements, while its high acidity cuts through the meat's fattiness. The wine's spicy undertones pair well with the paprika in the goulash.
Red Wine
Penedès
Hungarian Goulash
Penedès red's medium to full body and balanced flavours pair well with Hungarian goulash. Its blend of local and international grapes creates a wine with enough complexity to match the hearty stew. The wine's fruit-forward character complements the paprika-spiced sauce, while its moderate tannins help cut through the dish's richness.
Beer
Trappist
Hungarian Goulash
Trappist beer's complex flavours and higher alcohol content can complement Hungarian goulash. Its fruity esters and spicy phenols may enhance the dish's seasoning. The beer's carbonation helps cut through the goulash's richness. However, its strong character might sometimes compete with, rather than complement, the stew's flavours, making it a good but not ideal pairing. Plus, the high amount of booze in this beer requires a much needed nap after consuming :)
Beer
Abbey Beer
Hungarian Goulash
Abbey beer's rich malt profile and fruity notes can pair well with Hungarian goulash. Its complex flavours may complement the depth of the slow-cooked stew. The beer's carbonation helps balance the dish's richness. However, like Trappist beers, its strong character might occasionally overshadow some of the goulash's more subtle flavours.
Beer
Baltic Porter
Hungarian Goulash
Baltic Porter's roasted malt flavours and full body can stand up to the hearty nature of Hungarian goulash. Its dark fruit notes may complement the dish's rich sauce. However, its intense flavours might sometimes overpower the stew's more delicate spices, resulting in a good but not perfect match.
Riesling's high acidity can cut through the richness of Hungarian goulash effectively. Its fruity and floral notes provide a refreshing contrast to the savoury stew. The wine's typical sweetness can balance the dish's spiciness. However, its lighter body will be overwhelmed by the goulash's robust flavours.
Select Riesling for people who drink white wine only.
Gewürztraminer's aromatic profile and off-dry character can complement the spices in Hungarian goulash. Its lychee and rose petal notes offer an interesting contrast to the savoury stew. The wine's low acidity may struggle to cut through the dish's richness. Only a suggestion for those folks who only drink white wine.
Amarone's intense flavours and full body match the strong taste of goat goulash beautifully. Its high alcohol content and rich dried fruit notes stand up to the gamey meat. The wine's complexity enhances the dish's depth, while its smooth tannins balance the goulash's texture.
Zinfandel's bold fruit flavours and spicy notes pair excellently with the robust taste of American goulash as its full body stands up to the dish's richness. The wine's jammy fruit complements the tomato-based sauce, while its moderate tannins help cut through the meat's fattiness.
Barbera's high acidity cuts through the richness of American goulash beautifully. Its bright red fruit flavours complement the tomato-based sauce in the dish. The wine's low tannins prevent it from overwhelming the goulash's flavours and clashing with the tomatoes.
Chianti's medium body and bright acidity pair well with American goulash. Its red cherry flavours complement the tomato sauce in the dish, while its herbal notes enhance the goulash's seasoning. The wine's moderate tannins help cut through the meat's richness.
Dolcetto's light to medium body and moderate tannins complement American goulash nicely. Its bright fruit flavours pair well with the tomato-based sauce, while its slight bitterness can cut through the dish's richness. The wine's fruity character provides a pleasant contrast to the savoury stew.
Beaujolais' light body and fruity character offer a refreshing contrast to American goulash. Its bright red fruit flavours complement the tomato sauce in the dish. The wine's low tannins and high acidity help cut through the goulash's richness. However, its lighter style may be slightly overwhelmed by the robust flavours of the stew, making it a good but not ideal pairing.
Pinot Noir's light to medium body and bright acidity can complement American goulash. Its red fruit flavours provide a pleasant contrast to the savoury stew. The wine's earthy undertones may enhance the dish's depth. However, its delicate nature might be slightly overwhelmed by the bold flavours of American goulash, resulting in a good but not perfect match.
Red Wine
Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood of Eger)
Venison Goulash
Egri Bikavér's full body and complex flavours pair perfectly with venison goulash. This traditional Hungarian red blend has the structure and depth to match the gamey meat. Its high acidity cuts through the dish's richness, while its spicy notes complement the goulash's seasoning.
Red Wine
Kékfrankos
Venison Goulash
Kékfrankos (also known as Blaufränkisch) pairs excellently with venison goulash. Its medium to full body and spicy character complement the gamey meat and paprika-spiced sauce. The wine's high acidity cuts through the dish's richness, while its black fruit flavours provide a nice contrast.
Red Wine
Cannonau
Venison Goulash
Cannonau's full body and high alcohol content stand up beautifully to the rich flavours of venison goulash. Its robust tannins hold up to the gamey meat, while its red fruit and spice notes enhance the paprika-seasoned sauce. The wine's herbal undertones add complexity that matches the depth of the slow-cooked stew.
Red Wine
Nagyburgundi
Venison Goulash
Nagyburgundi, Hungary's take on Pinot Noir, is a refined partner for venison goulash. The wine's bright red fruit flavours, earthy notes, and soft tannins meld beautifully with the hearty, savoury elements of the dish. Its acidity cuts through the richness of the slow-cooked venison and its sauce, while its subtle herbal undertones echo the traditional seasonings of goulash. I'd say this pairing is best if your venison goulash contains a lot of tomatoes. However, seeing as this is a lighter red, the gamey flavours of venison may overwhelm the wine.
Merlot's soft tannins and plum flavours elevate the unique combination of turkey and pumpkin in this goulash variation. Its medium body matches the dish's richness without overpowering the poultry. The wine's subtle oak notes can enhance the complexity of the goulash. Its moderate acidity helps balance the sweetness of the pumpkin, creating a harmonious autumn-inspired pairing.
Chardonnay's buttery texture complements the creamy nature of turkey pumpkin goulash beautifully. Its medium body stands up to the dish's richness without overwhelming the delicate turkey flavours. The wine's subtle oak notes, if present, can enhance the pumpkin's sweetness. Its balanced acidity helps cut through the goulash's creaminess, while its fruit flavours provide a pleasant contrast to the savoury elements.
Type
Varietal
Food
Zweigelt & Goulash Pairing
Zweigelt is an Austrian red wine that tart, fruity, and bright red wine with cherry, raspberry, pepper, and chocolate flavours. The fresh acidity and crisp flavours of Zweigelt cut down on the spiciness of the paprika in your Beef Goulash, enabling you to savour all of the flavours without overwhelming your taste. The fruity flavours of Zweigelt also provide a lovely counterbalance to the savoury and earthy flavours of Goulash.
In Hungary, Goulash is often served with local red wines, which might be difficult to acquire in North America. Thus, if you can’t find any quality Hungarian wines at your local wine shop, try Zweigelt, which is from Austria, a nearby neighbour of Hungary. Zweigelt is similar enough to what you’d expect to what wine you’d be served within Hungary and much easier to find.
Blaufränkisch & Beef Goulash Pairing
Blaufränkisch is an Austrian red wine that is rich with a bounty of blackberry and black cherry flavours along with mocha and peppery notes. Vibrant with acidity, Blaufränkisch bounces in and puts out some of the heat found in the paprika and pepper that seasons your Goulash. Because there are so many flavours flying around in Goulash, you want your wine to be as simple as possible. Otherwise, your taste buds will be overburdened. Because Blaufränkisch is so light and fruity, you can rest assured that you’ll be drinking a red wine that knows its boundaries and won’t overstay its welcome.
Finally, the peppery notes of Blaufränkisch are outstanding with Goulash as they complement the beefy and savoury flavours of this dish.
Pinot Noir & Hungarian Goulash Pairing
Pinot Noir is a light, fruity red wine with a crisp acidity along with an earthy funk to it that is similar to truffles, mushrooms or the smell of the forest during a damp autumn morning. When drinking a glass of Pinot Noir, the first notes you’ll notice are usually strawberry, cherry, and raspberry. However, after you take a nice deep whiff of this delicious red wine, the earthy flavours really shine. The earthiness of Pinot Noir complements the root vegetables in your Goulash along with the beef. Meanwhile, the brisk fruity flavours offer a refreshing contrast.
Stay away from inexpensive Pinot Noir. It is targeted towards the masses and is often artificially flavoured with dyes, additives and chemicals to make for a perfumed or candied smelling wine. Real Pinot Noir is difficult to make and incredibly dependent on the growing season and terroir. It’s a fickle wine grape that requires a talented team of winemakers to create something special. While I’d never suggest buying the best Pinot Noir that money can buy (as that will be thousands of dollars), stick to Pinot Noir $35 and above and avoid any bottles that have cute images of cake, fuzzy animals or girly fonts.
Rioja Crianza & Goulash Pairing
Rioja Crianza is a medium-bodied Spanish red wine with luscious cherry flavours, a tang of citrus, and a hint of earthiness. The earthiness of Rioja, combined with its raspberry and cherry flavours, highlights the pepper and paprika aspects of this traditional Hungarian meal without overwhelming the flavours of the dish or wine.
Rioja Crianza only sees a year or so of ageing in a used oak cask, making it perfect for everyday fare such as Goulash. Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva see longer times ageing in oak and will come across as more rich and complex but with lower acidity. Aged Rioja will still make a fine companion to Goulash, but I don’t recommend it. With so many flavours bouncing around in Goulash, there’s no need to add additional flavours of mocha, vanilla and leather that an aged Rioja will bring. Instead, save these more expensive bottles for meaty dishes like a steak, roasted pheasant, or veal chops.
Riesling & Spicy Goulash Pairing
If your Goulash is fiery hot with spice, or you prefer white wines over red, Riesling is the wine to reach for. Vibrant with acidity and flavours of lemon, lime, pear and peach, Riesling is a food-friendly wine that nearly goes with everything.
Riesling won’t complement any of the flavours found in Goulash, however, the citrus and stone fruit flavours do offer plenty of refreshment against the spices found in the dish. The acidity of Riesling also accentuates the vegetable notes found in Goulash, allowing you to appreciate all the flavours of this Hungarian staple.
Riesling can range from bone-dry to syrupy sweet, along with every style in between. With spicy hot Goulash, stick to an off-dry Riesling, which has a touch of sweetness to counterbalance the heat of the spice. For not-so-spicy Goulash, a dry Riesling will do the trick.
Zinfandel & American Goulash Pairing
Zinfandel is a very American wine (basically it’s the 4th of July in a bottle), in that it’s slightly sweet (due to the fruitiness) and bold in its jammy flavours of raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and plum. The jammy flavours offer a refreshing contrast to the beefiness of American Goulash. At the same time, the lack of tannin in the wine ensures it remains fruity rather than metallic, which often happens when tannin clashes with the acidity of tomatoes.
You want to go for a mid-range Zinfandel with American Goulash, as expensive bottles are heavily oaked, syrupy, and saturated with alcohol. Expensive Zinfandel is meant for higher quality foods that will give you the meat sweats. A mid-range Zinfandel is much more suitable for the comfort-food level of American Goulash and will also feature complementary flavours of spice, smoke and black pepper that help elevate this pairing.
Chianti Classico & American Goulash Pairing
Chianti Classico is an Italian red wine that is light, fruity and rustic with notes of herbs and earthiness. I love Chianti because it takes a purely American dish like American Goulash and adds its Italian flair to it as its notes of herbs and earthiness. Meanwhile, Chianti’s tannin is grippy enough to soften up when the beefy proteins and fats strike it, while the acidity of the wine dance along with the tart tomato flavours.
