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This Venison Goulash Stew with Dumplings is an excellent way to serve up some of the tougher cuts of meat. This is comfort food at its finest. The paprika flavored base along with subtle bite of red wine vinegar compliments the tender venison and vegetables perfectly. Plus, the dumplings are made right inside the goulash are turn out light and fluffy. How cool is that?
This is a very simple dish to make, you just have to allow time for the meat to become tender while simmering. That’s the whole key to Goulash…patience.

Ingredients
- 1 1/2- 2 lbs. Venison Roast, cubed into 1.5″ cubes and dried with paper towels
- 1 large Onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cups Beef broth (you can use vegetable broth too)
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lg pinch of caraway seeds
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalked, diced
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350F
Using a large pot or dutch oven, begin by browning the meat on all sides in small batches with a little olive oil. Remove and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pot and sauté the onion. Then do the carrots and celery, stirring until slightly softened.
Next, add the salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaf, garlic, and caraway seeds. Stir until fragrant. Remove from heat and pour in enough broth until everything is covered, saving any remaining broth for adjusting the level of liquid when simmering. Add in the red wine vinegar, cover and place in pre-heated oven for 1 hour.
Check meat for tenderness and ensure your liquid is simmering, not boiling. Also, be sure that everything stays covered with liquid while cooking. Add more broth if necessary. Continue checking every half hour until the meat is easily pierced by a fork. Cooking times vary, but plan for two hours of oven time.
When meat is tender, remove from the oven and set on stove top. Skim the fat off the broth with a spoon. Next, you can make the roux for thickening.
Roux:
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp butter
- Note – Feel free to double this to make a thicker goulash.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in the flour until smooth, then whisk into the goulash.
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and vinegar to you liking. Now its time to make the dumplings.
Dumplings:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 3/4 cup milk
Mix all the dumpling ingredients together and drop spoon sized- balls on top of the Venison Goulash Stew.

Place the pot on medium heat and cover for at LEAST 15 minutes (no peeking). Dumplings are done when a toothpick comes out clean after piercing.

Serve immediately and store leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Venison Goulash Stew with Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1½-2 lbs Venison Roast cubed into 1.5" cubes and towel dried
- 1 large Onion thinly sliced
- 4 cups Beef broth
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1½ tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
- 1 Garlic clove minced
- 1 large pinch caraway seeds
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks chunked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Using a large pot or dutch oven, begin by browning the meat on all sides in small batches with a little olive oil. Remove and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pot and sauté the onion.
- Next, do the carrots and celery, stirring until slightly softened.
- Next, add the salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaf, garlic, and caraway seeds. Stir until fragrant. Remove from heat and pour in enough broth until everything is covered, saving any remaining broth for adjusting the level of liquid when simmering. Add in the red wine vinegar, cover and place in pre-heated oven for one hour.
- After one hour, check meat for tenderness and ensure your liquid is simmering, not boiling. Also, be sure that everything stays covered with liquid while cooking. Add more broth if necessary. Continue checking every half hour until the meat is easily pierced by a fork. Cooking times vary, but plan for two hours of oven time.
- When meat is tender, remove from the oven and set on stove top. Skim the fat off the broth with a spoon. Next, you can make the roux for thickening.
Roux
- 1 Tbsp flour 1 Tbsp butter Note: Feel free to double this to make a thicker goulash. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in the flour until smooth, then whisk into the goulash. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and vinegar to you liking. Now its time to make the dumplings.
Dumplings:
- 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt2 tsp melted butter3/4 cup milk
- Mix all the dumpling ingredients together and drop spoon sized – balls on top of the Venison Goulash Stew. Place the pot on medium heat and cover for at LEAST 15 minutes (no peeking). Dumplings are done when a toothpick comes out clean after piercing.
- Serve immediately and store leftovers, if there are any, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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