11 Jun Prepare These Winter Meals with Goulash

Goulash has been and always will be a favourite for the winter season. This beef cut can be slow-cooked with some warming spices to create a deep, comforting flavour for those colder days. Goulash is high in protein, perfect for fuelling you through chilly weather, and of course, it creates some of the most nostalgic, homestyle meals that feel like a hug in a bowl, which is exactly what people crave when it’s cold and grey.

At Blake’s Fine Foods, our goulash is exclusively sourced from trusted suppliers such as Langside Meats, a proud supplier of the finest quality, premium grass-fed ​beef, and Purdon Wagyu, a trusted South African producer renowned for its commitment to quality, genetics, and ethical farming practices.

Some hearty meals you can prepare this winter season are:

1. Beef Bredie

Bredie is the Afrikaans word for stew, and it’s a beloved South African comfort dish. This slow-cooked dish is often made with tomato or waterblommetjies and seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. The beef goulash is simmered for hours until it’s tender, and you can add either:

Tomatoes for a deep, tangy stew known as Tomato Bredie, or waterblommetjies, a unique local ingredient, also known as vleikos or Cape pondweed, indigenous to the Western Cape. This is an all-time favourite among South Africans, nothing beats a traditional Waterblommetjiebredie. Grass-fed beef goulash will add a wholesome, slightly rustic twist to the stew, while something like Wagyu stewing beef will create a luxe, fusion-style bredie. Add some acidity, such as a splash of lemon juice, and avoid overseasoning. Best served with fluffy white rice or mashed potatoes.

2. Bobotie with a Twist

Bobotie is a traditional South African dish made with spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping, with roots in Cape Malay cuisine, blending multiple cultural influences. Traditionally, bobotie is made with mince; however, if you wish to use beef goulash instead, you can. This will create a chunkier, richer version of this spiced baked dish, topped with a savoury egg custard. The goulash can be chopped or pulsed in a food processor until it resembles mince, or you can slow-cook it beforehand until tender, break it apart, and follow the rest of the recipe as usual, adding bread, chutney, spices, and the egg topping.

3. Hearty Potjiekos

Potjiekos (pronounced poy-kee-kos) is a traditional South African slow-cooked stew made in a special three-legged cast iron pot called a “potjie” (pronounced poy-kee). Goulash works exceptionally well with layers of vegetables, potatoes, and a rich gravy. Brown the meat first in the pot, then add the veggies in layers, add a small amount of liquid like stock or wine to keep it moist, it’s not soup. The pot is then covered and left to simmer slowly for a few hours. Ideally served with rice, bread or even pap.

4. Beef Curry

Cape Malay Beef Curry is generally known for being mild, slightly sweet and warmly spiced using cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and occasionally fruit like raisins or apricots. Durban-style Beef Curry is a bit bolder with hotter flavours like chilli, garlic and robust spices. Beef goulash works well with either curry if slow-cooked properly. Always serve with sambals, rice, roti or something to soak up the sauce.

5. Beef and Samp Stew

Beef and Samp Stew is another beloved South African comfort dish which is slow-cooked until tender and full of rich, wholesome flavour. For this dish, you combine goulash with samp, which are dried corn kernels cracked or roughly crushed, and when cooked, they become soft, slightly chewy and absorb the stew’s flavour beautifully. Samp is often paired with beans, but it works just as well on its own with beef. Serve hot on its own as a one-pot meal or add chakalaka or a simple tomato-onion sambal on the side for extra flavour.

6. Pap and Beef Stew

This is a true South African classic, a rich, slow-cooked beef goulash served over stiff maize meal pap, a hearty staple in many local households. Goulash is a tender, flavourful meat that pairs perfectly with the smooth texture of pap, making this dish a firm favourite for lunches or family dinners. This dish is deeply comforting with umami richness that fills you up, warms you up and reminds many South Africans of home. Check out some more of our favourite recipes to serve up delicious meals all year around.

7. Beef and Green Bean Stew

Beef and Green Bean Stew, also known as Boontjiebredie in Afrikaans, is a much-loved traditional dish in many Afrikaans households. Another slow-cooked meal made with tender beef goulash, this time using fresh green beans, which can be string beans or flat beans, add potatoes for body and richness, with a light savoury gravy made from stock, onions, and occasionally tomatoes or mild spices. The dish tastes earthy yet comforting with the natural sweetness of stewed green beans and the richness of beef as the potatoes soak up the meaty broth, making the bredie thick and satisfying. This is the kind of stew that tastes like it’s been passed down from your ouma, often served with rice or even pap.

8. Goulash Pie

You can turn leftover goulash stew into a rich, comforting pie wrapped in golden, flaky pastry. The perfect dish for an easy weeknight meal or a cosy weekend lunch. All you’ll need is a few cups of the leftover stew, a sheet of puff pastry, one beaten egg for egg wash, and you can include fresh herbs, grated cheese or frozen peas. Serve this dish hot with crisp salad or steamed vegetables as a side.

Goulash truly embodies the spirit of winter cooking with warmth, richness, and nostalgic comfort. Whether you’re craving a classic Bobotie with a twist or a hearty Beef and Samp Stew, the tender, flavourful goulash from Blake’s Fine Foods will elevate your culinary creations. You can also find inspiration through some of our great winter beef stew recipes.

We pride ourselves on sourcing our goulash from reputable suppliers like Langside Meats and Purdon Wagyu, guaranteeing quality that you can taste in every single bite. To learn more, contact us today.