Bosnian mushroom goulash is a good way to use up older cuts of meat. They add a tone of wilderness to this basic, earthy goulash. Cremini were used for the recipe, although penny bun mushrooms are even better, if available.
A couple of notes on the recipe:
- Mushrooms: I was out of penny buns while making this recipe for photographing, so I used baby portabellas (cremini) mushrooms. You can find fresh ones in your local grocery store all year round.
- Tender Meat: This is the first time I boiled meat first before simmering it. It came out perfectly soft. This is my recommendation for older cuts for any type of sauce.
- Garlic: There is a fine line between a little bit of garlic, and garlic taking over the mushrooms. And this fine line seems to around half a clove. Go with less, and if necessary add more later.
P.S. If you liked this mushroom goulash, you may like the regular goulash, the even simpler goulash, and of course the boozy mushroom risotto.

Bosnian Mushroom Goulash Recipe (Gulaš od Gljiva)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 80 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Main Course
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef (chuck or a softer cut)
- 1 yellow onion (medium)
- 1/2 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/3 pound mushrooms (penny bun, cremini, portabello)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut up beef into bigger chunks and combine with 2-3 cups of hot water in a deep pot. Simmer on medium for 30 minutes.
Dice onion, mince garlic, and add to beef together with the tomato sauce, butter, sugar and paprika. Simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes, adding a little bit of hot water at times to keep the level of liquid even. - Cut up mushrooms into bigger chunks and add to the sauce. Bring the temperature down to low and simmer for another 25-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over rice, couscous or pasta.
