Hungarian Gulaschsuppe- With a Cajun Twist!

When I was seventeen I went on a school trip to Europe, a whirlwind tour of Holland, Germany and Austria. It was an amazing cultural experience for a small-town girl like moi, including a mind-bending four hour stroll through the Red Light district of Amsterdam and an up-close and personal run-in with an eight foot high concrete penis. But that's a story for another day...

One very memorable thing about the trip was a certain soup that seemed to be served in every little inn and cafe along the way, much the same way that chicken noodle is served here. It was called Hungarian Gulaschsuppe. It is a thick, tomato based soup with peppers and potatoes and beef, seasoned with paprika and caraway. I ate that shit almost every day. up and down the continent, and then filled my suitcase with the canned variety for the trip home.

It took me six years to find a recipe that I felt tasted the same as what I remembered from Europe, and it became a family favourite. Still is to this day, in fact, only now I use a vegan beef substitute. The vegan "beef" in this recipe is really optional, as the soup tastes just as great without it. Do NOT be tempted to leave out the caraway seed, as this is what makes the dish. Also, over the years I have found that a little Cajun spice gives the soup a certain oomph that was lacking before. You'll also notice that there are no peppers in this soup, although peppers are customary. My family just doesn't care for them here.

Hungarian Gulaschsuppe

Get yourself a large pot, and add:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
~Saute until onions are translucent~

Then add:
2- 796 ml cans of diced tomatoes, pureed right in the can with an immersion blender
4 cups of diced potatoes
2 Tbsp vegan beef-style bouillon
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp caraway seed
2 tsp Cajun spice

Allow to simmer until potatoes are soft, about thirty to thirty-five minutes. During the last five minutes, add about ¾ cup vegan beef-style strips, diced into cubes. (I used President’s Choice Blue Menu Meatless Beef Strips.) Serves six.