Smoked Paprika Slow Cooker Goulash

Preheat the cooking vessel by placing 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Allow the onions to cook and stir until they become tender and start to develop a golden-brown color on their edges, taking around 8-10 minutes. Introduce garlic into the mix and cook for an additional minute before transferring everything to a slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker with a lid and set it to Low heat. Prepare a bowl by mixing together paprika, salt, and pepper in equal proportions. Ensure the meat cubes are evenly coated with the spice mixture.

Return to the pan and heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add a portion of beef cubes to the pan and cook until they achieve a nice, even brown color on all sides. Transfer these cooked beef cubes to the slow cooker and pour 2 tablespoons of water into the pan, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom. This step prevents the paprika from burning during subsequent batches of beef.

Repeat this process for each batch of beef, adding another tablespoon of oil and cooking the next portion until nicely browned. Finally, stir in the tomato paste and remaining water into the slow cooker, covering it with a lid. Cook on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 6-9 hours.

Prepare a pot by filling it with lightly salted water and bringing it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add egg noodles to the pot, stirring occasionally until they are cooked through but still retain some firmness to the bite. Drain the noodles.

Serve the goulash over the cooked egg noodles, accompanied by a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of parsley.