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Before I had ever eaten goulash, I had assumed the dish was a sort of stew — and, in fact, it often is. Goulash originated in Hungary as a thick, rustic blend of meat and starch — heartily seasoned with that country’s famous paprika — and is now commonly found as such across central Europe.

But a while ago, I came across a provocative newspaper article declaring goulash to be just as typically a soup. The accompanying recipe looked so appealing that I decided to veganize it, never suspecting that I’d love the result as much as I do. I substituted olive oil for the lard, seitan for the beef and veggie broth for the water. I also added marjoram and eliminated black pepper, thinking that the vinegar would give the dish a firm enough kick. Oh, and I added an extra potato, as I always add more potatoes. (What could it hurt?)

Tip: The heat level of the goulash will depend on the type and freshness of paprika you use. Adjust to your taste.

Kay Stepkin is a vegetarian cooking instructor.

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Seitan goulash

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Makes: 4 large bowls

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound seitan chunks, drained

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon each: caraway seeds, white wine vinegar, tomato paste

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1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon each, dried: marjoram, oregano

1 quart homemade or low-sodium vegetable broth

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl.

2 In a separate bowl, sprinkle the seitan with the paprika; stir until evenly coated. Pour remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the pot. Add seitan; cook, stirring occasionally, until the pieces start to brown, about 10 minutes. Return onions to pot. Stir in garlic, caraway seeds, vinegar, tomato paste, soy sauce, marjoram and oregano. Simmer over low heat to blend the flavors, about 1 minute.

3 Add vegetable broth and potatoes. Cover pot and turn heat to high. As soon as mixture begins to simmer, about 10 minutes, turn heat to low; simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving: 346 calories, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 409 mg sodium, 6 g fiber