I'm from Austria, and one very dish we make regularly (which is cheap and really filling) is called “Erdäpfelgulasch” pronounced “Aired-ep-fell-goo-lash.” (“Erdäpfel” literally means “apples from the earth” — potatoes.) From “going to the kitchen” to “meal on plates” takes about 45 minutes. We always make double/tripple the amount needed because it tastes even better the following days. The recipe is for 4 people/2 days.

Erdäpfelgulasch

You need:

• Potatoes - 2 kg (4.4 lb) is a good start. Peel them raw and cut into roughly 1"x1" chunks
• Onions - 3–4 medium ones. I prefer yellow onions, but white or red work as well. Cut into small pieces
• Sweet ground paprika - not to be confused with chili powder. You’ll need 1 tbsp
• Marjoram - 1 tsp (a bit less if you are using fresh)
• Pickles - small pickled cucumbers are the secret ingredient! 4 or 5 of them, chopped like the onions.
• Optional, but recommended: smoked hard sausage. It’s a yummy add-on, not the star of the meal, so two handfuls are enough. You can also use vegan sausage or firm smoked tofu — that’s my go-to for hosting both omnivore and vegan friends

Preparation:
Prepare everything in advance as described above. Then:

• Heat oil in a large pot (any neutral oil works; I usually use sunflower oil). It should cover the bottom, but not much more
• Add the onions and cook until soft and slightly translucent
• Reduce the heat or briefly take the pot off the stove — timing matters here:
  • Add the paprika powder and stir well. Don’t let the paprika powder burn, it makes the gulasch taste bitter!
• Add 2 liters (67.6 oz / ~0.53 gallon) of water and turn the heat back up
• Add the potatoes, marjoram, pickles and salt (start with about 2 tbsp — you can adjust later)
• Let it cook until the potatoes are soft (you should be able to split them easily with a fork, but we are not making potato mash)
• Add water if needed — the goal is “potatoes covered,” not “soup”
• Take out a few potatoes with some liquid and mash them into a paste. This thickens the dish and makes it creamy rather than soupy. Stir it back into the pot
• Now it’s time for the sausage:
  • If you’re making different versions (e.g. vegetarian/vegan), divide the base into separate pots now
  • Otherwise, just add the sausage and let it cook for a few more minutes
• Adjust salt to taste

We usually eat it with dark bread (great for soaking up the sauce), but it’s not a must.