If there is one recipe my kids will request I make time and time again, it’s this family friendly pasta. This Goulash Recipe is a hearty mix of ground beef, macaroni, and tomato sauce. I cook it all in one pot for a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love.
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This easy goulash has over 500 5-star reviews. I’m so proud that so many people around the world have made it and decided they loved it enough to let me know. I hope your family loves it as much as ours.
What’s in this Goulash Recipe?
I love that all you have to do to prepare this easy dinner is to throw all the ingredients in a pot and cook!
- Ground Beef: Ground beef or hamburger meat is the best option for a quick, one-pot recipe like this.
- Onion: I recommend using yellow onion for the best flavor. If you like red onions, use them as a topping instead.
- Broth: Beef broth tastes best, but you can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth if you need to.
- Diced Tomatoes: Grab a can of regular diced tomatoes for convenience.
- Marinara Sauce: Helps thicken up the sauce and enhances the tomato flavor.
- Brown Sugar: This is optional but adds just a touch of sweetness!
- Soy Sauce: Enhances the umami flavor of this dish. You could also use Worcestershire sauce.
- Seasonings: This recipe uses paprika (a must for any goulash recipe!), Italian seasoning, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, and a bay leaf.
- Macaroni: Traditional elbow macaroni is my favorite, but you can use another short or tubular noodle. Penne works great too!
- Cheddar Cheese: This is optional, but I love to make our beef goulash cheesy by adding some on top at the end.
Pro Tip: Cook the goulash in a Dutch oven or heavy-based pot. This will distribute the heat more evenly and you are less likely to get hot spots that can burn the bottom.
Variations
When I want to add some vegetables to this dish, I mix in carrots, potatoes, and other hearty veggies. That’s one great way I mix in some hidden veggies that the kids want to scarf down. I always par-cook them to slightly tender, then add them in with the rest of the ingredients.
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How to Store and Reheat
I store leftover goulash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, I reheat on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Let the goulash cool completely before transferring it to Ziplock bags or an airtight container. It will keep well for 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty American Chop Suey makes a great dinner by itself, but I find it also pairs well with cornbread, dinner rolls, or any kind of bread you like for a bit of scooping and dipping. My kids love it best when I serve it with a side of mashed potatoes or au gratin potatoes.
Easy Goulash Recipe (American Style)
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Ingredients
- ¾ pound ground beef
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 cup marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional, for a sweeter sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 cup dry elbow macaroni
- ½ cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese optional
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and onion together until the onion softens and the meat cooks through, about 3-5 minutes.¾ pound ground beef, ½ yellow onion
- Drain any grease.
- Add the beef broth, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, seasoned salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.2 cups low sodium beef broth, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 cup marinara sauce, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 5 or 10 minutes, covered.
- Add the elbow macaroni and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Don’t overcook.1 cup dry elbow macaroni
- Remove the bay leaves and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Add the shredded cheese, optional. If you are using a Dutch oven, you can pop it in the oven and melt and brown the cheese if desired.½ cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Garnish the finished dish with chopped parsley, optional.Chopped fresh parsley
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- When the goulash is warm, it will resemble a soup, but it will thicken as it cools.
- Cook the goulash in a Dutch oven or heavy based pot. This will distribute the heat more evenly and you are less likely to get hot spots which can burn the bottom.
- Fell free to add in extra veggies. Bell peppers and mushrooms both work well.
- If making ahead of time, let it cool completely before storing.
Nutrition Information
Goulash is a stew made from meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices.
Hamburger Helper is similar to goulash, but it is creamier, cheesier, and less tomato-heavy.
American Goulash is made with ground beef, a tomato-based sauce, and elbow macaroni. Overall, it’s more like a casserole than a stew. Hungarian Goulash, on the other hand, is more of a traditional stew, made with stew meat (like chuck roast), and lots of vegetables. It’s a much thicker consistency and served over a bed of noodles or dumplings.
I like to use lean ground beef for this recipe, but you can easily make it with ground turkey, chicken or pork, or even try ground veal or bison.
No, the pasta will cook through perfectly in the pot along with the other ingredients.
If it’s watery or runny, just let it continue to simmer for a while longer and stir. This usually does the trick for me, Otherwise, you can mix in just a bit of cornstarch and continue cooking.
If you like, add plenty of shredded cheese on top after everything has finished cooking. Then pop it in the oven to broil for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
Absolutely! It will keep well for up to 3 months.
This was very good. I did add a little more brown sugar & used canned tomato sauce instead of marinara. Also, may only use half of cheeses or just add as garnish next time.
I grew up calling this “American Chop Suey”. That’s what all of us do in m family and others here in RI. Maybe it’s just a New England thing. No matter what it’s called, it’s delicious!!!!
I LOVED this!!
I followed recipe exactly except I added twice as much black pepper (whoops!) and it was still quite delicious. My husband and I both noticed a somewhat overpowering smell emanating from the bowl but nothing overpowering, taste-wise. Not sure what that was about.
Great tasting and easy recipe! Thanks!
I wanted to chime in. My mom was always a very simple cook and she didn’t ever really try new things very often. She was very picky so growing up we called it the same name but she put 1lb hamburger• cooked elbow noodles in water separately • then added them together once finished and added 1.5 cans of tomato sauce a bit of ketchup oregano and let it simmer for a bit and that was it. Once I got older I couldn’t do red sauce very well so I add quite a bit of sugar which I personally like but most people do not. I am excited to try it this way for sure. Just thought I’d share.
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Courtney! We hope you love this recipe!
How many people does this dish serve? Can’t wait to try it out.
Hi, this recipe serves 4 as written!