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.
Thank you so much!I wondered what I was going to make Saturday for the grands! Ok St now and I have at home! Thanks again.🤪🤪
They will absolutely love it! Definitely a kid favorite!
Had five of our grands on the boat for a long weekend,made a double batch.They would have gladly eaten it for breakfast,lunch and dinner,if I allowed it.From the 3yr. old twins up to the 9yr. old,they loved it!
That’s awesome! Kid-approved for the win!
It was great like my grandpa used to make
Happy to bring back some memories for you!
Nothing better than a great meal to bring back warm, happy memories of yesteryear!! 💙💙💙
Reminded me of “American Chop Suey’ growing up in Southern New England! I like the addition of a little brown sugar, I would have never thought of it
Thanks for sharing, DJ!
You have brown sugar in the goulash recipe, but I can’t find where you add it?
Add it in step 3!
I don’t see the brown sugar listed in the written recipe how much do you add?
I didn’t make this but it’s been our family dinner dish didn’t know it was German Dish alot if people in the South don’t know what it was. It’s a Midwest Midwestern Sunday meal heck any day would be Goulash day.
Thanks for sharing!
Don’t be sorry..cheesecake isn’t cake and Boston cream pie is it pie what’s the big deal
EXACTLY! These are just a bunch of rude know~it~alls who get off on putting others down and attempting to prove to others that they have some type of superior knowledge or culinary expertise above and beyond that of Becky, when honestly, they would likely struggle with that box of Hamburger Helper. They’re so quick to mention it because it makes an appearance in their kitchen weekly, AT LEAST. Sometimes they have to ask their school age child to prepare it, but they know what it is!! Such a shame…
This was the kind of goulash I grew up with as a kid, only better. The seasonings were really good and the family really enjoyed it! We are a family of 6 with big eaters so I went ahead and added a full pound of beef and a full bag of noodles. I had to adjust the broth and marinara sauce – I added more of each until I had enough to cook the noodles and still have a little sauce to spare. The sharp cheddar on top was a nice touch, too. Thanks for this simple, nostalgic, family-friendly recipe!
This is so awesome to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed it :)
Then it was left out.
Our mother and grandmother didn’t measure exact measurements.. just used a pinch of this or that or the
Palm of theirs and. It varied according to
The size of their palm. Therefore they tested and all of them turned into excellent cooks.. “just mother it grandma used to make!!!
Great easy recipe. Went over well with the kids. Easy clean up. I will definitely make it again.
I am sorry to hear it’s not up to your taste, Michael! It’s our take on goulash but I definitely understand it won’t be everyone’s favorite. Thanks for letting me know.
This sounds delicious!
Quick FYI: The original (Hungarian) goulash is not made with ground beef or pasta ;-) It is made with beef cubes, usually rump roast, chuck, or round. Oftentimes, it is also made with peppers.
This is great information, thank you! I really appreciate the info and although this isn’t authentic, I hope you enjoy our take.
It’s often called Amrrican Goulash to distinguish it from authentic Hungarian goulash. In New England, it’s called Anerican Chop Suey, and in some places Johnny Marzetti.