When you need an easy dinner recipe that will please the whole family, try whipping up some old fashioned goulash! Everyone loves this hodgepodge of macaroni noodles, ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings!
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What is Goulash?
Goulash is a soup or stew of meat, usually seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating from the medieval Hungary, goulash is a popular meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe.
Have you tried it before? We love goulash in our home and although I’m sure we have a very American version of the recipe, we wanted to make sure we shared our Cheesy Beef Goulash recipe with you today – because it’s delicious! 🙂 It is filled with noodles, hamburger, tomatoes and cheese!!
Although we really don’t consider our “American Goulash” (or “Old Fashioned Goulash”) a stew, we love this cheesy dish that can be easily modified based on the ingredients you love most. Although this recipe has a number of different seasonings, it is simple enough to please all ages. The whole family loves it, and I love because it’s simple and tasty.
How to Make Goulash:
I’m all about simple these days and this recipe is just that! It doesn’t take long to throw this easy cheesy goulash together, but plan ahead because it does have to simmer for about 30 minutes! The hardest part of this recipe is honestly waiting patiently for it to finish simmering! See for yourself how simple this recipe is:
- Saute ground beef in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, and drain.
- Add the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes. Add water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the uncooked elbow macaroni to skillet, stir well, then return the lid and simmer for about 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes is up and the noodles are all cooked, turn off the heat, and remove the bay leaves. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese right before serving.
Adding the cheese at the end if what makes this goulash even more irresistible!
Such a cheesy, delicious dinner idea that everyone will enjoy!! This recipe does make a whole pot full, so if you end up with extra, know that the leftovers are just as delicious! We hope you enjoy this beef goulash as much as we do. 🙂
For more easy ground beef recipes, try:
Goulash Recipe
When you need an easy dinner recipe that will please the whole family, try whipping up some old fashioned goulash! Everyone loves this hodgepodge of macaroni noodles, ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings! This easy goulash recipe is the perfect go-to for any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 3 c water
- 2 cans tomato sauce 15 oz cans
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 15 oz cans
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 TB soy sauce
- 1 TB seasoned salt
- 2 TB Italian seasoning
- 2 c elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
-
Saute ground beef in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic and saute for about 5 minutes. Add water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.
-
Add the uncooked elbow macaroni to skillet, stir well, return the lid and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off heat, remove the bay leaves, and add 1 cup of cheddar cheese right before serving.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
TRIED AND TRUE FINDINGS:
- DIFFICULTY: Simple
- HOW MANY DOES IT FEED: 6-7ish, more if you're feeding little mouths.
- ANY CHANGES MADE: We did not add any onions to this recipe. We typically use minced garlic and we omitted Paula Deans seasoning. We also added one cup of cheese.
- ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT TIME: Next time, I would love to try egg noodles, for more of a stroganoff feel.
Yum – thank you
I make this a few times a month, I love it! So good!
I actually have never made goulash so I need to try this soon! It would go over well with my family!
it seems to be a lovely and very delicious meal, however, this is not a goulash (or authentically spelt: gulyás) in any way or on any level. you should definitely give this recipe a try as it looks great, just make sure to call it something else.
This recipe is American-style goulash, which is very common and popular, especially in the Mid and Southwest. Its also known as American Chop-Suey in some places. Its one of those dishes that was during poor economic times to stretch food budgets and was given a familiar, Old World style name is all.
I myself learned to make authentic Hungarian Goulash from a Hungarian roommate I had in college, but grew up eating this style too and it is good in a totally different way. 🙂
Thanks for the sharing those pieces of knowledge! I’ll have to try it other ways!!
Can you share the Hungarian Goulash recipe?
Would you be willing to share the authentic hungarian goulash recipe 🙂
If u dont like that this is called goulash, dont make it….i guess u are the food queen on what dishes are called
I always want to say “then share your recipe for goulash” … I like to add chili powder, a can of diced tomatoes, green peppers or jalapeños and then top with Parmesan cheese
I actually call this homemade beefaroni. Sometimes I use tomato soup instead of diced. Nice and creamier
That’s another great name and I’ll have to try that..sounds yum!
Sara,
How much soup did you substitute? My daughter is not big on seeing tomatoes in her food.
I have a son who feels the same way about tomatoes. I just puree diced tomatoes with and immersion blender.
I was wondering what to use in replace of diced tomatoes. My kids
Will not eat chunky tomatoes.
You could just leave them out or maybe chop them up more??
It’s GOULASH here in America!
I’m sure what you know as goulash doesn’t represent this dish… however in America, calling this goulash is extremely accurate. It also clearly says this is an American dish as well…
That melty cheese…. wow it looks so good!!
When I hear the word goulash, I think of my mom’s version which always had chunks of tomatoes and chewy beef. It was horrible. If I had this instead, I would have gobbled it up!
I’ve made a variation on goulash for years, but the addition of bay leaves and soy sauce is genius! Pinning!
It’s so hard to take great pictures of a cheesy casserole, but you nailed it! My stomach is growling!
This looks so amazing, I love the flavors in this!
This looks amazing! The perfect cheesy comfort food. 🙂
Easy to make crowd-pleasing really yummy thank you for the recipe
Hi, I came across your blog post while looking for new homemade hamburger helper recipe’s, can’t wait to try out this one. I also have my own secret homemade helper recipe, feel free to try it out yourself – you can find it here http://asouthernmess.com/?p=93 I can’t wait to try out yours, it looks delicious!”
Hugs~
Will check out your recipe – thanks!
Is there any disadvantage to cooking the pasta separately and adding it at the end? I was thinking it would save time to cook the pasta concurrently.
You can do that too – totally up to you. 😉
I think if you do that, you should probably reduce the amount of water, since it’s in there to counteract the cooking of the pasta.
Hi Kate, I wouldn’t cook the pasta separately because the starch from the pasta is what’s going to help thicken the sauce and give it that heavier consistency. Adding it separately will give you soupier results.
I am on a restricted diet and want to make this using venison hamburger and without the cheese, as dairy is limited…. do you suggest a substitute….?
I’m not sure what you are restricted from eating, but you could always use less of something if it needs to be limited. Or, you don’t have to even add the cheese. It won’t be as creamy, but it will still taste good:) Some suggest tofu as a replacement for cheese? Hope that helps!
What is Italian seasoning?
Cindy you can find dry Italian seasoning in your local super markets near soup mixes and spices I believe. It’s good for making dressings, marinades, etc 🙂
It is a mixture of dried herbs such as, basil, oregano, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. We use it on so many recipes. You can find it in the baking isles with all the seasonings:)
I actually used my bruschetta seasoning (I had a big container from Costco) and it was beyond perfect!!! I used 3tbsp of it and didn’t need the season salt. Seriously amazing ????
Do you simmer the sauce before adding the pasta, or do you allow it to keep cooking on medium-high?
You’ll simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes, before adding the uncooked pasta, then you’ll continue to simmer for 30 more minutes. Hope you enjoy it, as much as we do!
Made this today. Added curry to it as the weather is cold and windy and needed some warm food comfort. It was so tasty and flavourful. Will make it again for sure!!
What a good idea!! Curry is such a warm flavor. This is a great recipe to change up and add or take out spices, to fit any families taste! Thanks for sharing your changes!
Faer, I love curry, how much did you use. I am a little hesitant about the curry/soy sauce combo. Does it have a very strong spicy note? Or has anyone else used these 2 spices together?
Yum Kristyn. Thank you.
I hope you try and like this recipe!! We sure love it:) Thank you!
Thank you
You’re welcome! I hope you tried and liked this recipe!
This was fantastic and sooooo easy! I did add a chopped onion, sautéed with the meat, because we love that flavor, and I never got to add the cheese, because we were already tasting bowls of it and loved the flavors!! (I also used 1lb ground beef and 1lb ground turkey, and just 2T of Soy sauce, because I need to cut down on my sodium) My son’s pasta choice was Cavatappi (corkscrew), which was really fun. This is a keeper! Wow! I am so impressed. 🙂
Yay, I’m so happy that your family loved this recipe! I wish I liked onions, because I know how much flavor they add! I like the changes you made, a little healthier and still so tasty!! Come back soon and try more recipes:)
I made this tonight and we all loved it! I eat a vegetarian diet so we made this with veggie crumbles (ground beef sub). I also have celiac so we used gluten free noodles. Even with the change it was really great! Thank you for this great recipe!
Yay! I love the changes, thanks for sharing them for all other vegetarian eaters out there!
it looks delicious, i have a question 3 cups of wayer ?
how much is that 3/4 of a liter.?
i mean water
Yes, 3 cups of water which is a little less than 3/4 of a liter. Hope you give this recipe a try! We love it!!
i try this on saterday, i let you know.
Great, I’d love to hear how it turns out!! I hope everyone loves it, like we do!
Is the whole recipe 722 calories ? Or just a serving ? And if so how much is a serving ?
I made this recipe last night as a surprise for my husband (he loves goulash, but I always forget about it and don’t make it often). I have another recipe, but lost it while trying to get organized (go figure lol). Anyway, this was delicious and it made a lot!! Definitely a wonderful comfort food for any time of the year (but especially on chilly/cold nights)! Thanks for a great recipe! #itsakeeper
Ha..funny how we loose things, as we organize! Did your hubby love it, too? We sure love it anytime, but especially those chilly nights!! Glad you liked it:)
today I made your recipe , and it was delicious.
next time I ‘ll try a different cheese .
Parmesan perhaps.?
Great! I’m glad you liked it. You could add whatever cheese you like, which makes this a great recipe. We love it!! Thanks for letting me know:)
We call this “Red Macaroni” when I was very little. 50 yrs later, still call it red macaroni!
Haha..love it!! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m in Australia where is says can of tomato sauce does that mean can of tomato soup here in Australia?
They are different. You can usually find tomato sauce, where canned tomatoes are in the store. I guess if you can’t find it, then you can make your own, by blending tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Hope that helps!!
Following on from previous question as I am also in Australia, is your tomato sauce like tomato juice then? (like what you would use in a Bloody Mary?) Tomato sauce here is what you call ketchup. Thanks
Never mind – looks like it is more like what we call tomato paste
Wanna make this but need to know which soy sauce do you use? Is it dark soy sauce? Light soy sauce? Or, sweet soy sauce?
Hey there,
I was thinking about adding extra veggies in; peppers, onion, and zucchini. Would I sauté these items with the ground beef initially, or just add them when adding the tomato sauce? and let them simmer?
Sounds delish!! I would maybe saute them first with salt & pepper, then add them in. I haven’t tried adding different veggies, but it could probably work both ways. Sauteing them would definitely make them soft.
Hi, Kristyn! I just made this for father’s day last Sunday and I thoroughly enjoyed this! Thank you so much for the recipe!
~Ashley
Thank you so much for letting me know!! So, glad that you liked it!! Hope everyone did, too:)
Have you tried using chicken broth instead of water?
I haven’t, but I’m sure that would just give it more flavor! Let me know what you think, if you try that! Thank you!!
Delicious and simple to make!
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
currently making it on the stove!!
we added 4 cups of salad macaroni (it was in on hand instead of going to the store) for the the 3C elbow mac.
added a squeeze of Italian dressing and ketchup for more of a vinegar flavor.
and he cook time for the noodles was 20-25 mins instead of 30 since they were smaller noodles.
I do whatever keeps me from going to the store, too! I hoped you liked it, as much as we do!
i also added 3 slices of american cheese and pepperjack in to the dish! it melted great and added another layer of flavor
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the added suggestions!! Glad you liked it 🙂
Made this following the recipe except for: I didn’t have any seasoned salt so I substituted Goya Sazòn. I included the onions with the garlic and cooked until translucent. It came out fantastic, if I do say so myself. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
I love to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
I had my mothers goulash as a kid and was nervous to try this but was looking for quick dinners since I’m in my 5th pregnancy and short on energy! I can’t believe how much flavor it has with as few ingredients! Thanks for a great recipe everyone likes!!
I know how that is!! I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for giving it a try and letting me know what you thought!
W……..who cares what this is called, if u dont like that its called goulash, dont fix it. This recipe sounds wonderful, I am making it right now
Can you halve this?
Of course 🙂 Let me know what you think!! We love it!
Was wondering this myself, thanks for asking!
I half it all the time. Just use one bay leaf unstead of one and a half! Lol everything else halves perfectly.
This sounds yummy,but I have to ask your viewers if they know of a goulash recipe that was on the back of a Skinners macaroni bag in the early 70’s. I remember it had ranch style beans and green peas along with most of the things in the above recipe. I think it had Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce and I don’t remember a bay leaf or Italian seasonings. Please email me if you are in your 60’s and over, and you have this recipe. It was a favorite among men of that time (and me). Thanks!
Wish I knew 🙂 You’ll have to give this one a try, it’s super yummy!
Found this on the Skinners website, but no peas. Could this be what you’re looking for? https://www.skinnerpasta.com/en-us/recipes/22003/CowboyChiliwithBeans.aspx
Thanks for the recipe!
I was really surprised when it coocked faster then you mentioned.
By the way it seems to me it’ll be great to add some mushrooms =)
You’re welcome!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
made the cheesy beef goulash today. didn’t put in garlic and only used salt instead of seasoned salt. also mozzerella cheese instead of cheddar. everyone loved it!! Thanks.
Yay!! Like the changes!! Thanks for sharing!!
can this be done in a slow cooker instead of the stove top?
Yes. I haven’t personally made it in a crock pot, but this would be a perfect recipe for that!!
We (kids, hubby and I ) all loved this recipe! I love that you can cook in 1 pan. I wondered about the onions, then I read your “about me”. I may put onions in next time.. 🙂
Haha..yes, I don’t like onions, but you could definitely add them!! I’m glad everyone liked it! Thanks so much!
Trying this recipe out tonight, it’s on the stovetop now and smells so good. Added a few extra seasonings….chili powder & chopped onions. Also I added a chili starter and used Turkey burger. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
That all sounds delish!! Thanks for the new ideas! Hope you enjoy!!
This was a hit! My 16 year old daughter took a bite, closed her eyes and moaned “this is sooo good.” I had some leftover broccoli that I had cooked the night before so I threw that in during the last 6 min. Will definitely be making this again!
So glad you all liked it!! We love this recipe too! I’ll have to try adding broccoli!
Yummy!! Really enjoyed this recipe, thank you. Will be making again.
So happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for stopping by and giving this a try!
If you make the pasta separately do you still add all the water to the dish?
This might be a dumb question but when do you put the meat back in?
Right after you drain the meat, just add it back to the pan and add the other ingredients 🙂 Hope you give it a try and thanks for stopping by!
Both my mother and my husband’s mother made us dishes similar to this when we were growing up in the 60s & 70s. I made a half recipe of this tonight with small penne pasta, and we LOVED it! Like our mom’s versions, only better!
Oh, thank you!! It seems like a lot of people have had a version of this when they were younger! Thanks for trying it out!
I grew up in mid- Indiana and we had this at least once a month. A true comfort dish and a good way to stretch a meal!
It sure is comfort food!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
I just made this tonight. Very good! But next time I would cut back on the salt. I used less than what it called for but still found it pretty salty. Will definitely make this again!
You can add as little or as much salt as you like 🙂 Thank you so much for giving it a try and I’m so glad you liked it!
We completely loved this!!!!!! I used 3 tablespoons of garlic instead of teaspoons since I use preminced from a jar but made no other substitutions. I will cook it for 20 minutes on the final cook next time, I made a double batch since it looks perfect for reheating and the noodles continued to absorb liquid and soften in the hot juices as they sat. Wonderful recipe!!!!
SO glad you liked it! Thanks so much for giving it a try and letting me know!
I don’t like tomatoes what can I substitute for the canned tomatoes? Or do i just leave them out ?
You could just leave them out. Not sure what I would replace them with. Hope you like it!! Thanks!
My husband and step daughter hate chunky tomatoes. I blend them in the blender and no one knows they are in the dish. But it still adds another dimension to the dish.
My family LOVED IT !!!!
End of story will be making again I added onions green peppers and used beef broth instead of water….
Yay!! Sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Made this for dinnner tonight and everyone one loved it! It was so easy to ????????Thanks
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! So easy to make ????????
Yay!!! Thank you for letting me know! Thank you for also giving it a try!
Made this easy goulash for dinner tonight….it is AMAZING, we all enjoyed it. Thanks for this super tasty recipe, will be made many more times in this household.
Yay!! Thank you so much for letting me know! We love it too! Thanks again!
Very good! While family loves it… definitely will be making it again. Big hit
Happy to hear 🙂 Thank you so much for making it and for letting me know!! We love it, too!
Loved the cheesy beef goulash. It was delicious.
Thanks so much for letting me know!! Thank you also for giving it a try!
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit with the family! Almost followed the recipe to a “T” except I added 1 11/2 tablespoons of sugar to bring out the sweetness in the tomatoes. I would highly recommend this dish, with or without the added sugar. Thank you!
So glad it was a hit!! We love it! Thank you for making it and for letting me know!
Add 1/2 a block of cream cheese or more before the cheddar cheese it will change your life! Trust me
Haha…I’ll have to try 🙂 Thanks for the tip!
I made this today,my son and I loved it,thanks.
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much!!
Could you freeze this after you make it? Put it in a freezer bag? Reheat on the stove top? Would that work or would it get watery or anything?
That should work!! I haven’t put it in the freezer yet, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t turn out. Let me know how it comes out 🙂 Thanks so much!
Great recipe! Omit the salt and add a little chili powder
I’ll have to try!! Thank you!
To me the soy sauce ruins the taste of this, I liked everything else about it. I’d maybe leave it out or reduce it next time.
You for sure could. Thank you for giving it a try!!
Yum, the cheesy beef goulash was so good! I made this tonight for my husband. He loved it. It was easy peasy to make and oh so tasty. :o)
Yay!!! I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know and thank you for trying this recipe!
Yummy, made this tonight for dinner & I’m so glad I did! It was gooey, cheesy, beefy goodness! Thanks for a wonderful & quick recipe!
Yay 🙂 Thanks so much for trying it!! I’m, so glad you liked it 🙂
Excellent dinner!!! Defiantly going to make agai.
Great!! 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know. I’m so glad you liked it!
How can I make with 1 pound of meat only 2 people
You can half all the ingredients in the recipe, if you don’t want to make as much or just store all your leftovers and you can eat it throughout the week 🙂
How can I cut in half 1# meat for 2 people!!!
Instead of 2 lbs, just use 1 pound. You can buy 1 pound meat. Hope that helps!
I made this last night but I left out the tomatoes and it was fabulous my husband ate 4 servings and my daughter 2 I have to make it again so I can have some
Great!! 🙂 I’m so glad they liked it!! Thank you so much!
Good recipe. Great grammar. My kind of blog. 🙂
Thanks so much!!
Just made this tonight and it was a huge hit with my husband. I grew up with 2 versions of goulash and this was one of them. I had not this in years and so thank you for an awesome recipe. I did make changes as my husband and I are spicy lovers. I added only 1 can 540 ml itialian tomatoes whole, I 420ml jar of Guy Fieri’s 7 pepper salsa, 3 cups beef broth, and added franks seasoning, Mrs. Dash in replacement of some of the original seasonings you mentioned and omitted the bay leave as I am not a fan. How ever I used Casarecce noodles (can be found at Costco) I added at the end was Parmsen cheese, so omit adding salt to the cooking as it is salty. I love this dish and for me it’s a keeper and in my recipe box it went. Thank you
Yay! You are welcome! I’ll have to try your changes..they sound yum! Thank you for sharing!
This is one of my favorites!
Ours too! Thanks so much for letting me know!
If I want to omit the tomatoes, how much should I increase the amount of sauce I use? Thanks!
Hmm..I’m not quite sure. I haven’t made it without using the tomatoes. You could just make it without the cans of tomatoes & if you taste it & you feel it needs more, maybe add a small (8oz) can of tomato sauce? Just a guess. Let me know what you do! Thanks!
I real find it funny that people feel the need to comment on such things as the name of the dish in a negative fashion. I think it is fantastic that people like Kristyn are willing to share their favourite recipes with others! It makes the world a happier place and I for one don’t care what it’s called. I am actually preparing it now as I type (just defrosting my ground beef!).
Thanks so much and I look forward to trying your others!
Thanks so much Lisa!! I appreciate your words! I hope you liked it!
It was amazing! Instead of cheddar I used a spicy nacho shredded cheese ( pre shredded) and then threw in some hot chunky nacho sauce ( about 1/4 cup). Made it super spicy, which we love.
Spicy is good 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!! So glad you liked it!
My mom made something like this as a quick meal. She called it goulash too. My husband likes it with zuccini & parmesan cheese. My sister likes it with corn. That’s something I noticed in the comments. It’s one of those recipes that everyone makes their own family favorite. Thanks for reminder. Think I will make it tonight.
It sure is! You can add whatever you like..that is what makes it such a great recipe. Thank you!
I sent the recipe to my hubby, who is the cook in our household (he’s a definite keeper). It was DELICIOUS! I am betting we will ad this to our go to list of meals when we need something simple and tasty. Thank you for sharing!
What a great hubby!! I am so glad it’s a hit! Thank you 🙂
I have to tell you that I’ve made this a few times before and it is absolutely delicious. We’ve been quite busy in the evenings lately and I like to prep as much as I can ahead of time for the next day’s dinner. I prepped this meal (doing everything except adding the pasta) and left it on the counter to cool before putting in the fridge. My husband came home late and thought it was soup for dinner. He said it was one of the best soups I’ve ever made. LOL!
LOL!! I am so glad you like it! That is funny about your hubby 🙂
I make something very similar which is an adaptation of something my Mom made. She always called it chop suey and I call it goulash, although I suspect American Chop Suey is closer to what I make. I don’t care what name you put on it, it’s good. I use tomato soup, onions, cheddar cheese, macaroni and ground beef. So simple and yet tasty.
Thanks so much!!
This was very good however, I made this with 1 lb venis on burg and 1 lb venison sausage. Added a quart of my homemade chunky salsa and 3 1/2 cups of noodles. Incredible! I love to take recipes and make them my very own. Thanks for sharing your’s to help make my family a great meal!
I’m glad you make them your own 🙂 That’s what’s great about cooking 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
I made this tonight and it is delicious. I had an extra 1 Lb ground beef so I included 1 1/2 of the ingredients. I think I added too much water for the extra macaroni. It wasn’t really waterery but not thick. I will add onion next time. Thank you for Sharing the recipe. Husband loved it also.
You are so welcome!! I’m glad you both liked it! Thank you for letting me know.
Very good recipe! I used whole grain elbows and added diced onions and green peppers. I also added some chopped spinach towards the end.
That sounds yum! Great additions! Thank you for sharing!
This is delicious, my family loves it. The only thing I added was a can of corn (drained)
That’s a perfect addition! Thank you!
A new firm favorite in this house. I make the full rmam out and am able to feed 4 with it and still freeze half of it for another day. Perfect when you need to atock up the freezer with a bulk batch for the times when your unable to cook or in a hurry.
I am so glad!! Thank you for letting me know! Yes, it is perfect for freezing!
This will get eaten up, no doubt, but I found it to be too salty. I think I would use 1/2 tbspn of seasoned salt next time. I also would have liked a warning as to the size pot to use…. I used one that just barely worked. Also a “stir occasionally” needs to be added for those 30 minutes. I had to give my son a bath and when I came back the bottom was burnt, didnt affect the taste but clean up is going to be a bother. Thanks for the recipe, it is a great one to give little tweaks to.
I LOVE IT the came out better than I thought and this is my first time I made Goulash ????????????????
Yay!! Great job and I’m so glad you liked it! You can do anything 🙂 Thank you!
Made this GOULASH, have my own recipe as well I always use which everyone likes, BUT this was a real homerun, I did add onion, bell pepper, as well as a can of rotel instead of 2 cans of tomatoes, and next time I will use only 1 bay leaf…..Very very good though!!
Thanks so much!!! I’m glad you liked it! Your changes sound great!
This recipe is very similar to what my mom taught me to make that she learned from my grandma. I’ve always called it Hamburger Macaroni. It’s basically a mexican style version of this recipe made to feed a crowd of 8. 1LB ground beef/turkey, 4 cups elbow macaroni, 8-10 cups water, 2T chicken bouillon, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can el pato tomato sauce (mexican hot style), 2T crushed garlic, 1T cumin, 1/2t chili powder (ancho or california). Brown the meat in a skillet. in a 6qt pot, toast the elbow macaroni in some olive oil, then add the meat & remaining ingredients. bring to a boil & simmer for 20-30mins. Top it off with some shredded cheese. Very easy to make this recipe stretch by adding more water and making it “soupy”
Thanks so much for sharing!! Sounds good!!
This is a great dish but gulash (gulyas) as I know is a Hungarian soup with potatoes, diced meat, and carrots and That looks and tastes nothing like this.
I’ve made this several times and it’s a hit. I don’t use water but beef broth for a richer flavor and we do use onions. Really simple and delish. Rolls and salad. Bam
LOL..love it! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Really good! Everyone loved it! Used stewed tomatoes instead of diced as thats what my mom always used. Really hit the spot ???? and reminded me of home.
I’m glad you liked it!! Stewed tomatoes would be great! I’ll have to try that 🙂
This recipe is fantastic! So delicious! I added some green beans and corn to it. Amazing!!!
Perfect!! Thank you for giving it a try! Glad you liked it!
I made this for dinner and doubles the recipe (don’t recommend, it makes ALOT). I ended up having to throw it all out because the noodles were mushy. Looks good, I wish it was what I was having instead of pizza. changes I would make would be to not include soy sauce.
Thanks for giving it a try!!
This is delicious. I made a batch and froze for lunches. Definitely going in my keep file! Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Love to hear that! Great idea & thank you so much!
I used 1/2 yellow because ground beef dinners are always better with onion and I halved the recipe for two people with leftovers for lunch next day.
Simple and delicious easy cleanup.
Perfect! Halving is great for two! Thank you for trying it & I’m glad you liked it!
Wow…
It looks great and it sounds easy to make:-)
I have added it on my need to make list.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Looks so yummy! I am gonna make this at home! Is it easy to make?
Hi, this looks delicious but it’s kinda a ‘mac and beef’. It’s not gulas. I guess it’s ‘American gulas’ but that’s not gulas at all. There’s no paprika in it! Gulas is from Eastern Europe and definitely isn’t pasta. So, I’m curious where the name comes from. Is American Gulash actually a thing? Or is this just named by Americans who have never been to Europe and never had actual gulaš?
Hope that question isn’t annoying. I’m curious where this comes from.
Thanks.
Paul
(American who once lived in Eastern Europe as was looking for actual Czech gulaš recipes)
It is American Goulash. My mom was a gourmet cook, well aware of what Hungarian goulash was, but we ate this frequently growing up. It is known as a comfort food and was a quick fix when she was working and going to night school, and running a household.
Apologies I was a bit harsh with that review. Okay so I think that you should consider instead of using beef, using lamb. Get some nice cuts of lamb – lean, cut it up into 1 inch cubes, cover the lamb in sweet paprika, and use red wine to help it stick to the chunks. Flash fry the lamb in a hot skillet so that it just burns slightly around the outside of the lamb but is very rare inside the chunks.
In terms of herbs, hungarian goulash will be using paprika. Unfortunately Hungarians have 3-4 different types of paprika none of which we can get here in Britain. You have to do the best you can and try and get sweet, the smoked paprikas are a little more tricky to work with. Along with the paprika hungarians will add caraway seed and this will add a coolness – almost mintiness to the flavour.
They will then take the flash fried lamb add loads of herbs and spices, along with fresh tomatos, a little cumin, salt, pepper, potatos, mushrooms and various other things, and add it to a slow cooker, they’ll probably add red wine into the slow cooker, adding too much liquid will dilute the taste, they may add stock – vegetable stock is fine, and rather than using onions, they would probably use leeks. Then they would slow cook the goulash for somewhere between 2 and 6 hours. Sometimes longer.
It’s a good recipe but you should boil the noodles first.
You can, but don’t really need to. They get well cooked 🙂
Yeah,but I like mine aldente and this might tend to overlook.
Great Recipe ! Easy to make. Delicious and filling.
Awe, thanks so much!! Love to hear that!
Cute, going ti make gor my grandaughter.
Going to try the goulash.
Let me know what you think 🙂
My family loved this meal! They wanted to make certain that we’ll have this again.
Yay! So glad your family liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
I grew up eating variations of this ghoulash but as an adult I started using my left over Mac and Cheese as I always make too much for one meal. I always cook diced onion with the ground beef (one pound is plenty) and I also add a can of kidney beans.
Yes, there are lots of variations! Thanks for sharing what you do!
I’m excited to make this recipe. However, my children do not like chunks of tomato. What could I substitute in its place? Thank you in advance.
You could just leave it out or add whatever veggie they like. You could also crush/chop them smaller?
I just used another can of tomato sauce. Thank you! It was very good.
Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome!!
Making this right now, smells good. Had this as a kid. Can’t wait to try it.
Hope you liked it!!
This was delicious.
Glad you liked it! Thank you for trying it 🙂
Cooked this for my granddaughters last night. They loved it.
Yay!! I’m glad they did! Thank you for sharing!
Made this last night for my family of 5. Everyone LOVED it. Made plenty for 2 dinners and them some. Easy and delicious! Thanks! Printed recipe and put in my recipe box.
I am so glad they all loved it!! I love hearing that! Thank you!
I have made a basic Goulash for years, nothing special…..Made this, and it is really really good, made some minor adjustments the second time I made it….just softened some bell pepper, onion, and pickled jalapeno, along with 1 can of rotel, and only put in 1 bay leaf…..these are just to my taste, the basic recipe is great….Thank you for it!!
Thanks for sharing..sounds good! I’m glad you liked it!!
I would prepare your goulash recipe… very interesting, and simple…
Let me know what you think! I hope you like it!
Awesome recipe! My 15 year old daughter made it. She added a diced yellow onion. She was so proud of herself for making such a great dinner for the family!
That’s awesome!! Tell her, way to go! I’m glad you all liked it! Thank you 🙂
Can you use chicken with this recipe as well?
I haven’t tried, but I’m sure it would be great!
I just made this recipe for the first time and added corn and ranch style beans, it turned out delicious. Definitely the best goulash I have ever eaten or made.
Good idea! I’ll have to try it. Thank you for sharing!
It was good! However next time will adjust seasonings. A little more Italian than we like. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad to share & yes, you can always adjust to your liking 🙂 Thank you!
I substituted the beef or ground turkey????
For ground turkey*
That works too 🙂 Thank you!
I just wanted to add that my three-year-old ask for seconds and everytime I serve myself leftovers he definitely ask for a bite so this is a very good family filling meal????????
I just made Cheesy Beef Goulash it was delicious unfortunately I put the past in too early and it was a bit soggy other than that it was really tasty. I will definitely be cooking it again. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
You are so welcome!Thank you for letting me know. I am glad you liked it 🙂
I love your recipes but please please put a Pinterest link so I can save without having to go from here to Pinterest to search.
There is 🙂 I know on my computer, if my cursor is over the picture, the PIN button shows up, then I can PIN it. You may need to add the Pinterest on your toolbar.
Hey Sorry, in the first step, do you leave the beef in the skillet after draining and then add the garlic to it? I assumed you would take it out to drain, but I don’t see when you add it back in?
Yes, sorry, you add it right back in 🙂 Thanks for asking! Hope you like it!
Its look so good!I’ll cook it for dinner tonight.
Yay!! Let me know what you think! I hope you love it!
Thanks so much for the recipe we made tonight for dinner. It was very much a hit and makes a ton…was just wondering if anyone has tried freezing leftovers and if so, how were they upon defrosting? Thanks again for another good standby dinner!
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know what you thought!!
Sheeze – Louise: can one really imagine the many – many different ways of making this meal? Here’s another way. 1ld ground beef 80/20% graveled we prefer frozen vegetables corn-peas 1- 1/2 cups each. add in beans of choice) we use generally chilly beans with it’s liquid) full table spoon Worcester sauce-A1 stake sauce seasoned salt ( to taste ) 1/2 table spoon Mrs Dash green top table salt 1/4 teaspoon cine-min 1 cup precooked macaroni ( elbow or ?? ) 2 cups fresh dices tomatoes adding one can of tomato 4 oz sauce. let simmer about 10-15 mins. Serves average 4 safely. Served over toast-biscuits or just as is. Add to ones taste their favorite hot sauce too. =)
Thanks for sharing! Sounds delish!
This is my second time making this recipe. It is so good and heats up very good in leftovers. Definitely one of my favorite Pinterest recipes! Thank you!
Yes, it’s the perfect leftover meal! Thank you so much 🙂
This recipe looks very mouthwatering. I want to ask you one thing if we use goat meat instead of beef so will the flavor or taste remain the same?
We love it! I have not tried goat meat, so honestly I’m not sure?? One way to find out 😉
Can I substitute penne pasta (all I have on hand) for the elbow and if so how many cups should I use.
I tried your cheesy beef goulash and shared it with my neighbor, we both fell in love with this recipe. One of the best I’ve ever tried. I collect your recipes and they are all super, but this one is by far the best of the best. My neighbor wants this once a week.Keep the good recipes coming.
That’s so nice of you! Thank you so much for letting me know. I am happy that you both liked it!
It was good! I divided the recipe in half since it was for 2 and a half. It was a little bit bland but I took it easy on the seasoning salt, so my fault there. My husband recommended adding chili powder… but really good. I ate too much!
Perfect! Thank you for letting me know! Adding chili powder is a great option! Glad you liked it!
Made this deliciousness for my family tonight! They LOVED it!! I did tweak it just a little though. We like a bold flavor, so I added onion and used beef broth instead of the water. I also added about a Tbsp of chili powder and a bag of frozen corn. Topped it with freshly grated Colby cheese and viola!! Absolutely perfect!! Thank you for sharing!!
That all sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing! I am glad you liked it!
Is the entire recipe 722 calories ? Or is that per serving
Does anyone know what the portion size is? It’s awesome that they have a nutrition guide at the end but I don’t know how much 1 serving is!
That being said, we made this dish last week and it was such a hit! Definelty a new family favorite!
my dad made a type of goulash that his mom made for her family i believe its a polish version it was made with red and green tomatoes red and green peppers (sometimes a hot pepper would be added if he wanted a batch with a little heat to it) and onions it was simmered in a large pot then frozen in freezer bags that is the version that i grew up with this american version sounds wonderful though i think i will give it a try thanks for sharing
That sounds great! Thank you for sharing!! Let me know what you think about this version 🙂
Could you make a few pans of this and freeze it to serve at a family reunion???
How would you reheat? Thanks
I am sure you could 🙂 I would freeze it all cooked, then you could either stick in the microwave or maybe a low heat setting on the stove, just until is warmed through. I would take it out to thaw beforehand.
Instead of cheese at the end, I use dallops of cottage cheese. SO good. Always done this with goulash. Also alot of onions, fried with the hamburger.
Cottage cheese sounds great! I will have to try that! Thank you 🙂
Enjoyed this. For my taste, I’d cut the Italian seasoning in half. For the fun of it I added a couple tablespoons of chile sauce, and sauteed chopped onions with the meat (which I ground myself from brisket/chuck combo. No more store bought for me!
Sounds yum! Thank you for sharing that!
This is really a great dish with simple recipe and quick process! thank for sharing with us! wuxia
You are so welcome!! Thank you for sharing that!
Yum. Prepared just as printed. I served this a couple of times a month. Easy, and we love it!
Yay!! Love to hear that! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Would love to try this at home 🙂 keep it up
Thanks so much! Enjoy!
Yes its worth to try on a special event.
This goulash definitely reminded me of home. My mom made it the same, but added bell pepper and onion after ground chuck was browned. My son and I gobbled this up. I cut the recipe in half. Thanks,this is so yummy!
Love to hear that! I am glad you both liked it 🙂 Thank you for giving it a try & letting me know!
I am always looking for a new recipe to try. I made this last night and it was delicious. I actually substituted rice for the elbow macaroni because I was out of macaroni (the one ingredient I didn’t check on because of course everyone has pasta in their pantry). It was really tasty.
LOL..hate when that happens! Glad you still liked it!
Hi Kristyn, I made your goulash recipe tonight for my husband and myself. I just made half the recipe and used ground turkey instead of hamburger. It turned out great! I have one question. Do you really use 1 Tbsp of seasoned salt for the full recipe.? I used one half of a tsp. For the half recipe and that seemed plenty. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Sounds great! Yes, 1 T, but really you could adjust to what you like, so that works 🙂 Glad you liked it!
Can’t tell you how much we all loved this recipe. It was quick to make (heaven knows I need quick) and the flavor is soooo good. My kids can be picky, but they all ate this up! Thanks for the recipe!
I am so glad your picky eaters, ate it! Thank you for letting me know!
thanks for the recipe, loved it…
Love to hear that!! I am glad you did!! Thank you 🙂
Tried your recipe and it was so delicious. I don’t like leftovers, but kept coming back for this leftover. Would definitely make again
Yay!! I love to hear that! This is definitely one of those recipes! Thank you!
I love this recipe! My family really likes it, plus its super EASY!! :0)
Also…I add a can of Rotel tomatoes to mine to add a touch of spice! Super yummy!!
Great idea about adding the rotel! I am glad your family liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
A family favorite!!
Its my family favorite too.
I am so glad to hear that!! Thank you!
My kids loved this recipe. I can’t wait to make it more often when the weather cools down.
I’m currently standing over my stove cooking this for the umpteenth time because my family loves this dish. My 6 year old son devours this like it’s his last meal on earth. We call it chili mac. And the only real difference is instead of elbow macaroni I use 2 or 3 boxes of macaroni and cheese. It gives it an extra dose of cheesiness!
Haha..well, that makes me so happy to hear 🙂 Using mac & cheese sounds great!! Thank you so much for sharing that!!
I will make this dishes for my family and grandchildren thank you
I sure hope they like it!! Thank you so much!
Hmmm, it’s not a goulash 😉 Real goulash is made with diced beef (or any other meat) which is first a bit fried and later, after adding some broth and veggies, cooked very, very slowly 😉 Your recipe is basically homemade Bolognese sauce 🙂 Greetings from Poland!
This is the best!! My kids loved it! It was cheesy & had lots of flavor. I love more options for family meals!
Love this dish! Because the pasta is cooked in the sauce instead of water, there’s more flavor. Also, no need for two pots!
I forgot the cheese and it still tasted great. Thanks for sharing.
Exactly!! So glad you liked it! Thank you 🙂
Just tried this recipe today, the whole family loved it! I did it with egg noodles and wasn’t fond of it though. I think elbow noodles are the better option! Absolutely delicious flavor!
Yay!! Thank you for trying it!! I am glad your family loved it!
I have make this recipe several times, everyone loves it and always asked me to make more. Thank you
I’ve made this recipe several times and IT’S always a big hit! I’ve started adding a bag of frozen corn at the same time I add the macaroni and it stretches the food a little further, tastes great and adds a vegetable to this yummy one bowl meal
Very easy to make!
It was a hit with the family
Will make again for sure
I love to hear that!! I am so glad it was 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Delish and easy to Make!
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you liked it!
I found this recipe via Pinterest – hopefully I pinned it properly! I also uploaded a pic of how mine turned out; my husband has since been begging me to make it again. A total hit in my household, even our meat-fussy toddler approves! Great, easy recipe. Brilliant.
Woohoo!! I am so glad 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
My husband was hesitant because I’m always making new things off of pintrest (some turn out better than others but he’s always supportive of new dishes). I’ve never made it before, but it was a hit! He ate 3 bowls! So easy to make and so good to eat!
I am so glad you tried this! And, I am so glad he liked it! Thank you so much 🙂
I love to make this, I usually CHop onion and some Red And YEllow BEll pepper, about HALf cup of each.
Great additions! Thank you for sharing that! I am glad you like it!
I made this and it became my youngest daughter’s immediate favorite meal. the only difference I do is that instead of the tomatoes, sauce and water I use a bottle of v8. She wants this for every birthday meal since i first made it….also omitted the cheese
That’s awesome!! Thank you for sharing that & tell her thank you 🙂
Easy and sooo yummy
Thank you!
I ended up halving the recIpe but addeD in some frozen spinach to it. It turned out awesome! My mom used to make SOMETHING like this when i was younger.
Great idea!! Thank you for trying it!
Such a yummy recipe! My kids enjoyed it. I included it in my recent post about easy kid-friendly family dinner ideas.
This Very goOd and my little picky eater ate it. It was way too saltY though. I had to go back and be sure that i didnt do something wrong. Next time i muSt cut back on salt or soy sauce.
Thank you for giving it a try 🙂 Glad your picky eater liked it!
I’m wondering if I could half the recipe. It’s just me and my brother and we dont necessarily need that much food lol Although leftovers would be amazing if you think I shouldn’t half the recipe. Tia. This sounds amazing by the way
You sure could or freeze what you don’t eat!