Gou-lash: A mixture of many different elements; a hodgepodge. Sometimes, I feel like my brain is Goulash! Do you ever feel that way? Too many things to think about and worry about, and sometimes it can feel like one big hodgepodge! And my life is pretty average compared to most. I guess we all have our different versions and levels of goulash in our lives. Having said all that, we are excited to be sharing this Cheesy Beef Goulash recipe with you today, which is a good kind of goulash. 🙂 It is filled with noodles, hamburger, tomatoes and cheese!!
I’m all about simple these days and this recipe is just that! Although it has a number of different seasonings, it is just simple enough to please all ages. The kids loved it, the husband loved it, Grandma and Papa loved it! EVERYONE loves it!! Try it out and tell us how much you and your family loved it too.
MY OTHER RECIPESLook at that CHEESE!!
Such a cheesy, delicious dinner idea that everyone will enjoy!! We hope you enjoy this goulash as much as we do. 🙂
For more easy ground beef recipes:
How To Make Goulash Video:
Here is the printable Hamburger Goulash recipe:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups water
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 TB soy sauce
- 1 TB seasoned salt
- 2 TB Italian seasoning
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 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.
Liz
Yum – thank you
DessertForTwo
I make this a few times a month, I love it! So good!
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet
I actually have never made goulash so I need to try this soon! It would go over well with my family!
W
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.
Dawn
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. 🙂
Lil' Luna
Thanks for the sharing those pieces of knowledge! I’ll have to try it other ways!!
K
If u dont like that this is called goulash, dont make it….i guess u are the food queen on what dishes are called
Deb
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
Sara
I actually call this homemade beefaroni. Sometimes I use tomato soup instead of diced. Nice and creamier
Lil' Luna
That’s another great name and I’ll have to try that..sounds yum!
Victoria
Sara,
How much soup did you substitute? My daughter is not big on seeing tomatoes in her food.
Karen
I have a son who feels the same way about tomatoes. I just puree diced tomatoes with and immersion blender.
Beth
I was wondering what to use in replace of diced tomatoes. My kids
Will not eat chunky tomatoes.
Kristyn Merkley
You could just leave them out or maybe chop them up more??
Phil
It’s GOULASH here in America!
Reagan
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…
Amanda | The Chunky Chef
That melty cheese…. wow it looks so good!!
tanya
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!
Val in MN
I’ve made a variation on goulash for years, but the addition of bay leaves and soy sauce is genius! Pinning!
Beth
It’s so hard to take great pictures of a cheesy casserole, but you nailed it! My stomach is growling!
Megan Keno
This looks so amazing, I love the flavors in this!
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama
This looks amazing! The perfect cheesy comfort food. 🙂
Tammy
Easy to make crowd-pleasing really yummy thank you for the recipe
Sharleen
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~
Lil' Luna
Will check out your recipe – thanks!
Kate
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.
Lil' Luna
You can do that too – totally up to you. 😉
Lynn Meakim
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.
Tony B
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….?
Lil' Luna
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!
Cindy
What is Italian seasoning?
Jenna
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 🙂
Lil' Luna
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:)
GWonder
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 😉
Sydney N Gilmore
Do you simmer the sauce before adding the pasta, or do you allow it to keep cooking on medium-high?
Lil' Luna
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!
Faer
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!!
Lil' Luna
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!
Nancy
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?
Liz
Yum Kristyn. Thank you.
Lil' Luna
I hope you try and like this recipe!! We sure love it:) Thank you!
Dawna
Thank you
Lil' Luna
You’re welcome! I hope you tried and liked this recipe!
Ursula H
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. 🙂
Lil' Luna
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:)
Kari
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!
Lil' Luna
Yay! I love the changes, thanks for sharing them for all other vegetarian eaters out there!
toine
it looks delicious, i have a question 3 cups of wayer ?
how much is that 3/4 of a liter.?
toine
i mean water
Lil' Luna
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!!
toine
i try this on saterday, i let you know.
Lil' Luna
Great, I’d love to hear how it turns out!! I hope everyone loves it, like we do!
Lynn Meakim
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
Lil' Luna
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:)
toine
today I made your recipe , and it was delicious.
next time I ‘ll try a different cheese .
Parmesan perhaps.?
Lil' Luna
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:)
Becky
We call this “Red Macaroni” when I was very little. 50 yrs later, still call it red macaroni!
Lil' Luna
Haha..love it!! Thanks for sharing!!
Tamara
I’m in Australia where is says can of tomato sauce does that mean can of tomato soup here in Australia?
Lil' Luna
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!!
GrumpyMum
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
GrumpyMum
Never mind – looks like it is more like what we call tomato paste
Raina J
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?
Jess
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?
Lil' Luna
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.
Ashley//My Southern Sweet Tooth
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
Lil' Luna
Thank you so much for letting me know!! So, glad that you liked it!! Hope everyone did, too:)
Nia
Have you tried using chicken broth instead of water?
Lil' Luna
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!!
Jessie
Delicious and simple to make!
Lil' Luna
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
jennifer
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.
Lil' Luna
I do whatever keeps me from going to the store, too! I hoped you liked it, as much as we do!
jennifer
i also added 3 slices of american cheese and pepperjack in to the dish! it melted great and added another layer of flavor
Lil' Luna
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the added suggestions!! Glad you liked it 🙂
William Rhodes
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.
Lil' Luna
I love to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
Alyce
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!!
Lil' Luna
I know how that is!! I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for giving it a try and letting me know what you thought!
K
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
Kristin Brubaker
Can you halve this?
Lil' Luna
Of course 🙂 Let me know what you think!! We love it!
Amy
Was wondering this myself, thanks for asking!
KAY PEDIGO
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!
Lil' Luna
Wish I knew 🙂 You’ll have to give this one a try, it’s super yummy!
Carolyn
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
Daria
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 =)
Lil' Luna
You’re welcome!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
mary
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.
Lil' Luna
Yay!! Like the changes!! Thanks for sharing!!
JERRY
can this be done in a slow cooker instead of the stove top?
Lil' Luna
Yes. I haven’t personally made it in a crock pot, but this would be a perfect recipe for that!!
Terri Gilson
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.. 🙂
Lil' Luna
Haha..yes, I don’t like onions, but you could definitely add them!! I’m glad everyone liked it! Thanks so much!
Jess B
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.
Lil' Luna
That all sounds delish!! Thanks for the new ideas! Hope you enjoy!!
Kathy Robinson
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!
Lil' Luna
So glad you all liked it!! We love this recipe too! I’ll have to try adding broccoli!
Jeanne
Yummy!! Really enjoyed this recipe, thank you. Will be making again.
Lil' Luna
So happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for stopping by and giving this a try!
Sarah
If you make the pasta separately do you still add all the water to the dish?
Keri
This might be a dumb question but when do you put the meat back in?
Lil' Luna
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!
Linda
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!
Lil' Luna
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!
Kathy
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!
Lil' Luna
It sure is comfort food!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Jodie
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!
Lil' Luna
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!
Michelle
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!!!!
Lil' Luna
SO glad you liked it! Thanks so much for giving it a try and letting me know!
Linda Anderson
I don’t like tomatoes what can I substitute for the canned tomatoes? Or do i just leave them out ?
Lil' Luna
You could just leave them out. Not sure what I would replace them with. Hope you like it!! Thanks!
LISA
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.
Lisa Weir
My family LOVED IT !!!!
End of story will be making again I added onions green peppers and used beef broth instead of water….
Lil' Luna
Yay!! Sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Irene gobble
Made this for dinnner tonight and everyone one loved it! It was so easy to 👍🏻Thanks
Irene gobble
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! So easy to make 👍🏻
Lil' Luna
Yay!!! Thank you for letting me know! Thank you for also giving it a try!
Laverne
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.
Lil' Luna
Yay!! Thank you so much for letting me know! We love it too! Thanks again!
Rachel
Very good! While family loves it… definitely will be making it again. Big hit
Lil' Luna
Happy to hear 🙂 Thank you so much for making it and for letting me know!! We love it, too!
Lillie Russell
Loved the cheesy beef goulash. It was delicious.
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much for letting me know!! Thank you also for giving it a try!
Jennifer
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!
Lil' Luna
So glad it was a hit!! We love it! Thank you for making it and for letting me know!
Nicole
Add 1/2 a block of cream cheese or more before the cheddar cheese it will change your life! Trust me
Lil' Luna
Haha…I’ll have to try 🙂 Thanks for the tip!
Dana E
I made this today,my son and I loved it,thanks.
Lil' Luna
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much!!
Jess
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?
Lil' Luna
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!
Pat
Great recipe! Omit the salt and add a little chili powder
Lil' Luna
I’ll have to try!! Thank you!
Polly
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.
Lil' Luna
You for sure could. Thank you for giving it a try!!
Betabella
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)
Lil' Luna
Yay!!! I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know and thank you for trying this recipe!
JoAnn
Yummy, made this tonight for dinner & I’m so glad I did! It was gooey, cheesy, beefy goodness! Thanks for a wonderful & quick recipe!
Lil' Luna
Yay 🙂 Thanks so much for trying it!! I’m, so glad you liked it 🙂
Paul
Excellent dinner!!! Defiantly going to make agai.
Lil' Luna
Great!! 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know. I’m so glad you liked it!
Ginny
How can I make with 1 pound of meat only 2 people
Lil' Luna
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 🙂
Ginny
How can I cut in half 1# meat for 2 people!!!
Lil' Luna
Instead of 2 lbs, just use 1 pound. You can buy 1 pound meat. Hope that helps!
Evelyn
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
Lil' Luna
Great!! 🙂 I’m so glad they liked it!! Thank you so much!
Cee
Good recipe. Great grammar. My kind of blog. 🙂
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much!!
Jelena
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
Lil' Luna
Yay! You are welcome! I’ll have to try your changes..they sound yum! Thank you for sharing!
Lazara
This is one of my favorites!
Lil' Luna
Ours too! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Becca
If I want to omit the tomatoes, how much should I increase the amount of sauce I use? Thanks!
Lil' Luna
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!
Jan
I thought it had to much Italian seasoning in it! Next time I will cut that in half. Otherwise it was good.
Lil' Luna
You totally can 🙂 Thank you so much for trying it and for letting me know!
Lisa
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!
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much Lisa!! I appreciate your words! I hope you liked it!
Lisa
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.
Lil' Luna
Spicy is good 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!! So glad you liked it!
tandy
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.
Lil' Luna
It sure is! You can add whatever you like..that is what makes it such a great recipe. Thank you!
Lorie Goyer
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!
Lil' Luna
What a great hubby!! I am so glad it’s a hit! Thank you 🙂
Diana
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!
Lil' Luna
LOL!! I am so glad you like it! That is funny about your hubby 🙂
Linda
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.
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much!!
Maurita
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!
Lil' Luna
I’m glad you make them your own 🙂 That’s what’s great about cooking 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
Yvonne
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.
Lil' Luna
You are so welcome!! I’m glad you both liked it! Thank you for letting me know.
Toya
Very good recipe! I used whole grain elbows and added diced onions and green peppers. I also added some chopped spinach towards the end.
Lil' Luna
That sounds yum! Great additions! Thank you for sharing!
Dean
This is delicious, my family loves it. The only thing I added was a can of corn (drained)
Lil' Luna
That’s a perfect addition! Thank you!
Hannah
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.
Lil' Luna
I am so glad!! Thank you for letting me know! Yes, it is perfect for freezing!
Sarah
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.
Jessica
I LOVE IT the came out better than I thought and this is my first time I made Goulash 😅😅😂😂
Lil' Luna
Yay!! Great job and I’m so glad you liked it! You can do anything 🙂 Thank you!
Tom
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!!
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much!!! I’m glad you liked it! Your changes sound great!
Laina
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”
Lil' Luna
Thanks so much for sharing!! Sounds good!!
Judit
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.
Anita
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
Lil' Luna
LOL..love it! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Melissa
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.
Lil' Luna
I’m glad you liked it!! Stewed tomatoes would be great! I’ll have to try that 🙂
Shannon
This recipe is fantastic! So delicious! I added some green beans and corn to it. Amazing!!!
Lil' Luna
Perfect!! Thank you for giving it a try! Glad you liked it!
LARRY MORRIS
Surely there is an error in the recipe as published. It is WAY too salty and way over-seasoned with the Italian seasoning. If you try this, make 1/2 a recipe and cut back on salt and Italian by 1/2 and see if you like it before wasting all the ingredients. I could only eat half a serving. I’ll try to recycle the remainder by freezing it in muffin tins and adding a puck whenever I make spaghetti sauce.
Lil' Luna
Thanks for giving it a try!
Kimberlee K Hucke
I agree it is too salty and way too much Italian seasoning. Will adjust next time.
Maddison Longen
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.
Kristyn Merkley
Thanks for giving it a try!!
Lynne F
This is delicious. I made a batch and froze for lunches. Definitely going in my keep file! Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Kristyn Merkley
Love to hear that! Great idea & thank you so much!
Peggy dicill
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.
Kristyn Merkley
Perfect! Halving is great for two! Thank you for trying it & I’m glad you liked it!
Anne Sofie
Wow…
It looks great and it sounds easy to make:-)
I have added it on my need to make list.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Jina
Looks so yummy! I am gonna make this at home! Is it easy to make?
Paul R Grandjean
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)
Babs
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.
Martyn
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.
Henry
It’s a good recipe but you should boil the noodles first.
Kristyn Merkley
You can, but don’t really need to. They get well cooked 🙂
Dolores Zonca
Yeah,but I like mine aldente and this might tend to overlook.
Matt Morrison
Great Recipe ! Easy to make. Delicious and filling.
Kristyn Merkley
Awe, thanks so much!! Love to hear that!
Andrea Dion
Cute, going ti make gor my grandaughter.
Dolores Zonca
Going to try the goulash.
Kristyn Merkley
Let me know what you think 🙂
Virginia
My family loved this meal! They wanted to make certain that we’ll have this again.
Kristyn Merkley
Yay! So glad your family liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
Cassandra Lee
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.
Kristyn Merkley
Yes, there are lots of variations! Thanks for sharing what you do!
Autumn
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.
Kristyn Merkley
You could just leave it out or add whatever veggie they like. You could also crush/chop them smaller?
Autumn
I just used another can of tomato sauce. Thank you! It was very good.
Thanks for the recipe!
Kristyn Merkley
You are so welcome!!
Amanda Dehmel
Did anyone make this with the end result being way too salty? I used bay leaf from my seasoning collection b/c I didn’t have fresh, lawrys season salt & regular tomato sauce. I followed the directions & didn’t add salt.
Jessica
Making this right now, smells good. Had this as a kid. Can’t wait to try it.
Kristyn Merkley
Hope you liked it!!
Debby Lloyd
This was delicious.
Kristyn Merkley
Glad you liked it! Thank you for trying it 🙂
Malcolm Laird
Cooked this for my granddaughters last night. They loved it.
Kristyn Merkley
Yay!! I’m glad they did! Thank you for sharing!
Scott
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.
Kristyn Merkley
I am so glad they all loved it!! I love hearing that! Thank you!
Tommy
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!!
Kristyn Merkley
Thanks for sharing..sounds good! I’m glad you liked it!!
Maby Moritani
I would prepare your goulash recipe… very interesting, and simple…
Kristyn Merkley
Let me know what you think! I hope you like it!
Julie
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!
Kristyn Merkley
That’s awesome!! Tell her, way to go! I’m glad you all liked it! Thank you 🙂
Samantha
Can you use chicken with this recipe as well?
Kristyn Merkley
I haven’t tried, but I’m sure it would be great!
Stacy Faircloth
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.
Kristyn Merkley
Good idea! I’ll have to try it. Thank you for sharing!
Kimberlee K Hucke
It was good! However next time will adjust seasonings. A little more Italian than we like. Thanks for the recipe!
Kristyn Merkley
Glad to share & yes, you can always adjust to your liking 🙂 Thank you!
Susan Fernandez
I substituted the beef or ground turkey😁
Susan Fernandez
For ground turkey*
Kristyn Merkley
That works too 🙂 Thank you!
Susan Fernandez
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😊😊
Lindsay
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.
Kristyn Merkley
You are so welcome!Thank you for letting me know. I am glad you liked it 🙂
Lori S
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.
Kristyn Merkley
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.
Ivy
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?
Kristyn Merkley
Yes, sorry, you add it right back in 🙂 Thanks for asking! Hope you like it!
Ksusha
Its look so good!I’ll cook it for dinner tonight.
Kristyn Merkley
Yay!! Let me know what you think! I hope you love it!
Susan
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!
Kristyn Merkley
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know what you thought!!
Dancer
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. =)
Kristyn Merkley
Thanks for sharing! Sounds delish!
Savannah
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!
Kristyn Merkley
Yes, it’s the perfect leftover meal! Thank you so much 🙂
Supriya Kutty
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?
Kristyn Merkley
We love it! I have not tried goat meat, so honestly I’m not sure?? One way to find out 😉
April Thoma
Can I substitute penne pasta (all I have on hand) for the elbow and if so how many cups should I use.
Vilda Collier
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.
Kristyn Merkley
That’s so nice of you! Thank you so much for letting me know. I am happy that you both liked it!
Shannon
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!
Kristyn Merkley
Perfect! Thank you for letting me know! Adding chili powder is a great option! Glad you liked it!