Cheesy Beef Goulash

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 beef goulash recipe is the perfect go-to for any night of the week.

What is American Goulash?

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 recently learned that Goulash actually originated from Hungary, and used several of the same ingredients as this “American Goulash” (or “Old Fashioned Goulash”), but it was more of a stew. Of course, it’s evolved today with the addition of tomatoes and new seasonings, but the idea of having a mixture of different elements/ingredients remains the same! Although this recipe has a number of different seasonings, it is 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.

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 recipe 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:

1. Saute ground beef in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, and drain.
2. 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.
3. 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. ENJOY!

Look at that CHEESE!!

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 goulash as much as we do. 🙂

For more easy ground beef recipes, try:

• Spaghetti Chili
• Taco Casserole
• Sloppy Joes
• Skillet Lasagna
• Loaded Nachos
• Beef Enchiladas

Easy Goulash Recipe Video:

4 from 5 votes

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Old Fashioned 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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Calories 722 kcal

Author Kristyn Merkley

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

1. 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.

2. 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 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.

Nutrition Facts

Old Fashioned Goulash Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 722 Calories from Fat 333

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 37g 57%

Saturated Fat 15g 75%

Cholesterol 127mg 42%

Sodium 3277mg 137%

Potassium 1578mg 45%

Total Carbohydrates 54g 18%

Dietary Fiber 7g 28%

Sugars 14g

Protein 41g 82%

Vitamin A 27.2%

Vitamin C 35.2%

Calcium 27.9%

Iron 45.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.