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This old-fashioned easy goulash recipe is a one-pot family favorite! It’s the perfect go-to dinner recipe for any night of the week.

Easy Goulash recipe cooking in a skillet.
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What is Goulash?

This easy goulash recipe is a soup or stew of meat, usually seasoned with paprika and other spices. The recipe originated in Hungary and we’ve added our American twist.

Ours is tomato-based and full of macaroni, ground beef, and seasonings like basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. It’s a one-pot family favorite that we’ve made my entire life! It’s not only hearty, but it’s comfort food at it’s finest and so delicious!

Serve this American goulash recipe with some Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots and some Roasted Vegetables for a great Sunday dinner idea.

WHY WE LOVE IT:

  • A simple dinner. This one-pot meal is very easy and is one of our go-to beef dinner ideas.
  • Easy to change up. Add the cheese, leave out the cheese, add extra veggies, or even change the noodles. This recipe is very versatile.
  • Can be made in the slow cooker too! Just follow the directions below to make it in the crockpot.
Macaroni noodles on a kitchen table.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef – Use lean ground beef or one with higher fat content. Drain any excess grease that is produced. Replace half the ground beef with 1 pound of Italian sausage or completely substitute the beef for ground turkey or chicken. 
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic – see How to Mince Garlic
  • 3 cups water – Beef broth can be used instead of water for extra flavor. Increase the amount of broth to make this dish more โ€œsoupyโ€ like the Hungarian goulash.
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt – Add red pepper flakes for spice.
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni noodles – Macaroni noodles are a classic, but any similarly sized pasta will work such as shell pasta, penne, ditalini, or fusilli.
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese – or shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, or omit
  • optional veggies peas, red bell peppers, spinach, onion, green beans, or carrots (add more tender vegetables toward the end)

How to Make Goulash

  1. MEAT. Sautรฉ 2 pounds of ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, then drain. Add 3 teaspoons garlic and sautรฉ for about 5 minutes.
  2. SAUCE. Add 3 cups water, 2 cans tomato sauce, 2 cans diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 3 bay leaves, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
    • Stir this well; cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. PASTA. Add 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni to the skillet, stir well, then return the lid and simmer for about 30 minutes.
  4. CHEESE. 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, making this easy goulash recipe even more irresistible.

Make Goulash in a Crock Pot

  • Sautรฉ the ground beef in a skillet until cooked.
  • Drain excess fat and add garlic. Sautรฉ for another 5 minutes.
  • Put the sautรฉed meat in the crock pot along with the remaining ingredients. Save noodles to add during the last 1 hour of cooking.
  • Cook on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours or on LOW heat for 7-8 hours.
    Close up of American easy goulash recipe in a skillet.

    Complete The Meal

    Sides

    More Easy Pasta Dinners

    Collections

    4.97 from 600 votes

    Easy Goulash Recipe

    By: Lil’ Luna
    This old-fashioned easy goulash recipe is a one-pot family favorite! It's the perfect go-to dinner recipe for any night of the week.
    Servings: 8
    Prep: 30 minutes
    Cook: 30 minutes
    Total: 1 hour

    Ingredients 

    • 2 pounds ground beef
    • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
    • 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
    • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
    • 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

    Instructions 

    • Sautรฉ ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic and sautรฉ 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 the skillet, stir well, return the lid, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and add 1 cup of cheddar cheese right before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    Freezer meal. Brown the ground beef, drain, and cool. Add the ground beef and other ingredients to a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 3-4 months. (Save the noodles and cheese to add later). Thaw and heat on the stove adding the noodles during the last 30 minutes. Top with cheese.
    Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) and put it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 542kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 2457mg, Potassium: 1183mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1020IU, Vitamin C: 21.8mg, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 6.1mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    Recipe FAQ

    Make a freezer meal?

    Brown the ground beef, drain, and cool. Add the ground beef and other ingredients to a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 3-4 months. (Save the noodles and cheese to add later). Thaw and heat on the stove adding the noodles during the last 30 minutes. Top with cheese.

    How to store goulash?

    Place leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave.ย 

    About Kristyn

    My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

    So Easy & So Yummy

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    4.97 from 600 votes (296 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    673 Comments

    1. Tammy says:

      5 stars
      Easy to make crowd-pleasing really yummy thank you for the recipe

      1. holly rheachel says:

        5 stars
        Do you drain the tomatoes?

        1. Kristyn Merkley says:

          I did not ๐Ÿ™‚ Enjoy!

    2. Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says:

      This looks amazing! The perfect cheesy comfort food. ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Amy says:

        5 stars
        Sorry! I watched your video and it shows the cheese being stirred in. Great video!!

    3. Megan Keno says:

      This looks so amazing, I love the flavors in this!

    4. Beth says:

      It’s so hard to take great pictures of a cheesy casserole, but you nailed it! My stomach is growling!

    5. Val in MN says:

      I’ve made a variation on goulash for years, but the addition of bay leaves and soy sauce is genius! Pinning!

    6. tanya says:

      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!

      1. Cindi Kidney says:

        5 stars
        This by far is the best goulash recipe I have tried. They soy sauce adds a little extra and then the cheese puts it over the top

    7. Amanda | The Chunky Chef says:

      That melty cheese…. wow it looks so good!!

    8. Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says:

      I actually have never made goulash so I need to try this soon! It would go over well with my family!

      1. W says:

        it seems to be a lovely and very delicious meal, however, this is not a goulash (or authentically spelt: gulyรกs) 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.

        1. Dawn says:

          5 stars
          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. ๐Ÿ™‚

        2. Lil' Luna says:

          Thanks for the sharing those pieces of knowledge! I’ll have to try it other ways!!

        3. Debbie says:

          5 stars
          I absolutely love this recipe. I make it often, it is so easy and comfort food.

        4. Lil'Luna Team says:

          So happy to hear that! Thanks for giving the goulash a try!

        5. Sara says:

          I actually call this homemade beefaroni. Sometimes I use tomato soup instead of diced. Nice and creamier

        6. Lil' Luna says:

          That’s another great name and I’ll have to try that..sounds yum!

        7. Victoria says:

          Sara,

          How much soup did you substitute? My daughter is not big on seeing tomatoes in her food.

        8. Karen says:

          5 stars
          I have a son who feels the same way about tomatoes. I just puree diced tomatoes with and immersion blender.

        9. Beth says:

          I was wondering what to use in replace of diced tomatoes. My kids
          Will not eat chunky tomatoes.

        10. Kristyn Merkley says:

          You could just leave them out or maybe chop them up more??

        11. Phil says:

          5 stars
          It’s GOULASH here in America!

        12. Reagan says:

          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…

    9. DessertForTwo says:

      5 stars
      I make this a few times a month, I love it! So good!

    10. Liz says:

      5 stars
      Yum – thank you