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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.
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.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
- 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 “soupy” 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
- MEAT. Sauté 2 pounds of ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, then drain. Add 3 teaspoons garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- 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.
- PASTA. Add 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni to the skillet, stir well, then return the lid and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- CHEESE. Once the 15-20 minutes are 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
- Sauté the ground beef in a skillet until cooked.
- Drain excess fat and add garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Put the sautéed 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.
Complete The Meal
Sides
More Easy Pasta Dinners
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50 mins
Hamburger Stroganoff
30 mins
Homemade Hamburger Helper
30 mins
White Sauce Penne Pasta
15 mins
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Easy Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups water, or beef broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, or penne or shell pasta
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground beef until cooked, 8-10 minutes, then drain off exxcess fat.
- Add garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Add water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and bay leaves. Stir, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Add macaroni to the skillet, stir well and cover. SImmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and cheese right before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
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.
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.
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 🙂
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.
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 🙂
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!
Is the entire recipe 722 calories ? Or is that per serving
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!
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!
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!
Can I substitute penne pasta (all I have on hand) for the elbow and if so how many cups should I use.
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 😉