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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




    674 Comments

    1. Susann Camara says:

      5 stars
      Tried your recipe and it was so delicious. I donโ€™t like leftovers, but kept coming back for this leftover. Would definitely make again

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Yay!! I love to hear that! This is definitely one of those recipes! Thank you!

    2. yolie arroyo says:

      5 stars
      thanks for the recipe, loved it…

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Love to hear that!! I am glad you did!! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

    3. Karsyn says:

      5 stars
      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!

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        I am so glad your picky eaters, ate it! Thank you for letting me know!

    4. Sharon Mueller says:

      5 stars
      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!

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Sounds great! Yes, 1 T, but really you could adjust to what you like, so that works ๐Ÿ™‚ Glad you liked it!

    5. Laura says:

      5 stars
      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.

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        LOL..hate when that happens! Glad you still liked it!

    6. Cynthia Jenkins says:

      5 stars
      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!

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Love to hear that! I am glad you both liked it ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for giving it a try & letting me know!

    7. rebica says:

      4 stars
      Would love to try this at home ๐Ÿ™‚ keep it up

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Thanks so much! Enjoy!

      2. Recipes says:

        5 stars
        Yes its worth to try on a special event.

    8. Cindy Tanner says:

      5 stars
      Yum. Prepared just as printed. I served this a couple of times a month. Easy, and we love it!

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Yay!! Love to hear that! Thank you for letting me know ๐Ÿ™‚

    9. maryrosie says:

      5 stars
      This is really a great dish with simple recipe and quick process! thank for sharing with us! wuxia

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        You are so welcome!! Thank you for sharing that!

    10. Chris Tribur says:

      4 stars
      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!

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        Sounds yum! Thank you for sharing that!