This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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
Kid-Friendly Spaghetti
50 mins
Hamburger Stroganoff
30 mins
Homemade Hamburger Helper
30 mins
White Sauce Penne Pasta
15 mins
Collections
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.
I have make this recipe several times, everyone loves it and always asked me to make more. Thank you
Just tried this recipe today, the whole family loved it! I did it with egg noodles and wasn’t fond of it though. I think elbow noodles are the better option! Absolutely delicious flavor!
Yay!! Thank you for trying it!! I am glad your family loved it!
Love this dish! Because the pasta is cooked in the sauce instead of water, there’s more flavor. Also, no need for two pots!
I forgot the cheese and it still tasted great. Thanks for sharing.
Exactly!! So glad you liked it! Thank you 🙂
This is the best!! My kids loved it! It was cheesy & had lots of flavor. I love more options for family meals!
Hmmm, it’s not a goulash 😉 Real goulash is made with diced beef (or any other meat) which is first a bit fried and later, after adding some broth and veggies, cooked very, very slowly 😉 Your recipe is basically homemade Bolognese sauce 🙂 Greetings from Poland!
I will make this dishes for my family and grandchildren thank you
I sure hope they like it!! Thank you so much!
I’m currently standing over my stove cooking this for the umpteenth time because my family loves this dish. My 6 year old son devours this like it’s his last meal on earth. We call it chili mac. And the only real difference is instead of elbow macaroni I use 2 or 3 boxes of macaroni and cheese. It gives it an extra dose of cheesiness!
Haha..well, that makes me so happy to hear 🙂 Using mac & cheese sounds great!! Thank you so much for sharing that!!
My kids loved this recipe. I can’t wait to make it more often when the weather cools down.
A family favorite!!
Its my family favorite too.
I am so glad to hear that!! Thank you!
I love this recipe! My family really likes it, plus its super EASY!! :0)
Also…I add a can of Rotel tomatoes to mine to add a touch of spice! Super yummy!!
Great idea about adding the rotel! I am glad your family liked it! Thank you for letting me know!