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Old-fashioned goulash is an easy cheesy family favorite! It’s the perfect go-to dinner recipe for any night of the week.
Filled with meat, cheese, seasonings, and macaroni, this recipe is sure to become as loved as Beef Stroganoff and Pot Roast.
What is Goulash?
Goulash is a soup or stew of meat, usually seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating from medieval Hungary, goulash is a popular meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe.
Today’s recipe is an American beef goulash that my family has made my entire life. Not only is it hearty, but it’s a great dinner idea for kids since they all love it!
Why we love it:
- A simple dinner. It’s takes some time to make, but it’s very simple and is a 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 in the slow cooker too! Just follow the directions below to make in the crockpot.
Hungarian vs American Goulash
Hungarian goulash is more like a soup or stew and uses chunks of beef, various vegetables and seasoned with onion and paprika.
The Americanized version is typically tomato based and full of macaroni, ground beef, uses seasonings like basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, and often includes cheese. American goulash is also called American chop suey or slumgullion. It’s the epitome of American comfort foods.
How to make Hungarian goulash. It’s a bit different and includes more vegetables like carrots and peppers. For that recipe, CLICK HERE.
Goulash Ingredients
- Ground Beef – You can 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.
- Minced Garlic – Adds flavor but can be coupled with Worcestershire sauce for even more flavor.
- 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.
- Tomato Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Bay Leaves
- Soy Sauce
- Seasoned Salt
- Italian Seasoning
- Elbow Macaroni – Macaroni noodles are a classic, but any similarly sized pasta will work such as shell pasta, penne, ditalini, or fusilli.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – I love cheddar in our recipe, but shredded mozzarella or even Parmesan will work. Cheese can be omitted as well.
How to Make Goulash
- MEAT. Begin by sautéing beef/hamburger in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, and then drain. Add the garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- SAUCE. Add water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, and seasoned salt.
- SIMMER. Stir this well; cover and allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add the uncooked elbow macaroni to skillet, stir well, then return the lid and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- 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, which will make it even more irresistible.
Make in a Crock Pot
Making this American goulash in the crockpot is super easy. Just follow these steps to make it:
- 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.
- Cook on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours or on LOW heat for 7-8 hours.
Variations + What to Serve With Goulash
Vegetables. Another way to make this more like the Hungarian version is to add extra veggies such as peas, red bell peppers, spinach, onion, and carrots. Add more tender vegetables toward the end so they don’t get mushy.
There are so many great sides that go with this easy goulash recipe, but some of our favorites include:
storing info
- Make it ahead of time. Make this hamburger goulash ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe directions, cover, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
- STORE. Goulash can reheat well, but it needs to be stored properly. Be sure to place it in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat by using the microwave.
- FREEZE. Ground beef goulash can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. Place leftover goulash in a freezer-safe dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Reheat. If you plan to store this American goulash recipe for more than a day the best place to keep it is in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat this delicious dish take it out of the fridge or freezer. Preheat the oven to 350°F, cover the dish with foil, and heat until it is the desired temperature.
For more ground beef recipes:
Easy Goulash Recipe
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
- Sauté ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic and sauté 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What is a serving siZe?
I’m making this to ToNight…. it says to use 3 cups of water, could you use beef brOth instead??? Thanks.
So, sorry, I did not get back to you in time. I don’t usually work on weekends. You could totally use beef broth. Is that what you did?
This is an amazing recipe, Turns out great everytime I make it & The noodles are always just right! Thanks for this amazing recipe! Do you happen to know how to make it in the instant pot? I’ve been using it a lot & would love to make it! Thanks!1
I am glad to hear 🙂 Makes me happy! I have yet to make it in the instant pot. I will have to experiment with it. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I have to say that I’m 59 yrs old, & never ,tho I always wondered what the difference is between goulash & just sauce with hamburger & seasonings. Oooh my first I’m gonna make this goulash as soon as I’m done here.im gonna u see my Dutch oven oven & make this on top of my stove. & My girlfriend that lives one floor below me. Lol. Almost sounds like a song from Tony Orlando. Anyways she made this last week. & It was absolutely delicious. She then asked me if if eat leftovers. I wish I did, I’m not big on eating anything left over.. she asked me to try the next day, take some butter melt in frying pan & fru some goulash for a few minutes. And I never never thought I would like fried goulash or any kind of pasta. To my surprise I absolutely absolutely loved it. Try it everyone. Throw a little more seasoning on it. You’ll love it.
I followed the instructions exactly as the recipe was written and found that it was lacking in flavor. I ended up having to make alot of adjustments in regards to seasoning as it was bland. The 2nd time that I made it, I added in 2 small diced onions, 3 jalapeños (seeds included), 1 green bell pepper, red pepper flakes and 2 times the amount of Italian seasoning that the recipe called for and it came out great. I would definitely wait until the beef stock has reduced before adjusting for seasoning as the concentration tends to make it saltier. This recipe is a nice starting point for me but following it to a T just didn’t have enough flavor for me.
Thanks for sharing what you did & for trying this recipe 😉
Would have been really good….just way too salty for my family. I’ll definitely try it again but with half the soy sauce and half the salt ?
Thank you for trying this recipe!
So easy and so good!
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know!
Love it we even make it when we are camping
Great for camping!! Thanks!
it was yummy however very salty and a wee bit runny.
Thank you for trying it 🙂
This is delicious & a huge hit with my family! I added some chopped onion just because we like it & used Rigatoni noodles since that what we had on hand. We will make this often!!
That sounds perfect!! Glad you liked it, as much as we do!! Thank you!