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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 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, 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
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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.
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.
Excellent recipe! So tasty – it’s my go to goulash. I make the recipe exactly as it appears and I wouldn’t change a thing. My whole family loves it – thank you!
Yay! Glad you like it, as much as we do! Thank you!
Love this dish! It’s yummy and nutritious! How many cups equal a serving? Thank you
Thank you! I would say about 1 1/2 cups 🙂
Thank you!!! This is so helpful!
It was really easy to make and quite tasty, I just couldn’t get over how salty it was. I wonder if I maybe used too much salt or used the wrong Italian seasoning blend. Maybe I should have added some heavy cream to it?? Not sure what to do.
Hmm..I’m sorry! You can maybe add a little more liquid or you can add rice. The rice absorbs sodium. Hope that helps!
Maybe next time omit the seasoned salt or soy (or both). This is my go-to recipe for goulash and I have made it without those two ingredients and my family still loved it.
This is the easiest, most flavourful recipe that I’ve ever made. It’s the perfect meal on a busy weeknight, 1 POT!!!! It’s brilliant. The flavours are rich and my while family loves it.
Awe, I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for saying that!
i added some zucchini to mine to trick my dad into eating some veggies my mom helped me through it we also used chicken sausage and it was very tasty i also chopped u0 some mushrooms too
LOL..love that! Whatever works, right?! Thank you!
Really great recipe!! I omitted the extra seasoning salt because I’m not a big fan of overly salty things. And after I added my macroni mine only took about 20 mins more to complete!! Delish
Thank you for sharing what you did!
Tasted good and was great on a cold winter day.
Love to hear that! Happy you liked it!
I have made this 4 times now I love this recipe!!! It is amazing I will always go to use this recipient until I memorize this recipe!
Yay!! That makes me so happy! Thank you!
We love this one!! Especially my boys!!
Oh so yummy! My boys love this one!!😋
So yummy! My husband took the leftovers to work and his co-workers all wanted the recipe. I added corn and it was yummy.
Always a crowd pleaser!!