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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.
I made it last Friday 13th August for a dinner party and they enjoyed. There was enough left over us to have for tea Sunday night. My parents enjoyed it as well. We put in an onion. Didn’t have mushrooms or chilli beans to put in.
I add more water, seasoned salt and tomato sauce to it. Definitely would make it again. Super quick and easy to make.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear the dish was a success!! Your changes sound delicious and I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Hi. I am wanting to know what you can put in, in place of the Seasoned salt because I am from NZ and haven’t seen it. I was wondering if you can make it a day before you eat in.
Hi! Seasoned salt is a combination of salt, herbs, and spices. There are a bunch of different copy cat/substitution recipes. I’d suggest just searching google if you want to create your own version of seasoned salt. Another option is to just use salt, pepper and a little garlic powder.
My go to recipe for goulash! Tastes amazing and one of my favorite comfort foods. I add mushrooms and onions to make it my own but the recipe is easy and great.
Ooh the addition of the mushrooms and onions sounds delicious. So glad to hear you love the goulash!
Delicious! I didn’t have tomato sauce on hand but used 1.5 cups of homemade pasta sauce/veg purée instead. Also added spinach & coloured peppers to get some extra veg in the pot. Will make again!
That sounds like a tasty adaptation! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this recipe tonight it’s very good. I added some onions when I added the garlic.
I’m so happy you liked the recipe! Thanks so much for trying it!
My husband and I love this recipe! I’ve noticed complaints about the pasta turning to mush when it’s cooked in a crockpot but if you wait until the last hour before adding the macaroni it will turn out perfectly.
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Don’t make this in the crockpot! It turns your noodles to mush and ruins the consistency of the dish. I also thought it was bland, but my husband liked the flavor.
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
The family loved the dish even our picky 2 year old grandson ate all of his!! 👏👏👏 So this recipe is a keeper.
Yay!! It’s always a win when the toddlers enjoy a dish, right? 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear it was a hit.
A the recipes I have seen for goulash seem to have Italian seasoning in it. Now that makes it more Italian than anything else. I dont remember my mother EVER using Italian seasoning in it. I wish I could find a really good recipe for goulash.
You could certainly try it and just omit the Italian seasoning if you don’t care for the flavor it gives. Hope you find the right recipe! 🙂
I added a can of kidney beans. This was super good. It is better than my mother’s recipe.
I added some grated cheese into my bowl and stirred it up before eating it. That seemed to top it off.
To make what is leftover in the pot easier to reheat, I would wait to add the cheese into everyone’s bowl once it
Was reheated. It was fast and easy to fix.
I will definitely make this again this gets 5 stars.
Thank you for sharing!! I’m all about extra cheese to top off any dish, so that sounds like a brilliant idea. 😉 So glad you enjoyed the dish!