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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 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
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50 mins
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30 mins
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30 mins
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15 mins
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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.
currently making it on the stove!!
we added 4 cups of salad macaroni (it was in on hand instead of going to the store) for the the 3C elbow mac.
added a squeeze of Italian dressing and ketchup for more of a vinegar flavor.
and he cook time for the noodles was 20-25 mins instead of 30 since they were smaller noodles.
I do whatever keeps me from going to the store, too! I hoped you liked it, as much as we do!
Delicious and simple to make!
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
Have you tried using chicken broth instead of water?
I haven’t, but I’m sure that would just give it more flavor! Let me know what you think, if you try that! Thank you!!
Hi, Kristyn! I just made this for father’s day last Sunday and I thoroughly enjoyed this! Thank you so much for the recipe!
~Ashley
Thank you so much for letting me know!! So, glad that you liked it!! Hope everyone did, too:)
Hey there,
I was thinking about adding extra veggies in; peppers, onion, and zucchini. Would I sauté these items with the ground beef initially, or just add them when adding the tomato sauce? and let them simmer?
Sounds delish!! I would maybe saute them first with salt & pepper, then add them in. I haven’t tried adding different veggies, but it could probably work both ways. Sauteing them would definitely make them soft.
Wanna make this but need to know which soy sauce do you use? Is it dark soy sauce? Light soy sauce? Or, sweet soy sauce?
I’m in Australia where is says can of tomato sauce does that mean can of tomato soup here in Australia?
They are different. You can usually find tomato sauce, where canned tomatoes are in the store. I guess if you can’t find it, then you can make your own, by blending tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Hope that helps!!
Following on from previous question as I am also in Australia, is your tomato sauce like tomato juice then? (like what you would use in a Bloody Mary?) Tomato sauce here is what you call ketchup. Thanks
Never mind – looks like it is more like what we call tomato paste
We call this “Red Macaroni” when I was very little. 50 yrs later, still call it red macaroni!
Haha..love it!! Thanks for sharing!!
today I made your recipe , and it was delicious.
next time I ‘ll try a different cheese .
Parmesan perhaps.?
Great! I’m glad you liked it. You could add whatever cheese you like, which makes this a great recipe. We love it!! Thanks for letting me know:)
I made this recipe last night as a surprise for my husband (he loves goulash, but I always forget about it and don’t make it often). I have another recipe, but lost it while trying to get organized (go figure lol). Anyway, this was delicious and it made a lot!! Definitely a wonderful comfort food for any time of the year (but especially on chilly/cold nights)! Thanks for a great recipe! #itsakeeper
Ha..funny how we loose things, as we organize! Did your hubby love it, too? We sure love it anytime, but especially those chilly nights!! Glad you liked it:)