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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.
This is one of my favorites!
Ours too! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Just made this tonight and it was a huge hit with my husband. I grew up with 2 versions of goulash and this was one of them. I had not this in years and so thank you for an awesome recipe. I did make changes as my husband and I are spicy lovers. I added only 1 can 540 ml itialian tomatoes whole, I 420ml jar of Guy Fieri’s 7 pepper salsa, 3 cups beef broth, and added franks seasoning, Mrs. Dash in replacement of some of the original seasonings you mentioned and omitted the bay leave as I am not a fan. How ever I used Casarecce noodles (can be found at Costco) I added at the end was Parmsen cheese, so omit adding salt to the cooking as it is salty. I love this dish and for me it’s a keeper and in my recipe box it went. Thank you
Yay! You are welcome! I’ll have to try your changes..they sound yum! Thank you for sharing!
Good recipe. Great grammar. My kind of blog. 🙂
Thanks so much!!
I made this last night but I left out the tomatoes and it was fabulous my husband ate 4 servings and my daughter 2 I have to make it again so I can have some
Great!! 🙂 I’m so glad they liked it!! Thank you so much!
How can I cut in half 1# meat for 2 people!!!
Instead of 2 lbs, just use 1 pound. You can buy 1 pound meat. Hope that helps!
How can I make with 1 pound of meat only 2 people
You can half all the ingredients in the recipe, if you don’t want to make as much or just store all your leftovers and you can eat it throughout the week 🙂
Excellent dinner!!! Defiantly going to make agai.
Great!! 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know. I’m so glad you liked it!
Yummy, made this tonight for dinner & I’m so glad I did! It was gooey, cheesy, beefy goodness! Thanks for a wonderful & quick recipe!
Yay 🙂 Thanks so much for trying it!! I’m, so glad you liked it 🙂
Yum, the cheesy beef goulash was so good! I made this tonight for my husband. He loved it. It was easy peasy to make and oh so tasty. :o)
Yay!!! I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know and thank you for trying this recipe!
To me the soy sauce ruins the taste of this, I liked everything else about it. I’d maybe leave it out or reduce it next time.
You for sure could. Thank you for giving it a try!!