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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.

Beef Goulash recipe cooking in a skillet.
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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.

Macaroni noodles for American goulash recipe.

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.
  • WaterBeef broth can be used instead of water for extra flavor. Increase the amount of broth to make this dish more โ€œsoupyโ€ 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

  1. MEAT. Begin by sautรฉing beef/hamburger in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked, and then drain. Add the garlic and sautรฉ for about 5 minutes.
  2. SAUCE. Add water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, and seasoned salt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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:

  • Sautรฉ the ground beef in a skillet until cooked.
  • Drain excess fat and add garlic. Sautรฉ for another 5 minutes.
  • Put the sautรฉed 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:

Close up of American goulash in a skillet.

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 youโ€™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 youโ€™re ready to eat this delicious dish take it out of the fridge or freezer. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF, cover the dish with foil, and heat until it is the desired temperature.
Beef Goulash Recipe spooned out of pan.

For more ground beef recipes:

4.97 from 599 votes

Easy Goulash Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
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.
Servings: 8
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour

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 

  • Sautรฉ ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic and sautรฉ 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

Freezer meal. 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.
Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) and put it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 542kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 2457mg, Potassium: 1183mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1020IU, Vitamin C: 21.8mg, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 6.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

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4.97 from 599 votes (296 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




672 Comments

  1. Dean says:

    5 stars
    This is delicious, my family loves it. The only thing I added was a can of corn (drained)

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      That’s a perfect addition! Thank you!

  2. Toya says:

    5 stars
    Very good recipe! I used whole grain elbows and added diced onions and green peppers. I also added some chopped spinach towards the end.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      That sounds yum! Great additions! Thank you for sharing!

  3. Yvonne says:

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and it is delicious. I had an extra 1 Lb ground beef so I included 1 1/2 of the ingredients. I think I added too much water for the extra macaroni. It wasn’t really waterery but not thick. I will add onion next time. Thank you for Sharing the recipe. Husband loved it also.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You are so welcome!! I’m glad you both liked it! Thank you for letting me know.

  4. Maurita says:

    5 stars
    This was very good however, I made this with 1 lb venis on burg and 1 lb venison sausage. Added a quart of my homemade chunky salsa and 3 1/2 cups of noodles. Incredible! I love to take recipes and make them my very own. Thanks for sharing your’s to help make my family a great meal!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I’m glad you make them your own ๐Ÿ™‚ That’s what’s great about cooking ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks so much for sharing!

    2. Michele says:

      5 stars
      just a quick question. Any way to reduce the sodium intake per serving? 2500 mg is quite high. I love this dish and works like to make it more often, but can’t have that much sodium.

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        You can lessen the salt, use low-sodium canned goods, etc. Hope that helps!

  5. Linda says:

    I make something very similar which is an adaptation of something my Mom made. She always called it chop suey and I call it goulash, although I suspect American Chop Suey is closer to what I make. I don’t care what name you put on it, it’s good. I use tomato soup, onions, cheddar cheese, macaroni and ground beef. So simple and yet tasty.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Thanks so much!!

  6. Diana says:

    5 stars
    I have to tell you that I’ve made this a few times before and it is absolutely delicious. We’ve been quite busy in the evenings lately and I like to prep as much as I can ahead of time for the next day’s dinner. I prepped this meal (doing everything except adding the pasta) and left it on the counter to cool before putting in the fridge. My husband came home late and thought it was soup for dinner. He said it was one of the best soups I’ve ever made. LOL!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      LOL!! I am so glad you like it! That is funny about your hubby ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Lorie Goyer says:

    5 stars
    I sent the recipe to my hubby, who is the cook in our household (he’s a definite keeper). It was DELICIOUS! I am betting we will ad this to our go to list of meals when we need something simple and tasty. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      What a great hubby!! I am so glad it’s a hit! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. tandy says:

    My mom made something like this as a quick meal. She called it goulash too. My husband likes it with zuccini & parmesan cheese. My sister likes it with corn. That’s something I noticed in the comments. It’s one of those recipes that everyone makes their own family favorite. Thanks for reminder. Think I will make it tonight.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      It sure is! You can add whatever you like..that is what makes it such a great recipe. Thank you!

  9. Lisa says:

    I real find it funny that people feel the need to comment on such things as the name of the dish in a negative fashion. I think it is fantastic that people like Kristyn are willing to share their favourite recipes with others! It makes the world a happier place and I for one don’t care what it’s called. I am actually preparing it now as I type (just defrosting my ground beef!).

    Thanks so much and I look forward to trying your others!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Thanks so much Lisa!! I appreciate your words! I hope you liked it!

      1. Lisa says:

        5 stars
        It was amazing! Instead of cheddar I used a spicy nacho shredded cheese ( pre shredded) and then threw in some hot chunky nacho sauce ( about 1/4 cup). Made it super spicy, which we love.

      2. Lil' Luna says:

        Spicy is good ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for letting me know!! So glad you liked it!

  10. Becca says:

    If I want to omit the tomatoes, how much should I increase the amount of sauce I use? Thanks!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Hmm..I’m not quite sure. I haven’t made it without using the tomatoes. You could just make it without the cans of tomatoes & if you taste it & you feel it needs more, maybe add a small (8oz) can of tomato sauce? Just a guess. Let me know what you do! Thanks!