Quick Summary
American Goulash- this easy goulash recipe is made with ground beef, onions, bell pepper, a rich tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni. This one pot meal is a family favorite and perfect for busy weeknights!
When you are craving comfort food, what do you turn to? A few favorites at our house include chicken pot pie, chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, and baked ziti.
This American Goulash is also a popular comfort food dish. It is made with ground beef, veggies, garlic, a rich tomato sauce, beef broth, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It is similar to spaghetti, but goulash combines the meat sauce and pasta in one pot. We also like to top goulash with shredded cheddar cheese for extra deliciousness!
American goulash is different than Hungarian goulash, which is a rich beef stew made with chunks of meat and heavily seasoned with paprika.
American Goulash is the perfect weeknight meal. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and is made with basic ingredients. It is a family favorite, kids especially love this hearty and wholesome dish.
Cozy, comforting, and always a dinner winner!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Olive oil– for sautéing the veggies!
- Onion– chopped.
- Red bell pepper– seeds removed and chopped.
- Ground beef– we prefer lean ground beef. You can use ground turkey or chicken.
- Garlic cloves– minced.
- Beef broth– use your favorite brand.
- Tomato sauce– to give the dish a rich tomato flavor.
- Diced tomatoes– don’t drain, you want to include all of the tomato juices.
- Worcestershire sauce– it has a strong unami flavor that gives the dish a nice flavor boost.
- Spices– bay leaf, Italian seasoning, and paprika
- Elbow macaroni– look for elbow macaroni in the pasta aisle.
- Cheddar cheese– we like to top the goulash with shredded cheddar cheese right before serving.
- Italian parsley– for garnish.
How to Make American Goulash
- n a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, breaking up the meat into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the macaroni and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick.
- When the pasta is done, remove the bay leaf and ladle the goulash into bowls.
- Top with shredded cheese and parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Variations
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef. Italian sausage will also work or a mix of sausage and ground beef.
- Add additional vegetables. Mushrooms, carrots, and celery are good options.
- Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- You can use gluten-free pasta, chickpea pasta, or your favorite pasta. If you can’t find elbows, use another small pasta.
- Instead of sweet paprika, use smoked paprika to give the dish a slight smoky flavor.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes if you want to the goulash to have a little kick.
- Use your favorite shredded cheese or omit the cheese if you need the recipe to be dairy-free.
- Add a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt to your bowl for extra creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad– kale salad, green salad, butter lettuce salad, Caesar salad, or arugula salad
- Roasted Broccoli
- Green Beans– roasted Green Beans or green beans almondine
- Roasted Carrots
- Garlic Bread
- Easy Cornbread
- Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
How to Store
- Let the goulash cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top.
- You can freeze goulash. Let it cool completely. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with desired amount of cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave or on the stove top.
More Pasta Recipes
- Spaghetti
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Baked Spaghetti
- Taco Pasta
American Goulash
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef, can use ground turkey or chicken
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 oz can beef broth
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for serving, optional
- Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, breaking up the meat into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the macaroni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick.
- When the pasta is done, remove the bay leaf and ladle the goulash into bowls. Top with shredded cheese, if desired. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Ive been making this for years but couldn’t wait to see the Maria touches that I knew would improve my recipe! Sure enough I found several. I love not having to cook the macaroni separately, something I hadn’t tried before.
YAY! I am so glad you liked our recipe! Thank you for letting us know.
I grew up on goulash but my parents simply used plain tomato juice (not V8) seasoned to taste (seriously, never have been able to get measurements from them) with sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, with butter stirred in at the end. My husband HATES it so it’s something I’ve only ever made when he’s out of town. Definitely going to try this iteration as it sounds much more to his liking.
I hope he likes our version. And interesting about adding butter, my dad adds butter to his chili:)
Wow, I’ve never heard of or tasted this dish! It seems like something I might like, but with hungarian parents in law, I don’t know that I will be able to make this for my family, haha! I might have to call it something else… 😉
Ha! You can call it whatever you want:)
This was sooo good
I made it exactly as recipe called for I used jovial gf elbows
It’s going in my menu rotation 100
Thank you
I am so glad you loved it. I will have to try that pasta!
Can you use mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar?
Absolutely! Enjoy!
I’ve made goulash plenty of times before. My mother’s recipe was always the go-to dinner when our grandkids came to play on the snowmobiles. Just this week I decided to try your recipe for my husband and myself. The only word that comes to mind is WOW! The combination of spices and the other ingredients was spot on. With so much flavor, I had seconds (which I never do). Thanks for a revamp of an old family recipe!
I am thrilled you tried my recipe and loved it. My boys request this one often.
Supper easy to make and delicious! Thank you for sharing!!
You are welcome! Glad you loved it!
I didn’t have any hamburgers for this but I had some stew meat so I cut the stew meat up and used it. What can I say about this meal we had to force ourselves to leave leftovers for somebody else.
Thanks for sharing!