Goulash
Goulash is a comforting dinner idea made with ground beef, macaroni pasta and cheese in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. This easy one pot meal is ready in 30 minutes!
Not sure what to make for dinner? Give this goulash a try! This easy goulash recipe is loaded with flavor and sure to be a hit with the whole family.
What is Goulash?
This is an American goulash recipe. American goulash is a dish made with ground beef, macaroni pasta, tomato sauce, seasonings and often cheese. It’s typically cooked in one pot, making it especially easy to prepare. American goulash is different from Hungarian goulash, which is a type of stew or soup typically made with chunks of meat, vegetables and seasoned with paprika.
Why You’ll Love this Goulash Recipe
- Easy Dinner Recipe: Just like this Instant Pot Goulash recipe, everything cooks in one pot, even the pasta. This makes for easy prep and easy clean up.
- Comfort Food: Goulash is hearty and so comforting, with pasta, cheese, ground beef and tomato sauce.
- Flavor! The one pot cooking method infuses every part of this dish with flavor (the same is true for this Homemade Hamburger Helper). The pasta absorbs the flavors of the sauce, ground beef and seasonings as it simmers in the pot.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe, along with ingredient notes and substitution options.
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef or drain off excess grease after browning the meat. You can substitute ground turkey if you want a leaner dish.
- Onion and Garlic: For flavor.
- Bell Peppers: Red and green bell peppers add color, flavor and a healthy veggie to the dish.
- Beef Broth: I recommend using low sodium beef broth so that you can better control the amount of salt in the finished dish. You can always add salt, but you can’t take it away.
- Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce: Goulash is intended to be a saucy dish so we use both canned tomatoes and tomato sauce to achieve this.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A common ingredient in classic American goulash, Worcestershire sauce adds umami flavor and complements the beefy flavor.
- Seasonings: You’ll need Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Macaroni Pasta: Use either white or whole wheat pasta.
- Cheddar Cheese: An optional ingredient in classic goulash; we love this with some shredded cheddar stirred in but you can leave it out if you prefer.
How to Make Goulash
Here’s an overview of the recipe steps. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot or skillet.
- Add the onion and bell peppers and cook until softened. Then add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta. Bring the pot to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
What to Serve with Goulash
These easy side dishes pair well with goulash:
- Sliced bread, Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots.
- Kale Salad or Green Salad.
- Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Carrots.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Need more easy dinner inspiration? Here are a few more of our favorite quick and easy ground beef recipes:
Goulash checks all the boxes for a family dinner favorite: wholesome ingredients, kid-friendly flavors and ready in 30 minutes. It’s sure to become a regular in your meal rotation!
Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 30 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups elbow macaroni pasta, uncooked, 9 ounces by weight
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling, until browned. Drain excess grease as needed.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add the uncooked pasta to the pot and stir in. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to keep the pot at a simmer and cover the pot. Cook, stirring often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until pasta is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Serve, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Thank you for the recipe, it was super easy and tasty! I’ve always cooked the macaroni separately, but wow, this is way easier!