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Amercian Goulash is a delicious and easy one pot dinner recipe that combines ground beef with elbow macaroni, peppers, onions, tomatoes and tons of flavor!
This easy recipe is a family favorite in our house. The easiest way to describe it (according to my family) might be chili with pasta instead of beans, spaghetti with extra meat and not much sauce, or a homemade Hamburger Helper. Whatever you want to call it, this goulash is pure comfort food!
Granny’s Classic Amercian Goulash is one of those recipes that just tastes like home. It has a little bit of everything a satisfying meal should have – meat, carbs, veggies. This easy goulash recipe is the kind of meal you can make for your family for dinner and then then stuff into the kids thermos for their lunch the next day.
What is Goulash?
You either grew up eating goulash or you didn’t. Everyone pretty much falls into either of those categories.
Goulash is a stew with meat. The defining spice in traditional Hungarian Goulash, where the original recipe originated, is paprika.
This Goulash recipe has been completely Americanized. We’re talking ground beef, macaroni, a flavorful tomato sauce, and the convenience of the entire meal being made in one pot.
This meal is not only delicious and satisfying, it’s an easy dinner recipe that will save any busy extra curricular and homework filled weeknight.
How easy is it to make Goulash?
I’m not sure about traditional Hungarian Goulash, but this American Goulash is super simple to make. Since it is a one-pot recipe, the clean up ain’t too bad either!
This recipe starts by browning ground beef in a heavy bottom dutch oven. You can use a stockpot as well. You’ll add the onion and bell pepper to the ground beef and continue cooking until the meat is browned and crumbly and the vegetables are tender.
Next you’ll add all of the remaining ingredients except the macaroni. You don’t want to add the pasta this early. If you did, it would get super mushy. Let that wonderful stew simmer for a good 20 minutes to develop the flavor.
Finally, add the uncooked macaroni, cover, and simmer until the macaroni is tender. Give it a good stir and serve it up!
The best way to reheat it:
When I reheat dinners like this, I’ll either reheat them on the stove or in the microwave.
If you choose to reheat goulash on the stove, use a saucepan, cover, and heat on low. If your goulash looks like it could benefit from a bit of moisture, you can add a small amount of broth or even some pasta sauce.
If you reheat this goulash recipe in the microwave, I always recommend covering with a plate or paper towel (it will splatter) and heat on 50% power. The last thing you want to do is hit it full blast. Ground beef that’s been microwaved too long is just gross.
Love ground beef dinner recipes?
You’ll have to try these family friend ground beef recipes:
- Easy Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- Classic Meatloaf
- Classic Stuffed Peppers Recipe
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Pin ItGranny’s Classic Amercian Goulash
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt more if needed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper more if needed
Instructions
- Heat large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the beef, and brown for 10 minutes, breaking up with the back of your wooden spoon as you stir. Add the onion and bell pepper and continue to cook, while stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, except the macaroni, and cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the macaroni, cover with the lid, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until pasta is tender. Remove from heat
- Let mixture stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad and garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so delicious!
We like spicy food so I added some crushed red pepper, ground cayenne pepper, celery for crunch, and fire roasted tomatoes cuz I usually have those in my pantry.
It was just right for this snowy
day! Thank you for the recipe!
First time making this a couple weeks ago. Making again tonight! Was excellent and so easy. Leftovers tomorrow night, just my husband and I. Thank you!
I just made this and it was delicious. I used fire roasted diced tomatoes because I was out of regular diced. Thank you for the recipe
Yummy. My husband is sick. He could actually taste this and even ate a 2nd small bowl. He loved it. Thank you for this recipe he hasn’t hardly eaten anything in a week. It’s a miracle, lol. This is really tasty
This was soooo good! The balance of spices, heat and overall flavor is perfect. Admittedly, I did add more macaroni because I wanted to “bulk” it up more. No problem…still a good balance of meat sauce to macaroni!
Thanks for sharing! This will now go in my menu rotation.
I love this….I make it and freeze it in small containers so I can take it to work
This was literally one of the most delicious recipes! My whole family loved it!
I haven’t had goulash in years and I can’t wait to make this. I do have a question though. I only have an 8oz can of tomato sauce on hand. Do you have any suggestions on what I can replace the rest with?
You could use a can of tomato soup.
I think that will work, but it will add a lot more salt than canned tomato sauce.
Can I use Penne noodles?
absolutely!
I made this for my 92 year old father on this rainy Saturday afternoon. He walked into the room, smelled the air and said “ahhhhhh, comfort food!” It turned out delicious! I added a bit of celery, and used spaghetti sauce, in place of tomato sauce, which I did not have on hand at the moment. Turned out YUMMY! Good, comfort food, indeed.
Can’t wait to make this. It sounds just like my Moms recipe. She’s been gone for 10 years and I never found her recipe so it will be comforting to enjoy a dish my Mom often made during my childhood. Thanks!
It was really good. Just like mom use to make. Ive been trying to recreate it all my adult life. 👍🏻😁 Thank you
My Mother made this she called it goulash also but she put mozzarella cheese in it. Or occasionally pepper jack cheese. Yummy!