Goulash
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This classic American Goulash recipe is filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and pasta, all topped with plenty of melty cheese for the perfect comfort food meal. This easy recipe is made in one pan in just 35 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner that the entire family will love!
Why we love this recipe
My family has been making a version of this goulash recipe since I was a kid. This one pot beef and macaroni dish is still one of our favorite weeknight meals.
For this recipe, I updated the dish to make a classic version of American goulash by switching up the type of cheese and spices. This is why we love it, and I know you will too!
- It’s easy to make (and clean up)! Everything is cooked in one pot, making the cooking and clean-up of this dish a breeze. You only need 15 minutes of hands-on time, and the entire meal is ready in just 35 minutes.
- It’s delicious! All of my favorite meals have one thing in common, bold flavors! And this goulash dish is no different. From the traditional paprika used in Hungarian goulash, to the Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce added to this American version, this dish is full of rich, delicious flavors!
- The leftovers are just as good (maybe even better)! As the leftover goulash sits in the fridge, all of the flavors meld to make it just as delicious the next day when it’s reheated for another meal. Seriously, we fight over the leftovers of this dish in our house because it’s that good! If you have a big family, I might even recommend doubling the recipe, just so that you make sure you have leftovers to enjoy!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this American goulash recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Olive oil – or another neutral-flavored vegetable oil. We’ll use it to cook the diced veggies.
- Onions – I recommend a yellow onion in this recipe for it’s nice, neutral flavor.
- Green bell pepper – feel free to use a yellow, orange, or red bell pepper if you prefer.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves of garlic for the best flavor.
- Ground beef – I like to use a ground beef that’s 80/20, meaning 80% lean ground beef and 20% fat.
- Paprika – this goulash recipe is an American version of a traditional dish from Hungary, where the main spice in the dish is paprika. To keep a similar flavor profile to the original dish, paprika is also added to this American version.
- Italian seasoning – I highly recommend spending 5 minutes to mix up my homemade seasoning blend. (Linked above.) It’s full of pantry staple herbs, like dried oregano, thyme and rosemary. It adds so much flavor to this goulash dish and so many other recipes. I always keep some in my pantry! You can also use store-bought Italian seasoning found on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Salt and black pepper – to season the goulash.
- Diced tomatoes – one 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes will work perfectly in this recipe. No need to drain them, the juice in the can will add to the liquid that will cook down in the dish.
- Worcestershire sauce – this amazing condiment adds so much flavor to the goulash. It’s sweet, salty, tangy and adds a wonderful umami flavor to the dish. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce in the kitchen, you can use soy sauce instead.
- Tomato sauce
- Beef broth – you can purchase beef broth in a can or box at the grocery store, or make your own at home. I found this Custom Culinary Beef Base at a restaurant supply store in San Diego and love it so much. You can order it online. It’s a little expensive for beef bouillon, but oh my gosh the flavor is so good.
- Elbow macaroni noodles – you can also make this recipe with other small pasta shapes, like small shells, penne, rotini, or cavatappi pasta. To make it gluten-free, use your favorite small gluten free pasta noodle.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – I always recommend sharp, over mild or medium cheddar cheese, because of it’s rich and robust flavor. For this recipe, you’ll want to freshly grate a block of cheese, so that it easily melts on top of the dish. The bags of pre-shredded cheese at the grocery store contain anti-caking additives that prevent them from melting as well.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook diced onions and bell peppers. Heat olive in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. I used this 8.5 quart dutch oven that I use at least 2-3 times a week in my kitchen. Once the oil is hot, add diced onions and bell peppers. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Cook the ground beef. Push the veggies to one side of the pan and add ground beef. Cook and crumble the ground beef until it’s no longer pink, around 6-8 minutes. Once the beef is brown, drain any grease from the pot, then return it to the stove over medium-high heat.
- Season the ground beef. Add paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to season the ground beef and veggies.
- Add tomatoes. Pour diced tomatoes and tomato sauce into the pot. Stir to combine everything, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add noodles and broth. Add dry macaroni noodles (or another small pasta) to the pot, then pour beef broth over the noodles. Stir everything together, making sure the noodles are fully covered in the liquid.
- Cover and simmer. Place a lid on the pot, reduce the heat on the stove down to medium-low and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the liquid has cooked down. When removing the lid after 20 minutes to check on the dish, be sure to give it a nice stir. This will give you a true representation of how well the noodles are cooked and how much liquid is left in the pot. You’ll still want a little bit of liquid, but you want most of it to have cooked down into the dish. The seasoned liquid cooking into the beef, veggies and noodles is what gives the dish so much flavor! Spoon the goulash into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese before serving. Feel free to also garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if you’d like.
Storage and reheating
This goulash pasta dish is so delicious leftover. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. But around my house, it’s gone the next day!
To reheat one portion of the pasta, I recommend placing it in a bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. To reheat more than one portion of the goulash, I recommend adding it back to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Reheat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Simple variations
- Dice up 8 ounces of mushrooms and cook them with the onions to add a wonderful umami flavor and another vegetable to the dish.
- Swap out the ground beef with ground turkey for a lighter option.
- Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper with the paprika to spice up your homemade goulash.
- If you want to make it more like a soup, like traditional Hungarian goulash, add 1-2 cups of extra beef broth. (Depending how soupy you want it!)
More pasta recipes
If you love this goulash pasta recipe, you’re going to love these other easy pasta dishes! Try one every night of the week.
Goulash
This classic American Goulash recipe is filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and pasta, all topped with plenty of melty cheese for the perfect comfort food meal. This easy recipe is made in one pan in just 35 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner that the entire family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, click link for the recipe
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot, or dutch oven, on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add diced onions and bell peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Place the ground beef in the skillet, crumble and cook until no longer pink. Drain any grease from the pot, then place it back on the stove.
- Add the paprika, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir to combine everything. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the macaroni noodles.
- Pour the beef broth over the noodles and stir everything together, making sure the noodles are fully covered in liquid.
- Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the liquid has cooked down.
- Serve topped with fresh grated cheddar cheese.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use your favorite small gluten free pasta noodle.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or in a pot on the stove over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
- If you want to make it more like a soup, like traditional Hungarian goulash, add 1-2 cups of extra beef broth. (Depending how soupy you want it!)
Nutrition Facts
Calories 520kcal (26%)Carbohydrates 47g (16%)Protein 26g (52%)Fat 25g (38%)Saturated Fat 10g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 73mg (24%)Sodium 1141mg (48%)Potassium 833mg (24%)Fiber 5g (20%)Sugar 7g (8%)Vitamin A 993mg (20%)Vitamin C 30mg (36%)Calcium 219mg (22%)Iron 4mg (22%)
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