Goulash Recipes

This super easy Goulash Recipe is a comfort food classic! It’s filled with hearty ground beef and tender pasta in a rich tomato-based sauce and comes together in about 30 minutes!

Easy Goulash Recipe made on the stove top. I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to turn ground beef into dinner, but sometimes I just love the good old classics that bring me right back to my childhood. This Goulash Recipe is just that. It’s super affordable, quick to make and tastes like a warm hug on a cool evening.

Are you familiar with Goulash? If not, let me introduce you to this old fashioned recipe! This recipe is an American Goulash that’s great for busy weeknights, but I love to take this recipe to potlucks and parties because it makes a ton and is super affordable. It’s also great for picky eaters, I haven’t met one kid who doesn’t love this dish!

Goulash is filled with ground beef, onion and bell peppers along with macaroni noodles in a tomato-based sauce. I like to stir in some sharp cheddar cheese at the end to give it a creamy texture. My family loves it!

goulash recipes

Easy Goulash Recipe

goulash recipes

This Ground Beef Goulash Recipe is a quick and easy one pan dinner that’s pure comfort food.

Prep: 5min

Total: 35min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 388 kcal, Sugar 2 g, Sodium 918 mg, Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Carbohydrate 20 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 22 g, Cholesterol 76 mg, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onion (diced )
  • 1 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 2 lbs. ground beef (lean)
  • 3 tsp garlic (minced )
  • 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 2 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 cups macaroni noodles (uncooked)
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded )

Instruction:

  1. Add olive oil to large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, bell pepper and ground beef then cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat and return pot to stove top. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  2. Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, bay leaves and dried macaroni noodles. Stir and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a light boil and stir occasionally until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese just before serving. Enjoy!

American Goulash

goulash recipes

Goulash is a simple skillet dinner with tomatoes, beef, and macaroni noodles in a zesty tomato sauce. It’s a perfect comfort food on a budget!

Prep: 20min

Total: 60min

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 2 cups

Nutrition Facts: calories 217 kcal, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 47 mg, Sodium 562 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 7 g, servingSize 2 cups, Trans Fat 1 g, unSaturated Fat 3 g

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 cups marinara or tomato-based pasta sauce (approx. ½ of a 26 oz jar)
  • 1 ¾ cups beef broth or water (or as needed)
  • 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 green bell pepper (diced, optional)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaves (2 if they are small)
  • salt & black pepper to taste
  • 1 ¼ cup elbow macaroni noodles (uncooked)
  • ½ cup cheddar (or mozzarella cheese, shredded, optional)

Instruction:

  1. Cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
  2. Add water, pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green peppers (if using), seasonings, & bay leaves. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
  3. Add in the elbow macaroni and continue to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender (about 20 minutes).
  4. Remove & discard bay leaves. Top with cheese if using and replace the lid. Let rest about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Goulash

goulash recipes

This Goulash recipe is comfort food at its finest, plus it’s a one-pot wonder!

Prep: 15min

Total: 45min

Yield: 6 serving(s)

Nutrition Facts: calories 457 Calories, Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 73 mg, Sodium 800 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 7 g, Protein 24 g

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 1/4 c. low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 1/2 c. elbow macaroni, uncooked
  • 1 c. shredded cheddar
  • Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Instruction:

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  2. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat and return to pan. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add tomato paste and stir to coat, then pour in broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Season with Italian seasoning and paprika, and stir in macaroni. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in cheese and remove from heat.
  5. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Easy Goulash Recipe

goulash recipes

Ground beef, tomatoes, and noodles make a delicious comfort food dinner you can make any night of the week!

Prep: 5min

Total: 40min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 312 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 18 g, Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Sodium 923 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • ¾ pound ground beef
  • ½ large yellow onion (diced)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 cup elbow macaroni (uncooked)
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
  • Chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Instruction:

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and onion together until the onion softens and the meat cooks through, about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Drain any grease.
  3. Add the beef broth, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, seasoned salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  4. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 5 or 10 minutes, covered.
  5. Add the elbow macaroni and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Don’t overcook.
  6. Remove the bay leaves and adjust the seasonings to taste.
  7. Add the shredded cheese, optional. If you are using a Dutch oven, you can pop it in the oven and melt and brown the cheese if desired.
  8. Garnish the finished dish with chopped parsley, optional.

How to Make Classic Goulash | Get Cookin’ | Allrecipes.com

FAQ

What is traditional goulash made of?

A traditional Hungarian Goulash is a soup or stew that is usually filled with tender beef and onions spiced with paprika. Many versions add other vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, peppers, and tomatoes.

What is the difference between Hungarian goulash and regular goulash?

Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew with a broth that’s heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It also goes by the name of American Chop Suey.

What makes a goulash a goulash?

The classic “kettle goulash” is prepared by frying cubes of beef or mutton with onions in lard. Garlic, caraway seeds, tomatoes, green peppers, and potatoes complete the stew. Székely gulyás, another Hungarian specialty, is a stew of pork and sauerkraut flavoured with tomatoes, onions, caraway seeds, and sour cream.

Why is American goulash so different?

American goulash is more of a pasta and ground beef dish

Chunks of beef or pork are replaced by ground meat, drowned in a tomato sauce over macaroni. Owing more influence to Italian-American cuisine than Hungarian, paprika isn’t even a consistent addition, per Syracruse.com.

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.

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