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!
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.
Classic Goulash Recipe
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 Ingredients:
- Onion – I like to use either a white or yellow onion
- Green Bell Pepper – you can use other colors of peppers if desired
- Ground Beef
- Garlic
- Tomato Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes – I love using the petite diced tomatoes here
- Beef Broth
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Seasoned Salt
- Italian Seasoning
- Bay Leaves
- Dry Macaroni Noodles – other small pastas would work too
- Cheddar Cheese
How To Make Goulash
- Start by browning the ground beef along with the onion and bell pepper. Drain any fat and then toss in garlic until fragrant.
- Pour in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes along with beef broth and Worcestershire sauce for some added depth of flavor.
- Add in the seasonings as well as dried macaroni noodles and let simmer until the noodles are cooked through.
- Finally stir in the cheddar cheese and dig in!
Tips and Variations:
- Make sure you use a big pot, as this recipe does make a lot!
- You can swap out the macaroni noodles for any other small pasta you have on hand.
- To make this an even leaner meal, you can use ground turkey in place of ground beef.
- Try adding in extra veggies like: corn, peas, diced carrots, green beans or even stirring in baby spinach at the end!
- Stir in a cup of sour cream at the end to give this recipe an even creamier base!
- The goulash is not quite soup consistency, but if you would like to add extra beef broth to make it more soupy you can definitely do that!
More Comfort Food Dinners
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Cabbage Soup Recipe
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Ground Beef Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet
Helpful Products To Make This Recipe
Here are some of my favorite tools to make this American Goulash Recipe:
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven (6 quarts)
- Wooden Spoon Set
- Cheese Grater
Easy Goulash Recipe
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
Instructions
- 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).
- 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.
- Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese just before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Spicy Italian Pinwheels Recipe
Adriane Prosser
This was honestly amazing. Thank you!
Carrie
This was very good, but it wasn’t my mom’s goulash. My mom used bay leaf, red paprika and caraway seed – no Italian seasoning or oregano.
Shantel
Ummm…good, it wasn’t your mom’s recipe. Seriously, why would you knock a recipe just because it didn’t match “your mom’s” recipe? That’s just rude…
Laura York
I made this tonight. Didn’t have beef broth so used chicken broth instead. Also added a small amount of sugar. It was AWESOME!! Thank you for the recipe.
Jane
I made this today and added about 2 tsp of black pepper , and used penne pasta instead of the elbows. It is delicious and is a big hit!
Renee
Giving this 5 stars without having cooked the recipe yet as this is the base to what I’ve made for years. Never tried Worcestershire sauce in it though and can’t wait to try that! In my recipe I sometimes add a can of early peas but frozen would work too if adding a little extra broth or water. I’m also curious how fresh spinach added at the end would taste too instead of peas. Love trying to add extra greens to our food. Thanks for sharing as this is a no fail one in our family!
Cindy
I made this for the first time tonight for my week of lunches. I adjusted it for my pescatarian diet: Beyond (ground) beef and vegetable broth. The flavor of this comfort food is wonderful–and I’m sure it will be even better tomorrow. I look forward to eating a hot bowl of this–with some good bread on the side. It’s just what I need on a cold, northeast winter day. Thank you!
Sarah Hale
The Italian season ruined it. I say it would had been good without that.
Jennifer
I thought this was delicious and was able to make some freezer bowls for my husband to eat for lunches etc. I didn’t have any italian seasoning, so I just used parsley. I added a bit of onion powder too. I did find the comment of the lady that said, (we love meat) but used chicken broth instead of beef broth because you don’t eat beef. LOL, super funny. Thank you for sharing. God bless
Caryl Mason
Everyone in the family loves this dish! It’s so easy to make and tastes so go as a leftover too.
Bev Smith
I’m sorry, but this recipe is too much tomatoes and not enough spice. I put Tabasco on a serving and it didn’t help.
Traci
I made a few tweaks but I love the base of this recipe! I used 3lbs (we love meat) of ground turkey and chicken broth instead of beef because we don’t eat beef. It was a little more salty than I like so I added a little bit sugar to balance it. Thank you for sharing this! I’ve not been able to find a good start for my substitutions. This was it!!
Katie
Comments from the men in my house:
Boy 1: “Wow, mom, I actually like this!”
Boy 2: “mom, have we had this before? It tastes good.”
Boy 3: “Mmmm. Mmmm. Done. I win.”
Husband: “ Honey, are you done? I can have the rest?”
This will be added to our regular meal rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
Shawn
That’s so awesome! I love hearing comments like this. So glad you all enjoyed it!
Heidi
I like goulash but need to find a different recipe. Too much hamburger for 2 cups of noodles. I also should have set my hamburger to the side and added back in after the noodles cooked.
Shawn
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the ratio of hamburger to noodles. Feel free to adjust that amount to your liking next time. 🙂
alicia
I am making this right now for dinner tonight, did a taste test and it has good flavor. I plan to add the sour cream and chedder to top it off. thanks for the recipe
Glenda Herald
I only made half the recipe…. Works excellent !!! I used stewed tomatoes and mashed them up with a potato masher before adding to ground beef onions peppers and sauces !!!! Very delicious !!!!! Just a really wonderful one skillet recipe …. This is a quick easy one skillet recipe …. Looking forward to more of your recipes !!!
Irene
No tomato sauce so we substituted home canned tomatoes,puree and fresh tomatoes.we used gluten free pasta. It all turned out great. Fantastic recipe.
Caroline
I have been dying to try goulash and this was absolutely delicious and easy to make thank you
Ashley Gonzales
This was delicious! I added a TBSP of soy sauce to mine and used spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce; & used fire roasted petite diced tomatoes; it was delicious!! Made a big difference ❤️ thank you for sharing!
julie neth
Do we need to call you a wambulance?? Why comment
Wendy
It does show amount right before the comment area.
Wendy
Message was for Laurel.
Connie Kwiatkowski
I made this exactly as directed and it was awful. My son didn’t like it at all either. Wasted a lot of money with the 2lbs of lean ground beef at $7/lb.
Dave
Why post it then? Don’t make it again and move on
julie neth
Do we need to call you a wambulance?? Why comment
Eric Davis
Connie, this is a great recipe and tasty. We all have different tastes. I’ve made it with beef, turkey, venison and have even added vegetarian baked beans and green peas. Experiment till you have a version you like. May be this type of food isn’t your thing, but don’t badmouth it. Just don’t comment. Maybe go take a cooking class.
Michelle
Thank you for your opinion. I’m sure there was a way you could’ve doctored it up to your liking?! I feel like this isn’t the type of meal that can’t be fixed. Goulash has been around for decades and this is a prime example of it.
Ciara
Do you not taste your food as you cook to adjust seasoning? If you don’t then start doing that. It’s a basic cooking technique. When something isn’t to your family’s taste then adjust before it’s finished.
Amy
Could I substitute rice and make this in a rice cooker? I want something a little different but still easy. I eat more rice than pasta
Eric Davis
I’ve substituted leftover rice, it was different but tasty. So yes. Don’t be afraid to experiment, that is how all our food dishes were created. Go have fun with it.
Ciara
Don’t cook the goulash in the rice cooker, obviously. Cook the rice by itself and then add it to your pot of goulash at the very end or put it in your bowl then top with goulash.
Ashley
I halved the recipe and added half a cup of plan yogurt bc I was out of sour cream. It still tasted like it was missing something, cheddar on top made a huge difference. So good! This will now be a regular meal for us, thank you!
Dee
Excellent recipe. I’ve made this several times. I don’t add the cheese though. It has a really great flavor. One of my favorites.
Laurel Design-Hayes
No amounts of ingredients???!!!
Yikes
You need to scroll further down 😀
Mindy
This is a great recipe and super easy for a busy week night. Definitely has become a monthly staple at our house!
Giselle
Personally, I hate soup so I added an extra cup of noodles and on god, amazing! Warning: cut the recipe in half if there’s only two of you my guy and I did not expect to be eating this for a few days but not complaining either!!
Noelle
We switched out finely chopped carrots for the peppers to accommodate picky kids, everyone gobbled it up. Sprinkled on parm at the end. Keeper!
Alana
Oh my gosh this was sooo good! Never had beef goulash before. Cut the recipe in half for just three of us and my VERY picky 2.5 year old said, “yummy eat”. That is a win for us and plan to keep this recipe on hand. Thank you!
Michelle R Mclean
We used to have this dish all the time as a child!! So glad i could find it again!! Thank u!
Natalie
Came out delicious! I didn’t have beef broth on hand so I used chicken broth instead and it worked out just fine! Keeping this recipe to make again in the future.
Sam
I was thinking the same thing. I have chicken broth but no beef. Thank you. I’m gonna try it
Giselle
Same! Super yummy!
Marisel Fitting
Simply easy and Delicious
Penny
This was absolutely delicious
I made it but added Kidney Beans to it.
My hubby and 3 boys loved it!
Having it again tonight!
Thank you for sharing!
Barbara Melton
I made it just like recipe called for but did not use the Worcestersauce, I really don’t like it. Came out excellent! Great easy recipe.
Kia
Taste like a warm hug??
Must’ve been alone on Halloween
Similar to how your comment tastes salty ♀️
Miss Mama R.
Made it tonight on the Eve of Halloween when we usually have chili. Everyone was impressed! Made it with 3 lbs. of beef instead of 2 which essentially made it more thick & filling. I also used a red bell pepper & a sweet onion. Will be making this again for sure!
Sharlene Farrell
Awesome Goulash! I made it tonight and added mushrooms! Yummy!
Tia
I’m making for the first time and using sweet onion and red bell! Thank you for your review.
Debbie Lammers
Perfect! Very easy but tastes much more difficult than it is. Big hit at our house – asked to be in the regular rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer
Could I make this in a crock pot? Would the noodles cook ok?
Benjamin Micke
You’d probably have to put them in 10 minutes before you serve them.
Mark Hamming
Love this easy recipe but 2 tbls of Italian seasoning is way too much
Laura
I thought 2 table spoons of Italian seasoning was too much. It turned out pretty good though.
Heather Muckleroy
I just decided I want this and can’t go shopping. Could I use chicken broth instead of beef ? or maybe water ? I just don’t want spaghetti – again.
Tonya
Best recipe I was craving goulash and stumbled upon this recipe but instead of ground beef I used ground turkey. It was indeed a hit in my house and will make again. Thank you for sharing
Samuel Costa
There is no such thing as macaroni noodles. Pasta is macaroni. It is made without egg. Noodles are made with egg. Try eating no-yolks with pasta sauce, nasty. Both have thier own purpose, but they are two completely differant things. Just saying.
Macaroni Noodles
Who cares. LOL
Thank you for your service, Pasta Police.
Rich Brazzel
So what? Did you understand what the author was getting at or did you just want to show the world that you alone know the difference between pasta and egg noodles? Get over yourself. J/S
Mimio
The recipe is wonderful, you, on the other hand, are not.
Christopher De Mory
Wow! The pasta king reining in. Wait! Rein or rain?! Please help me and make it as condescending as possible. Thank you for the recipe post. I’m gonna give this a shot tonight!!
Captain Cooper
Thank you for your expert opinion
Vero
I think most people were taught if you can’t say anything nice. Better to not say anything at all. Try not being so pretentious maybe people will like you better. Or better yet practice the art of silence.
donna
i did not know that, thanks for the info. i cook a lof of pasta and noodles so this is definitely usefull info to me0and probably anyone else who cooks with either or both like i do.
julie neth
Why?
Kaila Ziarnowski
I made a variation of this (i swapped beef brother for veg stock and used balsamic and tamari instead of Worcestershire sauce because I didn’t have any and am moving so didn’t want to buy any) added frozen veggies. Anyway, I was ready to say that I found a child who didn’t like it- my 13yr old hates everything BUT HE LIKED IT! He even had seconds. Making this instead of spaghetti from now on.
Laura
I made this tonight and added peas, green beans and carrots and I also added the cup of sour cream at the end. It was good but I feel it needed more salt or something. I gave my sister a big bowl and she said it was delicious.
Christy
I would like to make this and freeze this. Would that work? Can I freeze it with the pasta? Thank you!
Shawn
It should be ok to freeze, but the pasta will likely be more mushy when it’s defrosted.
Anna
I wouldn’t freeze th
e pasta because it will be gummy but you could cook the pasta on the side and then you can freeze the sauce that’s how I do it
Tricia
Definitely best goulash recipe we’ve ever had!
Jen G
Hoping for the best here… I want to make the sauce portion of the meal minus the broth and uncooked pasta then add all and finish off tomorrow morning at work for our Spooky Halloween potluck! (GOULASH get it!?? )
Do you think that would work out?? I don’t want to reheat and have overcooked noodles! Thoughts??