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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One Skillet Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Mia L.
Easy & delicious recipe. I added a can of water. We loved it. I’ll be making it again soon.
Kendra
Recipe and taste is solid. First time I’ve ever put cheese in a goulash. For me I didn’t taste the cheese itself but feel it helped lend to the salt it needed. Overall a great recipe. Thank you. Me and my family loved it and will keep it in our wheelhouse
Laura
Can I swap the beef broth out for chicken?
Debbie
My boyfriend and I made this last night for dinner. It turned out great- we made the recipe as listed except we didn’t put the cheese in the pan but added to our bowls instead. Will make this again after we finish leftovers that are in the freezer…Thank you for this recipe
Margaret Duschinski
Easy & yummy
Cindi Harris
This was superb !!!! I did tweak it a bit to what I had on hand and simmered the sauce for about an hour before I added the noodles. Wow!!!! Delicious !!!! Thank you!!!
Oles
This was a hit. Everybody loved it. My wife says it’s the best she has ever had. I doubled the recipe even,turned out perfect. I forgot to use my new cast Iron pot. Dang it……
Jennifer
It’s a keeper! Delicious and easy to put together. Be sure you use a good size pot. I started out in one pan and had to switch to my Dutch oven, but I’m already looking forward to leftovers.
Mike
A pretty good recipe – we’re trying to figure out why ours turned out so SALTY though! I’d give it a 3.5 if I could.
It’s somewhat tricky to stick the landing on the noodle doneness level. Be vigilant!
I might seek out a version that’s less tomato-foreward and includes maybe another vegetable or two, to take it to the next “freshness & depth” level.
Holly Mckahan Hiltz
You probably did what I did. I saw that there are tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and there were tablespoons of Italian seasoning and the teaspoons of seasoned salt were in the middle. I dumped two tablespoons on top. And I immediately scooped it out. Very easy to get it confused when everything else is in tablespoons. We’ll find out whether or not mine turns out right. I think I got most of the salt out haha
Jillian A
My husband does not like any tomatoe chunks. What can I use to replace 2 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes?
Shawn
Try using just tomato sauce instead of the diced tomatoes.
Debi Rakes
You might try putting them in a processor to crush them a bit or buy crushed tomatoes.
Christyna J Ash
Best way I can suggest is using stewed tomatoes or just pureed. 🙂 Happy Cooking .
Suzi
I used crushed tomatoes
Anna
I used salsa instead of the diced tomatoes
Marie
We loved this recipe, it is easy and the flavors are great. For our family, we prefer a less soupy goulash, so I’m going to try making it with no beef broth or only half the amount of tomato products next time.
Lindsay
I’m not sure why but mine seemed soupy, I followed the recipe exact and even put extra pasta to soak up. Great tasting though!
C costello
I would recommend just 2cups Beef Stock and a 7 oz. Can of Tomato paste
Wendy
I use chicken bone broth and add beef better than bullion. It works fine.
Kristen
This recipe is what dreams are made of…. Is there only one goulash recipe that’s considered goulash….. absolutely not. This is an amazing recipe that I loved to make. Do I also use other goulash recipes…… absolutely.!!! But I absolutely love this one… super quick and easy to make, and the flavors are just perfect! Great with a side salad and homemade bread!
Pamela Williams
My family absolutely loved this recipe. It was simple to make, a quick meal, and hearty. We added a little bit of cayenne to give it some spice. We only used half of the Italian seasoning because I’m not a super fan of that and I found half to be perfect. This particular recipe makes a lot, which is great, plenty for lunches or leftovers.
laura
that’s not goulash
Kris
Wow that really upset you huh? whatever it is it’s good. Didn’t deserve a one star
We make this all the time and it’s always a hit!
Don
You’re not Laura
Dixie
Never cared for goulash much till I came across this one!! My husband’s was ok but… This one is wonderful! SO flavorful!! And for the spicy food lover that left a previous comment…
I added red pepper flakes to the recipe and MAN. that was good!!! Super warming meal perfect for winter days. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Shawnee
The pepper flakes added so much flavor thank you and the op!
Diana
Can you reheat in a crockpot?
Randy
I make this in a Crock pot and reheat it again in the Crock pot
Kari Caldwell
Great flavor!!!
Kristi Moore
Best Goulash recipe ever! My family just devoured it! Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you so much for sharing ♥️
Tonya
Someone should take this comment off. Not all Americans are racist like this woman. WTF is wrong with her?!! Someone must have pissed in her Wheaties this morning. Disgusting comment.
Fran
This recipe looks GREAT. Can’t wait to make it. In fact, I might make it today!
Kate
I followed the instructions to the letter, I even read the instructions about four times to make sure that I was doing everything properly. I actually added less Italian seasoning than recommended, and it turned out so salty it’s barely edible. You really should adjust your salt content or perhaps consider less beef broth.
Tracy
Why is this disturbing comment on a recipe thread? Get a grip.
Jimmy
Why are all you Americans such proud racists?
Charles
That’s Extreme
Allison Crowe
Lennart are you freaking serious?? No joke this is everything about “AMERICAN goulash this is our way of making it! DO YOU OWN ANY RIGHTS TO THE GOULASH RECIPE?? I GUESS NOT because I’ve never seen your name on any goulash recipe AMERICAN OR HUNGARIAN!!! Also you are obviously NOT from America with a name like that so do us AMERICANS a favor and go open up a can of beenie weenies(look those up) and sit your ass down and leave us AMERICANS alone.
YOURS TRULY,
ALLISON A Proud AMERICAN!!!
Grandma Alexander
My grandchildren love the goulash .they like to add catsup.
Joseph
I recommend simmering the sauce for 20 mins to meld the flavors, then add the pasta, and cook it for the recommend time on its packaging.
Lori
I thought it would be too much Italian seasoning at first, but it seemed about right. This is a great recipe. I added another tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, just because. 🙂
Amy Lomax
Goulash is like chili and macaroni – there are many different ways of making the dishes. I grew up with a waaaay different recipe and made it the same way for my friends and family, no one ever complained. My DIL made a recipe similar to this and it was over with my old recipe. I googled American goulash and this came out on top. It uses staples I keep in my pantry and was SO quick to make. My kids even ask for “the new goulash” now; love it!!
Lynn
Simple and delicious. The taste that you remember from childhood. Sprinkled a bit of Locatelli on too. Served with salad. Perfect.
Big B
Lennart. Who is so unhappy that they troll a recipe website. Seek help
Big B
Just pass it. You sound like an unhappy person. No need to denigrate others. You probably smell and eat hot pockets. You also sound cheap. You probably smell like stale cabbage and moth balls. You also sound like a thief and a cheapskate.
Steve
Hey Rick! Where does this recipe say anything about “Hungarian” goulash?
Kathleen
Hungarian goulash is a stew. American goulash is a pasta, ground beef and tomato dish
Cici
Unbelievably rude!
ERaf
Why do you care so much??? Lol, it’s a recipe, not a political statement… no modern recipe is created in a vacuum
Samantha
I have a question do you drain the diced tomatoes?
Steve
Heck no! Got to have that tasty juice in there, especially if you get the Italian seasoned kind.
Kate
There has to be something more productive for you to do than to throw a tantrum about what strangers on the internet eat. I can’t think of anything that matters less. Taste is subjective, move along.
Lucy Loo
Hangry Rick?
Tia
This is unnecessarily aggressive over a recipe. It’s called American goulash. Nothing about it resembles the European version. The names are similar, which is true of a lot of dishes around the world.
Rick
This is 100% American. It bears no resemblance to Hungarian goulash, where do you suppose this recipe came from?
Michelle Block
Can I store the uneaten Goulash in the freezer, and if so, how do I reheat it?
Shawn
Yes! You definitely can. The noodles may be a little more mushy afterwards, but still a great way to save leftovers. I prefer to use my SouperCubes for stuff like this (https://amzn.to/48UKrSq)
Emily F
5 stars because my family loves it! It might not be my favorite (It’s good but I prefer my food spicy) but I have to double the dang recipe so these kids don’t fight over the leftovers!
Sara
I really wanted to love this recipe, it came out looking great and it made LOTS, I was so excited to eat it. But holyyyy molyyyy it is WAY WAY too salty. I couldn’t take more than 4 bites and my mouth started salivating from all the salt. Inedible. It’s also too much Italian seasoning for me, but that’s something I could have dealt with and ate it anyways. The saltiness unfortunately means nobody can eat it and it’s all going to waste 🙁
Matthew Ashby
I wasn’t raised with Goulash mush and this is what this recipe can easily become. My mother made Goulash in an electric skillet and did not use uncooked pasta. It’s tricky to use uncooked pasta in any recipe. We like all pasta to be al dente (firm). We also enjoy Goulash that isn’t cheesy-mushy. This recipe may work if careful about overcooking.
Bee
We like it Al dente too so we cook for 15 mins then let sit in pan about 30 mins. The trick is to remove the goulash into another bowl after available it 30 mins to sit so that it doesn’t continue to “cook”.
Brian G Ojanpa
Agree about the macaroni doneness. Chew-taste after about 10 minutes. The prescribed 20 minutes likely will make them too mushy for al dente pasta tastes.
Lori
I’m glad I read this because I took it off the stove 6 minutes earlier and it didn’t get mushy.