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
PIN THIS IMAGE TO SAVE THE RECIPE:
Jerri Danowit
I am excited to get to use hamburger meat in a new way It is going to be my family’s dinner tonight.
Diane Girard
I’m an email subscriber. I love this recipe and am anxious to try it with the add-ins you’ve recommended!
Jennifer S
Looks yummy and easy – can’t wait to try it!!!
Shelia
I am an e-mail subscriber and I love your recipes. This recipe is one of my favorites. A perfect weekend meal. Thanks!
Tammy Hornback
Calling for snow so this will be perfect for this weekend I’m so glad I subscribe to your emails thanks for all the great recipes
Emily
I am an e-mail subscriber and enjoy your recipes!
Tracey Alverna
Hi! I am an email subscriber and I AM making this today!
stephanie mlynowski
this was a wounderful recipe my family loved it
Maria Torres
HI I’m an email subscriber and love making your easy instruction meals.
Linda Fenice
I have made something like this for my family, I think I might try this one for the husband and me to try. I am an email subscriber. I love the recipes that are post and try most of them when I have time.
Liz
My mother made this all the time and I haven’t in ages thanks for the reminder! By the way I am an e-mail subscriber.
Khris
This recipe looks great, going to try it very soon! I’m an email subscriber.
Karen
I am an email subscriber. I have always used egg noodles when I made goulash but I love the ribbed spiral macaroni, I’m going to use that next time!!
Lois Sohn
I am an e-mail subscriber. I love your recipes You just answered what will I serve for Super Bowl. You site has given me so many wonderful, fun & quick things to serve. I just love it. Thank you, and keep them coming
Sincerely,
Lois
sandra baker-gregory
I am an email subscriber
Marsha Kohler
Shawn Thx- This looks good ! I am an e-mail subscriber and look forward to your recipes.
Joanne Wilson
Can’t wait to try this for my grandkids and her family. My daughter is a full time nurse practitioner student and a full time RN She’s appreciative of dinner drop offs and amazon gift cards jojowilson02@gmail.com
Jo
I am an email subscriber. I used to work at a family restaurant. Made my day when this was the special of the day
Daniel Eland
I am an email subscriber. Been making goulash for many years and always looking for new recipes. Thanks for this site, truly enjoying it.
Sandra Grant
Love this recipe!
I’m a email subscriber! Always look forward to getting your email news letter.
Sandra
Barbara Hoppe
This looks more like American chop suey. Do you have a goulash recipe with stew beef and potatoes and veggies?
P.S. I am an email subscriber.
Lana Edwards
I am a subscriber to your blog my daughter told me about it a few months ago . I am enjoying your recipes and how easy they are to make and love your blog!!
Lisa Kren
I’m an email subscriber and I LOVE this recipe! I’ve been making dinner for my family with your recipes for a few years now and they never disappoint! Thank you and much love ❤️
Arlene Takai
I’m a fairly new email subscriber who will be making this goulash recipe very soon! Looks delish and I can’t wait to try it!
Kay Errington
I am a new subscriber and I shall be trying this recipe in the next couple of days. Thank you.
Victoria Cullen
My Mom always made something like this when I was a kid. We called it “Goopey” from all the cheese she added. It’s nice to see an old favorite again. I’m so glad I’m an email subscriber!
Lisa Deibert
I am an email subscriber and love your recipes! Thank you!
Gloria Crenshaw
These recipes sound very yummy, will have to try them.
Stephanie
Love your emails and being a subscriber and your explanations that come with each recipe.
Carol Knauf
I am the one who mentioned that when I was growing up we called this bubbles and squeek. I forgot to let you know I am an e-mail subscriber who opens every one of your posts because I always find something helpful with a recipe.
Jimmie Glass
I’m an email subscriber and look forward to receiving all the great recipes you post. Thank you.
Linda L Johnson
I’m an email subscriber. Your Goulash is outstanding.
Teisha
Want to make this this weekend! Sounds so yummy!! I’m an email subscriber. Love all your recipes!
Rhonda
you’re one of my favorite peeps! thank you so much for this! comfort food i remember well. I am an email subscriber.
Betty
Love this recipe! So quick and easy. Did I mention delicious?! I’m an email subscriber.
Alisha Dawn Lopez
Omg this looks so good. Im a email subscriber.
Brenda Bacon
I’m an email subscriber and love receiving recipes from you – almost always something I want to try. This one is an old classic – but worth trying again.
Frances Ballard
Excited to see new recipes each day. This is a great dish. My dad made this when I was a little girl. Brings back memories.
Kim Smith
Comfort food! I’m so glad I subscribe to your emails!!
Kasey
Great, easy recipe!
As an email subscriber, I enjoy getting these recipes on a regular basis.
Pauletta Flowers
This reminds me of my LOVELY HUSBAND that passed away 7 months ago . I learned to make this economical meal early in our marriage. He would tease me and tell me he really liked it the 1other time I made it. Goulash was his favourite dish ever. I am an email subscriber
Shawn
So sorry to hear of your husband passing. I’m glad this recipe brought back good memories. Thanks for subscribing!
Vicki Duvall
Love this goulash recipe, reminds me of my mom’s cooking. I am a email subscriber and really enjoy your recipes
Rhonda Duran
I’m glad I came across your site. Great recipes.
Thank you for sharing
Dee
As a kid my Mom made goulash a lot & I remember how salty it was to me. When I married I decided to quit using extra salt when I cooked. Goulash is the reason I am salt free.
Ok girl, I’m putting aside 45 years of being goulash free & will try your recipe.
Melody Kilpatrick
Hi Shawn!
I made this tonite and used grou d Turkey and added some mushrooms…oh my how yummy this was. Very simple and comforting on a snowy evening. Love your recipes and I don’t delete your emails without looking first! Thanks for the good stuff.
Kelly OConnor
We LOVE this goulash! Thank you for the splash of flavor from the Worcestershire sauce and peppers… WAY better. As a mom of 7, I love this website! So thankful to subscribe.
Shawn
That’s great to hear Melody! I love that you added mushrooms, great idea!
Rosemary Reading
Love Love Love your recipes!
So easy to make and so delicious and family friendly! I am an email subscriber and so thankful that I am 🙂