One Pot American Goulash

At a glance

What stands out: A steaming pan of American goulash is comfort food: warm, filling, and tasty. You won’t need exotic ingredients; it’s economical and straightforward to mix.

How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: a large pan or Dutch oven
Servings: 6

One-Pan Comfort Food

American goulash transports us to our childhood, it’s a recipe our mom would make a lot. It’s a classic recipe, not glamorous by any means, but it always works.

Ground beef, macaroni, tomatoes. It’s simple, familiar, and exactly what you want when you need something warm and filling.

What makes ours special:

• Pantry-friendly! You probably have almost everything you need to make this goulash already in your pantry. The ingredients are inexpensive, too.
• We made it a one pan meal. That means you don’t have to cook the pasta separately before you add it to the meat sauce. The pasta cooks right in the sauce. You’ll be amazed at how great the texture is. The starch from the pasta contributes an almost creamy feeling to the sauce.

What goes in

• Ground Beef (or Ground Turkey): Goulash is traditionally made with ground beef but if you aren’t a fan of beef, ground turkey is a good substitute. Quite honestly, we've made goulash with both and there’s only a slight difference in flavor.
• Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Garlic: An inexpensive yellow cooking onion is fine for a recipe like this. You’ll need 3 cloves of fresh garlic. Buy a head of garlic; break off 3 cloves from the head. Peel off the papery outer skin before mincing the garlic.
• Elbow Macaroni: Choose either regular macaroni or whole wheat. You’ll need 8 ounces, or 2 heaping cups.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce: The tomato sauce gives the goulash a smooth texture and the diced tomatoes add small tomato chunks. Look for low-sodium or no-salt-added canned tomatoes to control sodium content.
• Beef Broth: Again, look for low-sodium broth. Broth is notoriously salty and you don’t want all that extra salt in your diet if it isn’t necessary.
• Flavorings: Paprika is a classic ingredient of goulash. It’s mild and sweet. You’ll also add Worcestershire sauce for umami, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf.
• Cheddar Cheese, Parsley (optional): Cheddar cheese goes evenly with the tomato beef goulash, and fresh green parsley brightens the goulash with a piquant herbal flavor.

How it comes together

This best ever goulash is straightforward to mix. You’ll need a big pan, your stove, and about 45 minutes. Let’s get started!

Do the prep work. Begin by prepping the onions, pepper, and garlic. Wash and finely dice the onions and pepper; mince the garlic. Assemble the other ingredients so they’re ready to go. Open the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Make sure you have all the seasoning ingredients: salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce.

Brown meat and onions. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the ground meat, onions, and pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook, chopping the meat into small chunks, until it’s completely cooked and the vegetables are fairly tender.

Add garlic and paprika. Cook, stirring constantly for a minute or so. The garlic smells great, doesn’t it? The paprika will warm up a bit, releasing the aromatic oils and deepening in flavor.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. It may look like a lot of liquid but all that liquid is needed to cook the macaroni. Dry pasta absorbs a surprising amount of liquid.

Along with the liquids, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.

Add the dry macaroni and give everything a good stir.

Simmer: Bring the goulash to a boil, then turn the heat down. Cover the pan and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom. If you notice that it seems to be sticking, lower the heat a bit more and add another splash of broth.

Let it rest. When the pasta is tender, turn the heat off, cover the pan, and let the goulash rest for a few minutes. The pasta will continue to absorb more liquid and the goulash will thicken nicely.

Serve: Scoop steaming hot goulash into shallow bowls or on plates. Garnish with shredded cheese and a sprinkle of fresh green parsley. So good! You’re going to love it!

Ways to serve it

A fresh green house salad or fruit salad goes well with goulash. Try a classic arugula salad with a fresh lemony vinaigrette or a citrus salad. Crusty Dutch oven bread is always a good choice or hearty whole wheat corn bread. For dessert, serve homestyle vanilla pudding and a crispy coconut oatmeal cookie.

Ways to change it

• Use a different meat. Replace the ground beef with another type of ground meat such as turkey, chicken, pork, lamb, or sausage. Boneless skinless chicken cut into small pieces can be substituted as well.
• Make it vegetarian. Replace the beef with a can of white cannellini beans or kidney beans.
• Try different pastas. Instead of macaroni, substitute another type of short pasta. Try ditalini, penne, cavatappi, or farfalle. Choose whole wheat pasta, if you prefer. Feel free to use that partial box of pasta in your pantry
• Add more veggies. Goulash is pretty basic and you can easily add extra ingredients. Stir in baby spinach leaves; they wilt almost instantly. Add corn or peas. Mushrooms or an additional bell pepper are great, too.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Since goulash freezes well, make a big batch and freeze half to use later. If you prefer, freeze it in individual-size containers for a speedy lunch.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Scoop leftover goulash into a covered container; it will keep for three to four days. American goulash freezes well, too, for up to 3 months. Store it in a labeled freezer-safe container. Thaw frozen goulash overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: To reheat individual portions, microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring each time, until heated through. For larger amounts, reheat in a skillet or saucepan until hot.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #23. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

Browse Meal Plans

Make It A Casserole

Turn goulash into a rich baked casserole. Spread the goulash evenly in a baking dish; top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes or until warm and cheese is melted.

Herb Roasted Chicken Drumsticks & Potatoes

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 cup finely diced yellow onion ( 1 medium or half of a large onion)
• 1 cup finely diced green bell pepper (about 1 pepper)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce (no salt added)
• 2 cups low sodium beef or chicken stock (more if needed)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni ( 2 heaping cups)
• shredded cheddar cheese, chopped parsley (optional toppings)

Method

1. In Dutch oven or large skillet, over medium high heat, brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper, seasoning with salt and pepper. Break ground beef into smaller chunks as it browns. Cook until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Add garlic and paprika, cooking and stirring for one minute, or until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Stir in uncooked macaroni.
4. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Add more broth, as needed.
5. Remove from heat, leave covered for at least 3 minutes. Goulash will thicken as it cools.
6. Remove bay leaf. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

Storage/Freezing: Refrigerate leftover goulash promptly. It will keep for three to four days. Goulash freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Instant Pot instructions: Using the Sauté function, brown meat and vegetables; add garlic and paprika. Turn off pot. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Cover and set to pressure cook for 5 minutes (allow 10 minutes to come to pressure). Speedy release. Let set, covered loosely, for 5 minutes or until goulash thickens slightly.

Slow cooker instructions : See our recipe for Crockpot goulash.

Goulash casserole: Prepare as instructed.Spread the goulash evenly in a baking dish; top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes or until warm and cheese is melted.

Nutrition note: Nutrition information below was calculated with lean ground beef (90/10) and low-sodium beef broth.