This easy American goulash recipe comes together quickly with pantry staples you likely have on hand. Just simmer ground beef and elbow macaroni in a rich tomato sauce for a cozy one-pot dinner.
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What is Goulash?
This American goulash is a quick, tomato-based one-pot meal with ground beef and macaroni, while Hungarian goulash is a beef stew seasoned heavily with paprika, and usually includes potatoes.
- Flavor: Rich and savory flavors from the tomato sauce and seasonings make it a nostalgic family favorite, just like Grandma’s.
- Skill Level: This recipe is perfect for first-time cooks looking for a no-fuss comfort food meal.
- Swaps: Use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef, or try different pasta shapes.
Ingredients for Grandma’s Goulash
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef; it’s okay if you use a little more or less than what is called for. It can be replaced with Italian sausage, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- Pasta: Use any small pasta; my preference is elbow macaroni. Try small shells, bowties, or ditalini.
- Tomato Sauce: Use jarred tomato sauce (or homemade marinara sauce). I like to add canned diced tomatoes for texture and to stretch the meal further.
- Seasoning: Onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf flavor the sauce. Use minced garlic from the jar and dehydrated or frozen diced onions to save time.
How to Make Goulash
This recipe is a simple one-pot dinner.
- Cook the ground beef. Drain fat.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the pasta is tender.
- Top with optional cheese and serve.
Pro Tips for Thick, Saucy Goulash
- Stir every couple of minutes after adding pasta to prevent sticking.
- If it looks thick before the pasta is tender, add broth or water in small splashes to loosen the sauce, taking care to simmer gently.
- Let it rest 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Fridge: Leftover goulash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave, with a splash of broth and a little extra marinara, if needed.
Freezer: Freeze chilled portions in zippered bags for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Elbow macaroni is the classic since it cooks evenly and holds onto the sauce. Small shells, ditalini, rotini, or cavatappi also work well, just watch the cook time and add a splash more liquid if needed.
Keep it at a gentle simmer (not a hard boil), and be sure to stir a few times so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
Stir in beef broth or water a little at a time until it’s saucy again, then warm through.
Use a marinara or tomato-based pasta sauce you like the taste of, with a thicker texture for the sauciest result.
You can freeze goulash, but the pasta will soften a bit after thawing and reheating. For the best texture, cool completely, freeze in portions, and reheat gently with a splash of broth. If you’re making it specifically to freeze, cook the pasta just to barely tender so it doesn’t get too soft later.
What to Serve with Goulash
Did you enjoy this Goulash recipe? Leave a rating and comment below.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large skillet with lid
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups marinara sauce or tomato based pasta sauce
- 2 cups beef broth or water, more as needed
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 green bell pepper diced, optional
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf 2 if they are small
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or a large skillet with a lid, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Add the marinara sauce, broth, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, bell pepper (if using), Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the elbow macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
- Remove & discard the bay leaf. Top with cheese if using, and replace the lid. Let rest for about 5 minutes or until the pasta has thickened and the cheese is melted.
Video
Notes
- Use 8 ounces of uncooked elbow macaroni noodles, approx 1½ cups.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd (serving sizes can be adjusted in the print screen).
- For heartier appetites, the meal can be stretched with additional pasta (and water/broth), canned beans, or chopped vegetables. (diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, corn, or additional bell peppers). Any kind of ground meat can be substituted for beef.
- Start with the amount of broth/water as listed and add extra if needed (depending on pasta shape). The goulash will thicken as it cools and rests. Depending on the size and shape of your pan, you may need to add a little bit more liquid. Keep an eye on the dish as it cooks, and add more liquid as needed. The mixture will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
You forgot to explain that it’s cooked pasta you’re adding.
Hi Frank, as mentioned in the recipe we add in the pasta uncooked in step 3.
Just wanted to comment to say I am not sure why this recipe was changed. It was perfect how it was. We make this goulash weekly in our household and noticed tonight something was off. Had to find an archive of this page to make sure I wasn’t crazy.
It was updated for more consistent results but I am glad you were able to find that version to enjoy!
Love your recipes. Question…..can you please add cook mode to recipes so computer doesn’t go dark? Thanks
Thanks for the suggestion, Bridget!
Just made this and it was delicious. This recipe is fast and forgiving. Adding it to my cookbook permanently. It’s great. I think what I like about it so much is how simple it is. I’m not in the season of my life for complicated recipes. This is great.
Can your recipe be made in an Insta pot?
Hi Kat, I have never tried this recipe in the instant pot but would love to hear how it turns out if you do!
This looks the same as my Mom’s goulash that I grew up with and it was amazing. I can still taste it in my memory!!!
I decided to try this because I was craving my grandma’s goulash and this had high ratings. I was very disappointed. This was so overwhelmingly tomatoey. Typically when ive had goulash in the past its beefy and comforting. This tasted like glorified spaghettios, and I even used a good pasta sauce. I think next time I’d skip the pasta sauce completely. I tried doctoring it with cheese and hot sauce to mask the flavor, but its still very meh.
Oh no, I am sorry this didn’t live up to Grandma’s goulash! Thank you for trying our recipe, Chelsea.
This is my husband’s absolute favorite meal! we have it once a week. thanks for making me look good!
Just want to chime in and say we have almost the same name – Dayna Lynn :)
DELICIOUS. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I did add one grated carrot and a tsp. of Worcestershire sauce as you recommended in the variations. I left out the green pepper (not a fan) and I topped it with Monterey Jack cheese instead of mozzarella as that was what I had on hand. This will be a repeat in my kitchen for sure.
Thank you for the comfort food.
My husband wanted something nostalgic and requested this dish. I found your recipe and it came out great. I had a red pepper and used that otherwise followed exactly.. Cooking the noodles in the sauce came out great. Requested that I put this recipe in the rotation. Thanks
Thank you for this different twist on the traditional goulash I grew up eating. I did tweak it a bit as I didn’t have all the ingredients. I used 6 cheese pasta sauce ( 24 oz jar), Italian flavor petite tomatoes, a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, red pepper flakes and a small can of tomato juice ( it needed more juice). My extremely picky son even liked it. I paired it with golden sweet cornbread. Yum!!
Could I add a packet of taco seasoning?
You can add any seasonings that you prefer, Kaitlyn!
Love these!
This was great.
I added about 3/4 teaspoon of salt, a can of mushrooms & some paprika.
I did not use the bay leaves, bell peppers or tomato paste because I did not have them on hand.
It was just the right mixture of liquids. I used beef broth.
I’ll definitely use this recipe again, thanks.
Rich
I should have known from the ingredients list but the ratings convinced me to give it a try. Overwhelmingly tomatoey. I did a lot of doctoring to make it edible for an adult palate.
This recipe is usually a favorite among our readers! Sorry it wasn’t quite what you expected, Kathleen!
I’ve made this recipe so many times. Especially when it’s cold. It’s so quick easy and good. Now i do season my ground beef and add a lil brown sugar to cut the acid from the tomatoes. Pair it with some buttermilk cornbread and baby it’s a hit.
My great grandmother used to make us goulash when we were little and this tastes and smells just like it! My brother requested it tonight, it’s amazing! I added mushrooms to coax my kids to eat it!
I followed the recipe, but the taste was bland. It tasted much better after more salt and pepper were added.
Hi Regina, the recipe says to ‘add salt and pepper to taste’. The amount can vary based on personal preference but always season it to your liking. I hope that helps!
my mom always used ketchup in this and it’s super delicious ! I use it too, sometimes with a little tomato paste and salsa, tons of good paprika! I’m gonna try this recipe too, thank you.
I’ve eaten goulash before but never made it. This recipe was really easy and it was so good. I love all your recipes I have tried so far. Thank you