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.
Hi Holly, I made this exactly as described and everyone loved it. Great comfort food for those covid blues. Thanks for sharing ….
This turned it great! My husband and son just loved it! Very easy to make, looks just like the picture you provided and it reminded me of how my Grandma used to make it
Thank you for an awesome recipe!
I used to make this for years when we were first married in 1957, then got away from making it. I have been hungry for it for a few days and made it tonight for supper. I still love it. It is easy and ingredients I almost always have on hand. We always had meat in the freezer and I canned many tomatoes although I add onion, garlic and celery salt to the tomatoes. I don’t use the pasta sauce which I am sure is very good. Hubby still loves it too. Love reading the comments. Keep up the good work.
If using a jarred comercial type pasta sauce just make sure it is very basic with no sugar and all will be great.. I dislike any sauces that add sugar, what a strange ingredient amd funny most do.
Sugar helps to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes, which can be overwhelming for some people.
Can I use a different noodle? I couldn’t find elbow anywhere due to the pandemic
Any small to medium noodle should work just fine!
I halved the recipe and added more noodles to thicken. This extra good if let it set overnight. I used to going to my aunt’s for goulash dinner, so decided to try making it myself. Great recipe.
I use Parmesan cheese and mozzarella not cheddar
My family absolutely love this recipe!!! So easy and makes a lot!
Can this be frozen? (Without the cheese, of course).
Hi Beth, we have not tried freezing this recipe but other readers have with success. If you intend to freeze it you could leave the pasta out and add it when reheating.
Sounds good
Enjoy seeing and trying your recipes
Delicious!! Easy to make and the green pepper really adds to the flavor!
Recipes are quick, easy and yummy.
I made this last night and it was delicious.!!! I have a picky eater( not a fan of tomatoes) at home so I only used one can of diced tomatoes and two 23 ounce jar of sauce with all the other ingredients included. It was absolutely AMAZING!!! Cant wait to go home and eat leftovers:))
That is so awesome Ashley! Happy to hear you could all enjoy it.
Made this for dinner tonight. We loved it! We will have this for several more meals. We love the leftovers! Thanks for a great, fast, and easy recipe! BTW, I only used 1 lb of hamburger and it was still great!
This is a great recipe for young and old alike. My grandchildren love it too. I used frozen green peas in lieu of the green pepper, as it knew it would appeal to them more. A very tasty easy dish!
I am so glad this recipe was a hit with your family Faye!
This is an excellent recipe. I halved it and it still made a lot of delicious goulash. If you make the full recipe you better have a BAP (big a.. pot).
I followed the recipe and added a little green pepper and served with corn bread
So glad you liked it, David!
From G in Minnesota…Fantastic tasting recipe: eating the leftovers today of which there was not much. Since it is now just two of us (recently empty-nesters) I halved the recipe and as Holly suggested added some vegetables- zucchini, mushrooms, and summer squash. My wife was thrilled.
So glad you enjoyed it Glenn!
Is there a substitute for the diced tomatoes that would provide the same consistency?
I have only made the recipe as written. Other readers have substituted Rotel tomatoes successfully. You could add more tomato sauce as well. Enjoy Jam!
I’m happy that you recognised that this is American and not real goulash. It looks good enough but I remember my grandmother back in the old country making authentic Madarsko Goulash. Now that stuff is authentic. I can’t compare anything called “goulash” to real goulash but I’m still willing to give this a try. Who knows, I might like it.
It might not be old world style Foodie, but it is pretty tasty. I hope you do enjoy it!
Relax lol. It’s not that serious. Americans have been making their version for many many years. My own grandmother made “American” goulash back almost 40 years ago when I was just a kid. It’s just food. Nobody is actually comparing the two, they’ve just taken one recipe from a different part of the world, and remixed into an American version.
We did not enjoy this recipe. We felt there was too much pasta for the quantity of meat. Additionally, there was not a lot of flavor.
So sorry to hear that Sharon. We have made this recipe with great results!
Being a man that naturally can’t cook didn’t have all the ingredients so I tried it with Old Bay, Ranch seasoning and Swiss cheese. Probably wasn’t your goulash but I ate it anyway. Nice eyes !
That’s so great – use what you have. I’m so glad it turned out so well for you Jack!