We’ve reached the “1 pound of meat isn’t cutting it for our family of 5 anymore” portion of the program. Translation: I am constantly looking for ways to stretch ground beef, especially, and my American Goulash recipe is the perfect way to do it!
This easy and economical beef goulash recipe not only cooks in one pot with ingredients I always have on hand, but it goes from stovetop to table top in under 30 minutes. Every time I make it I ask myself, “Is this really it? Am I missing a step?” NOPE! It really is that simple.
Hungarian Goulash vs American Goulash
Goulash comes from the Hungarian word gulyáshús which means “meat prepared by cattleman”. This dish has been around since the 9th century! Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew flavored with spices, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It’s total comfort food and my whole family practically licks the pot clean every time I make it.
Now, what’s the difference between American Goulash and spaghetti? American Goulash combines the meat sauce and noodles in one pot to cook together, while the meat sauce and noodles are cooked then served separately in spaghetti.
How to Make Goulash Healthier
Almost anytime I make a dish with ground beef I use it as an opportunity to hide vegetables inside because the texture becomes undetectable. Here are a few ways to make this dish a little healthier:
- Add 1 – 2 cups frozen shredded cauliflower when browning the ground beef.
- Add 8oz minced fresh mushrooms when browning the ground beef.
- Use 99% ground turkey breast instead of ground beef.
Variations
What I love about this dish is that its versatile – think of the goulash as a blank slate to add seasonings and ingredients to in the spirt of traditional Hungarian Goulash. Here’s a few ways to switch things up:
- Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the top of each bowl for a mac and cheese meets spaghetti flavor. SO good.
- Add shredded mozzarella cheese and diced pepperoni, or your favorite pizza toppings, to the top of each bowl for a pizza spin.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese, chili powder, and a can of beans to the pot to turn it into Chili Mac.
Can I Freeze Goulash?
Cooked pasta does not typically hold up well to freezing then thawing. That said, you can prepare this goulash recipe as written stopping shy of adding the pasta. Cool completely then ladle into a freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw 24 hours before eating in the fridge then pour the contents of the bag into a pot, bring to a boil, add the noodles, and continue cooking per recipe instructions.
How to Make this Recipe
Start by browning ground beef with chopped shallots or onions, garlic, worcestershire sauce, homemade seasoned salt, and pepper.
Next add tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, chicken or beef broth (whichever you’ve got in the cupboard,) dried Italian seasoning, more homemade seasoned salt, and a bay leaf then simmer for 10 minutes to help marry the flavors.
Last step is to add gluten free elbow macaroni pasta then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 12-14 minutes. I prefer using a corn/rice blend of pasta in this dish as brown rice pasta tends to turn to mush quickly, and soaks up more liquid.
If you don’t need to eat gluten free you can use regular elbow macaroni pasta.
That’s all she wrote! Scoop the American Goulash into bowls then serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables. I hope you love this easy, totally tasty, family-friendly dish – enjoy!
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American Goulash
Description
My easy American Goulash recipe will be a hit with the whole family! This one pot dish is made with fridge and pantry staples and it comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1lb lean ground beef
- 1 large shallot or small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 8 shakes gluten free worcestershire sauce (~1/2 Tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon + extra dash homemade seasoned salt (see notes)
- pepper
- 1-1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
- 15oz can tomato sauce
- 15oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup uncooked gluten free elbow noodles
Directions
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add beef, shallot or onion, and garlic then break beef up with a wooden spoon. Season with worcestershire sauce, a dash of homemade seasoned salt, and pepper, then brown. Add remaining teaspoon seasoned salt, broth, tomato products, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf then turn heat up to bring to a bubble. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low then gently simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add elbow noodles then continue to simmer, stirring often, until noodles are tender, 12-14 minutes, turning the heat down slightly near the end to maintain a very gentle simmer. Remove bay leaf then taste and add additional seasoned salt and/or pepper if desired. Serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
What brand of gluten-free pasta do you use? I am struggling finding one that taste good the second day.
I like Barilla Gluten Free elbows for this dish!
Broth can contain wheat or gluten so better check ingredients or make your own.
My picky two year old gobbled this up! My husband and I loved it, too. I added a ton of fresh, chopped spinach to get some greens.
Thrilled to hear that, Michelle! I’ve taken to adding frozen riced cauliflower in with the ground beef while it’s browning to pump up the vegetables too!
Hi, I had a problem with the pasta cooking. I used penne instead of elbows. could that be the issue? It’s taken longer then the time you’ve stated in the recipe. thanks!
Hi Michelle! Penne usually takes 9-11 minutes to cook while elbows are generally in the 6-8 minute range.
I made this recipe last night, adjusted the oregano to my taste, and it turned out fabulous. My husband commented on how the sauce was rich in flavor and he wants me to make it again.
I saved this to my bookmarks when you posted it but never made it. I was browsing them today looking for something to make for supper when I settled on this. I wasn’t sure I had all the ingredients, but turns out I did! The diced tomatoes were Italian style, and I added a little riced cauliflower to the meat to see if the kids could tell. They were a little tired from their day but both ended up eating it! I’ve been following you for years and just want to say thank you for creating meals that are healthy, easy to follow, and taste yummy!
SO happy to hear this, Lindsay! This is a dish I turn to often as well because I always have the ingredients, and my kids inhale it! Thanks for your feedback!!
We will be having this every week!
I love all your recipes. I just made this and my 2yo who we struggle to get him to eat dinne is eating it. THANK YOU.
I can relate! My picky 2 year old inhales this too! Happy you could find a recipe that works for your family, Susanna!
this was WOW, i doubled, i would recommend adding maybe 1/2 cup less of the broth if doubling!!! Put some in the feeezer and made a couple lunches out of it. Also i did not use gluten free products
This was excellent! The only changes I made were swapping ground turkey for the beef and using regular pasta instead of GF. Super easy and turned out perfectly!
Not sure why, but my mom always added a can of green beans to our goulash. It seems odd in a dish with Italian seasonings, but it’s actually really good!
Ooo, I like that idea!
I made this last night for dinner. Loved it! Tasty & filling. Great recipe.
I made this and all I could taste was the Italian seasoning. Thought it overpowered the dish. If I were to make it again I would completely eliminate or cut back to maybe 1/2 tsp. Could you post a pic of the seasoning you used.
Hi Mary! I just made this for dinner a couple nights ago after a few weeks off and did a double take of that 2 teaspoon measurement too, but it is correct and turned out just as it always has for me. I use this Italian seasoning blend: https://www.tones.com/product/italian-seasoning-blend What seasoning did you use?
This goulash is sooo good! And what makes it even better is how easy it is to make…basically my only dish was the Dutch oven and cutting board. I bought no salt added tomato products and they were perfect!
Loved this!! So very tasty. I do not need GF so just made with regular ingredients. Very pleased with the outcome. And one pan is also a definite plus!
This was delicious and easy to make. I did dice up three carrots to add to it. As I was taking my last bites, it occurred to me that some celery would have been good too. My family loved it too. I didn’t take a picture. I was too busy eating. At the end end I almost threw in some frozen mixed vegetables, but I didn’t.
SO good. My crew of boys (5, 6, 8) and my husband loved it. Definitely will be making it again!
Hungarian Goulash is typically made with sliced or diced meat. This is not attempting to be Hungarian Goulash.