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.
“Happy tears! I’ve been searching for a recipe for what I remember from my childhood. This is exactly it, and the first bite took me right back to my mother’s kitchen. Thank you for sharing!”
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 a pack of ground beef, and my American Goulash recipe is the perfect way to do it!
This easy and economical ground beef goulash is a family-friendly, one-pot meal made with ingredients I always have on hand. Plus it goes from stovetop to table 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.
Watch How to Make It
(Looking for more budget-friendly ground beef dinner ideas? Check out my BBQ Cheddar Mini Meatloaves, Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper, and Hamburger Soup!)
American Goulash vs Hungarian Goulash
Goulash comes from the Hungarian word gulyáshús which means “meat prepared by cattleman” and it’s a dish that dates back to the 9th century. Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew with a broth that’s heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It also goes by the name of American Chop Suey.
Whatever you call it, this dish is total comfort food and my whole family scrapes the pot clean every time I make it. Heck, I’ll probably make it for dinner tonight!
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.
Main Ingredients Needed
I love that I always have the ingredients on hand in the fridge, freezer, and pantry to make this easy dinner recipe. Usually the hardest part is remembering to thaw the ground beef ahead of time! Here’s the main ingredients you’ll need:
- Ground beef: I prefer to use lean ground beef so there’s no need to drain after browning. Ground turkey works too.
- Gluten free worcestershire sauce: not all brands are gluten free, so be sure to check the bottle. I use Lea & Perrins which, at the time of this writing, 1/26, is gluten free in the United States.
- Chicken or beef broth: I usually have chicken broth open in the fridge from using it in other dishes throughout the week, but feel free to use beef broth if that’s what you’ve got on hand instead.
- Tomato sauce: the kind that comes in a can, vs jarred spaghetti sauce.
- Petite diced tomatoes: adds fresh tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Italian seasoning: American-style Goulash uses Italian seasoning, vs paprika, which includes oregano, basil, and dried parsley.
- Gluten free elbow noodles: I typically use either Jovial brown rice elbows, or Barilla GF elbows which are a corn/rice blend.
Goulash Variations
What I love about this easy American goulash recipe is that it’s incredibly versatile. Think of it as a blank slate to add seasonings, spices, and ingredients to in the spirt of traditional Hungarian Goulash. Here are 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.
- Stir in sour cream at the end of the cooking time to make creamy goulash.
- Stir in shredded mozzarella cheese and garnish with diced pepperoni, or your favorite pizza toppings, for a pizza spin. Don’t forget a dusting of parmesan cheese!
- Sneak some veggies into your American goulash by adding a cup or two of frozen riced cauliflower when browning the ground beef.
- Or add 8 ounces of minced fresh mushrooms when browning the ground beef.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese, chili powder, and a can of black beans or kidney beans to the pot to turn it into Chili Mac.
- Use Italian Sausage instead of beef for an Italian-inspired spin!
What to Serve with Goulash
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
- Everyday Kale Salad
- Gluten Free Biscuits
- Gluten Free Cornbread
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Gluten Free Focaccia
How to Make American Goulash
Step 1: Brown the ground beef.
Heat a large saucepan, skillet, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat then add ground beef, shallot or yellow onion, and minced garlic cloves. Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef then season with Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and pepper.
Alternatively, you can cook ground beef restaurant-style to use in this dish!
Step 2: Simmer the sauce.
Once the beef has browned, add broth, diced tomatoes and sauce, Italian seasoning, a bay leaf, and a pinch more seasoned salt. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Cook the noodles.
Stir the elbow noodles into the sauce then continue to simmer for another 12 to 14 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Near the end of the cooking time, you may need to turn the heat down slightly to maintain a gentle simmer.
Recipe Tip
Be sure to stir often to ensure the noodles are cooking evenly.
That’s all she wrote – told you it was simple! This American goulash recipe is truly one of the easiest one pot meals you can make.
Remove the bay leaf from the pot then scoop into bowls and serve. Again, adding shredded cheese is optional, but highly recommended.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I find the best way to ensure the noodles don’t overcook when reheating is to warm in the microwave, vs reheating in a pot on the stove.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Cooked gluten free pasta typically does not 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 the sauce into a freezer bag and freeze flat.
Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before you plan on serving it then pour the contents of the bag into a pot, bring to a boil, add the noodles, and continue to cook per recipe instructions!
More Easy One Pot Meals
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Beef & Veggie Enchilada Skillet
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
- One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
- Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 8 shakes gluten free worcestershire sauce, ~1/2 Tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon + extra dash homemade seasoned salt
- pepper
- 1-1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup gluten free elbow noodles, uncooked
Directions
- Heat a large skillet with high sides or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef, shallot or onion, and garlic then break beef up as it cooks. Season with worcestershire sauce, a dash of homemade seasoned salt, and pepper, then brown. Drain if necesary then return beef mixture to the skillet.
- Add remaining teaspoon seasoned salt, broth, tomato products, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf then turn heat up to bring liquid to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low then simmer gently 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.
Notes
- Click here for my Homemade Seasoned Salt recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
My family really loves this recipe. No big changes–I didn’t have a small onion so I used a quarter of a really big yellow onion. And there’s no use putting 3 cloves of garlic an anything this big, so I put in six. After all, I want to taste it.
Anyway, a great comfort food on a winter evening.
Love that you were able to make it your own, and it was a hit, Tom! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
you sure your not from Nebraska? this is it! Nebraska goulash, that’s what my mom called it so many thousands of years ago. this taste exactly the same. my mom wasn’t a bold cook I don’t think cooks back in the 60s and 70s experimented like they do today. she got a recipe and followed it exact! well I thought I had lost this recipe but here it ti’s thank you so much. now if you can direct me to her spaghetti sauce recipe? or her church sloppy joes….
Oh I’m SO glad this recipe tastes like your Moms — this truly thrills me!!
Literally the Best. we use a lot of Internet recipes this one is Great. we modified slightly. we cooked the noodles separately. so we cut the broth to 3/4 cup. also added teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder which doesn’t have the American chili power flavor but is more like a slightly spicy paprika. 5 star recommended.
Oh wow, I’m thrilled to hear this, Ed!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Happy tears! I’ve been searching for a recipe for what I remember from my childhood. This is exactly it, and the first bite took me right back to my mother’s kitchen. Thank you for sharing!
Oh my gosh, this makes my day to hear!!! Thank you so much for sharing — I’m thrilled this recipe brought back some cherished memories for you!!
I use your recipe as a guideline :) . . . . but I’m a traditionalist . . . I use smoked paprika instead of the italian spices. hello for the Amana Colonies 52307
Sounds delicious!! I’m so glad you could make this dish your own!
Made this for dinner but with a few twists of my own: added mushrooms (cooked with the meat, onion and garlic), used teriyaki sauce (didn’t have Worcester shire sauce), a 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes (didn’t have tomato sauce) and used divateli pasta (1 and 1/2 cups (no elbow macaroni). Just added an extra cup of water to make it more thick. Would definitely make again but add a little more salt.
Sounds great, Leigh!
It took forever for noodles to cook pn a simmer, definitely not as recipe says.
The taste is great, but plan loner cooking time.
Hey Elaine! I haven’t received this feedback before, but I’m glad the flavor was still spot on!
From one Iowan to another, that was incredible. Thanks! That’s my new family Goulash recipe.
SO HAPPY to hear this, Joe! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This was sooo yummy!! Very easy to make, and everyone loved it!!
Ah, I’m so thrilled to hear that, Beth! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This was SO-O-O-O delicious! And SO-O-O-O easy. Great recipe for a weeknight. Thank you!!!!!
Hooray!! Thrilled to hear this, Janet!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
My mom always added a can of drained, whole kernel corn to Midwest Goulash.
Feel free to add if you’d like, Nancy!
This was very yummy and quick. I ended up adding a bit of fish sauce for some more umami. Was delish! Will make again.
I’m so glad you loved this and were able to make it your own, Erin! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
fantastic recipe!!!!!!! thank you!!
My pleasure, Kathy!
OMG, this is soooo good! I used a mix of ground beef, pork & veal, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I sprinkled on some shaved Parmesan at the end…heaven!
My Italian roommate thought it was delicious as well.
That sounds amazing, Tammy! So glad you were able to make it with what you had on hand. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Fabulous recipe. I used to eat this often as a child growing up…but that’s many years ago. This was as good as I remember and perhaps a bit better. I used half a large onion, a green bell pepper, and a couple chopped celery stalks. Also added a bit of sour cream in the final couple of minutes for some creaminess and a tablespoon of desert flower honey for a bit of sweetness. This will go into my menu rotation. Thanks!
I’m thrilled to hear this was a hit and you were able to make it your own, Timothy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!