Classic American Goulash is an easy pasta dinner made in one pot and ready in just an hour! Quick comfort food, perfect for busy weeknights!
If you’re looking for hearty comfort food, nothing quite hits the spot like a big bowl of meaty, saucy pasta. From Chili Mac to Beef Stroganoff to this classic Goulash, I have so many delicious comforting Pasta Recipes you are going to love!
Sabrina’s Classic American Goulash Recipe
American Goulash is one of those old fashioned recipes I keep in my back pocket for nights I need dinner quickly and I don’t want to worry about clean up. It’s one of those “what is in the fridge and pantry” pasta dishes made in one pot and ready in about an hour. And it’s so good, even my fussier eaters want seconds. Plus, this one pot dish can make a lot of servings, especially with sides, which makes it a terrific option for potlucks!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef , (85/15)
- 2 yellow onions , chopped
- 1 green bell pepper , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , chopped
- 3 cups water
- 29 ounces tomato sauce
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni , uncooked
Instructions
- Add the ground beef, onions, bell peppers and garlic to a large dutch oven on medium-high heat and cook it breaking it apart until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain most of the fat then add in the remaining ingredients except the macaroni, bring to a boil then reduce to a low heat and simmer with a cover on for 15 minutes.
- Add in the macaroni, mix well then cover and simmer an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally before serving.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
If you want a thicken sauce whisk 1-2 tablespoons of all purpose flour into the onions when they’re cooking, to make a roux. I wouldn’t add more than two tablespoons of flour, or the sauce may get too thick. If that happens, you can add a small amount of broth as well. Additionally, if your sauce is too thin, you can add a cornstarch slurry. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth. Stir the slurry into the pot and let it simmer for a few minutes until it’s thicker. You could also add some shredded cheese.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
My basic recipe is made with ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and macaroni noodles in a seasoned tomato sauce. But it is super easy to change it up with substitutions or additions. Load it up with veggies, change up the spices, make it vegetarian, etc. I included a big list of Variation ideas, but if you have some suggestions, drop them in the comments below!
What is American Goulash?
American goulash refers to a traditional mid-west dish made with really simple ingredients like pasta, ground beef, tomato sauce, and onion. It is different from Hungarian Goulash because the Hungarian version is more like a stew made with ground meat, paprika, and sometimes additional vegetables and potatoes. Hungarian goulash is also referred to as Gulyas which roughly translates to “cattle herders”, and the original dish was eaten by shepherds. The American version does stem from the original Hungarian recipes that were adapted over time, based on ingredient availability and cultural preferences.
Ingredients
- Beef: This Goulash is traditionally made with ground beef. I recommend 85/15 for best flavor and texture in just about every recipe. If your ground beef is sticking to the pan while browning, you can add a small amount of olive oil to the pan.
- Macaroni Noodles: Macaroni noodles are used in this recipe because they are the perfect shape to absorb all of the delicious sauce after they have simmered for about 15 minutes, as well as help thicken the sauce with the starches released.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers and onions are a classic combination that goes perfectly with beef. Sauteing them first cuts the bitterness of the peppers and sharpness of onion, so you get an aromatic earthy sweetness instead.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce combine with the rest of the seasonings to create a savory base sauce that soaks into the meat and pasta and softens the vegetables.
Can this be made ahead of time?
If you’re making goulash ahead, cook the pasta according to package directions and set aside. Then make the ground beef according to the recipe, and store everything in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may also want to store some extra sauce on the side, just in case it needs it when you reheat it later. When you’re ready, saute the goulash with the pasta in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding any extra sauce as necessary. Stir as needed until heated through, then serve.
Pairing Suggestions
Goulash is a hearty recipe the entire family will love. For a complete meal, serve Classic Goulash with a crisp, fresh Beet Salad and Garlic Bread to soak up all that extra delicious sauce.
How to Store
- Store: Once cooled to room temperature, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: I suggest reheating this pasta dish on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s simmering and heated through. If it’s too dry, add some broth or water a splash at a time until it’s saucy enough.
- Freeze: Cool the cooked goulash to room temperature then store it in freezer safe containers. Keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat it from frozen or thaw it first.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Slow Cooker Method
- Brown the ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and garlic in a skillet.
- Add beef mixture to slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except macaroni.
- Cook on high 2-3 hours, or on low 4-6 hours, adding the macaroni noodles to the slow cooker in the last 30-40 minutes of cooking.
Instant Pot Method
- In saute mode, brown the ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Drain most of the fat.
- Add 1 cup water to deglaze, then add the rest of the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Stir in macaroni.
- Seal lid and set to high pressure for 3 minutes, then quick release. Stir and serve immediately.
Frequent Questions
You can freeze this goulash recipe, but if you’re making it ahead to freeze I recommend undercooking the macaroni slightly, then immediately removing from heat and letting it cool. That way when you go to reheat, the pasta will finish cooking all the way instead of becoming mushy. Defrost in the refrigerator the night before.
Use a meatless crumble in place of ground beef for a delicious vegetarian take on Goulash. It will still taste beefy, hearty, and delicious. Or you can substitute the ground beef for cooked lentils for a hearty vegetarian meal that’s also high in protein and fiber.
Variations
- Cheese: Cheese is a popular addition to American goulash. Stir in 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, or Swiss cheese then serve with some extra cheese on top.
- Noodles: I used macaroni, but you can also use Egg Noodles, small shell pasta, or other short pasta types like ditaliini, cavatappi or orecchiette. You want something with grooves or tubes to scoop up that tasty sauce.
- Meat: You can lighten this recipe up by using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, and adding more vegetables in place of some of the pasta.
- Tomatoes: I’m using a can of diced tomatoes in this recipe, but you can chop fresh tomatoes if you want to. If you have leftover Marinara Sauce, use it instead of the tomato sauce for even more flavor.
- Vegetables: More aromatic veggies you can add or swap with the peppers and onions are celery, carrots, and leeks. Add some mushrooms with the sauce ingredients. Throw some fresh spinach leaves or frozen veggies (like peas or green beans) in during the last 5 minutes. Corn and zucchini would also be great additions!
- Broth: You can add more flavor by replacing the water with beef broth, so the pasta absorbs the flavor of the beef broth as it cooks.
- Creamy: Add a cup of sour cream to make the sauce creamy and give it a delicious tang similar to stroganoff.
- Seasonings: You can replace the seasoning in this dish with simple Italian seasoning to save time. This recipe is already seasoned but if you want even more flavor try adding bay leaves, a dash of paprika or cumin, or deglaze the ground beef with ¼ cup red wine.
- Fresh Herbs: You can replace the 1 teaspoon each of dried herbs for 1 tablespoon each of fresh herbs. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for even more fresh flavor.
- Low Sodium: Make this recipe low sodium by omitting the salt, and using the low-sodium version of canned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
- Toppings: Top Goulash with sour cream, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley, black olives, or Parmesan cheese.
Related Recipe
More Delicious One Pot Recipes
Photo used in a previous version of this post.
Thank you! My husband said this is more like his mom’s. And I agree totally more like my mom’s also. And they have both passed away so this was a nice reminder. And I’ve been looking for years for this.
I added celery (fried in butter separately because I forgot to add it with the onions) and bay leaf. Did not add Basil due to allergy issues. We also used beef broth instead of water. My can’s of tomatoes were only 28 oz so I added a little water for the loss of juice.
your classsic goulash listed amount of calories per serving ….etc, but did not say what size the serving is—-due to trying to put weight on due to cancer would really like to know what the serving size is —-thanks
One serving size is equal to 1 cup.
Delicious, easy ~ family loved it.
Thanks for the 5 stars, Shirley.
what is the serving size on the classic goulash please
A serving size is equal to 1 cup.
ok thanks —sorry already asked this again
I give it 5 stars. It was so good followed the recipe and the family lived it .i will be making this again thank you
Thanks, Cindy. I’m glad you all enjoyed.
I cut the recipe in half since it’s only for one person. It is delicious however and definitely a repeater.
Thanks for the 5 stars.
This looks like a great recipe. Do you have any suggestions for using a slow cooker with this? Thank you.
Once you’ve done step 1, I’d add everything else (except the macaroni) to a slow cooker and cook on low 4-5 hours. Mix in the cooked macaroni and cook and additional 10 minutes. Hope this helps!
DO you cook the macaroni before putting it in? Followed the directions and put in uncooked. I think it made it starchy and they didn’t have a good texture. Might try the recipe again and cook macaroni seperately.
I put in uncooked macaroni but you can definitely make it separate if you’d like.
My partner is allergic to onions, but otherwise this recipe looks perfect! Do you have any recommendations for a substitute for the onion?
You can just leave it out if you’d like. If they’re not allergic or sensitive to chives, that would be the next best substitute or even celery. I hope you both enjoy the dish.
So good!! I added some frozen corn and half of a can of green olives. Also used tomato paste instead of sauce and my own favorite seasonings. Delicious!!
I love that this recipe is so versatile and customizable to what you have on hand. Thanks for the 5 stars, Samantha.
I lost my recipe for my family’s favorite goulash and ran across this one while looking online for it. I decided to give it a try. If you want a goulash that tastes like veggie soup, this is for you, but it does not taste like old fashion goulash. Disappointed.
Made this recipe because i wanted to recreate my great aunts recipe. This did not disappoint! Followed the recipe and it was excellent. Definitely keeping it for easy dinner rotation and i had all the ingredients on hand. Very filling and easy, quick dinner. The leftovers make a great lunch the next day. Love this site and all the great recipes Sabrina sends to my inbox. Ive made a few of them and really like them all!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Cat.
This was a major hit with my husband! I added two cups of beef broth. It was very filling and there was enough to freeze some for later. Love it!
Glad to know you guys enjoyed it.
How can I do it without oven
Yes, this recipe is made on the stove top. Enjoy!
Absolutely the best Goulash ever!! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!!!!
Thank you for the kind words Virginia! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Would love to receive recipes from this site
There is sign up on the side bar of the page. Simply add your email and sign up. I’m so glad you’re loving the site.
loved the recipe made a few changes after reading others comments. I added I can of rotel and substituted the water for college in beef broth. I topped it with shredded cheddar cheese. So good, so much this would easily feed a family of 4. I have a whole pot full left because its only me and my husband, but this will make a great lunch, and I will freeze the rest. I like this recipe easy to make and taste great.
My husband and I loved this! We did make some changes I would like to share – not because they change the flavor much, but to let others know that what we tried worked great. We halved the recipe since it’s just the 2 of us. Used one bag of Gardein veggie ground instead of meat. Also used garlic powder (1/4 tsp for each clove) since I forgot to buy fresh. I think in the future I will also separate in half, and then add half the pasta. We can then take the other half and use it for leftovers and cook the pasta “fresh” since it got a bit soggy when we put leftovers in the fridge. Also used veggie broth instead of water because the extra flavor is always welcome!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the suggestions.
For folks complaining about this being bland, just remember, you’re allowed to doctor recipes you come across. I like heavily seasoned dishes and knew I’d need to add to this. I’m pretty sure she mentioned adding and modifying to taste above. This was a starting point, but I started with bacon in sautéing the veggies then the beef, added beef boullion, about a third a cup of paprika, another tablespoon of smoked paprika, dash of white pepper, some red wine, and a couple other odds and ends. Turned out great.
Agreed. Everyone has a different palette so it’s important to know what you like and adjust to fit that. So glad you enjoyed it.
Do you put the macaroni in uncooked?
Yes, the macaroni is uncooked when added. Enjoy!
This recipe was amazing; very simple to follow for someone whose not a good cook like myself and the flavour was amazing. I missed a few minor ingredients but it still tasted great. I am so happy to have stumbled on it and recommend it to any beginner cooks or anyone who wants a flavourful, hardy stew.
Just like grandma used to make. I added celery and substituted V8 for the 3 cups of water. But perfect recipe as is?
The finished product as in the posters picture looks amazing. But the finished products was very bland.
This is delicious. I added red wine and red chili peppers-but it was good before that.
Delicious as is. Basic comfort food. I did not have macaroni so I opened a box of Velveeta mac and cheese and used the macaroni, exactly 8 oz in there. Then I thought it might be good with the cheese sauce added in. I didn’t add it to the whole pot, but had it on the side if anyone wanted to squirt some in. It was a nice addition but good without as well.
Thank you for the recipe
This was a great dish, thank you!
We all loved it…myself, hubby, and the boys!! I added some mozzarella because we love cheese! This recipe is a keeper!
This was so bland to me. Not sure what’s missing.
Are you supposed to drain the tomatoes??
No, just pour it all in. 🙂
Add more spices to your liking.
Delicious goulash! I added a little hot sauce for a kick.
Great recipe! Made it tonight and my husband and I loved it. Added cheddar cheese and it was delicious ?
Loved the goulash.
This is excellent “as is” but if you want to make it even better, use one pound beef and one pound Italian sausage. If you want to kick it up even more, use beef broth in place of water and fresh basil instead of dried. But even without those substitutions, this is still wonderful comfort food. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Thanks for the suggestion. Sound delicious!
Really yummy !
Thank you for this recipe! We love it. I added a can of white beans and sauteed zucchini to ours – super yummy. Also, I cook the pasta separately and we add it as desired. Such a homey, comforting dish!
I love goulash, but this surely isn’t. This receipe might be tasty as well and is much quicker to make, but you can’t just replace chuck roast slow cooked for 2 hours with minced beef and then call it goulash, or even classic.
This is American Goulash, not Hungarian Goulash, both are great…this is even better when you add Sharp Cheddar Cheese after it’s cooked.
Great flavour , easy to make fast..
Hi Sabrina, Just love your site…In this recipe is the macaroni 8 oz. weighed out or is it 1 cup? I made a recipe one time and weighed it out and it was an over abundance of noodles. Thanks for your help.
I weighed it out so I’m surprised to hear it was too much. Feel free to adjust more to your liking. I’m so glad you’re loving the site.
I just made it today and it was too tomatoey if that’s a word. How do I tweek that. Less tomato sauce or less diced tomatoes?
You could reduce either depending on if you want less tomato bits or liquid. Good luck!
My very favorite Goulash recipe, just like Ma used to make but better. I’ve used this recipe a bunch of times. Thanks for sharing.
I love this recipe and usually cook the pasta on the side because I end up freezing the leftovers and its better making more pasta than the original getting mushy. Thank you
great idea!
This looks like a big recipe. What constitutes a serving?
1 cup
However much fills you up! My husband eats 2 to 3 cups.
This is the third time I’ve made this Goulash recipe and it’s soooo good. Thank you
I halved the recipe, except for the macaroni. I used 10 oz of dry gluten free macaroni, and added 1 can of whole kernel corn. We also put shredded cheddar cheese on top as we served it. Delicious! My husband liked it, but said he would prefer more meat to the same amount of other ingredients. As I described, it made 6 generous servings.
I was searching Pinterest for a recipe using pasta, and hamburger, but not ordinary spaghetti at my husband’s request. I found this recipe and was delighted to have almost all the ingredients on hand. I had to make some adjustments, using fresh cut grape tomatoes and adding celery because I just knew it would make the dish taste that much better. I was right on all counts. It was delicious and I will try some other changes in the future, but I won’t be boring my husband with “spaghetti again”! An added benefit was that there were plenty of leftovers and we all know pasta dishes taste better the next day! This is a keeper for sure
Thank you for this. I think this is the best recipe/web site for Goulash because (1) I’ve been making various goulashes for 50 years, and I know a great recipe when I see one; and (2) I’ve spent a couple of days, off and on, researching Goulash recipes other recipe web sites on the Internet. You win hands down! LOVE the ‘Tips’! I am making this tomorrow! (Love the ‘comments’ too. Readers can be so creative!)
I had a grandma that would cook goulash she would never give her recipe to anyone and passed taking it with her. My dad would also make it every now and then but I never got a recipe and I can’t remember how they tasted it has been to long ago. I’m a little nervous cooking new recipes like this or bigger more complex recipes but I tried yours for the first time and accidentally scorched the bottom not stirring enough. It was still really good and I just made another pot today waiting for it to cool a little.
Great recipe! Used home made tomatoe soup for liquid and added two jelapeno. We added parmesan cheese and grated cheddar on top. Very nicely spicy. We also cooked gluten free noodles separate as they get mushy. We really enjoyed this. Thanks
I didn’t have the oregano and it was still the best goulash I’ve ever had! Five stars for sure.
Thanks!
This is my new goulash recipe. It’s a chilly, rainy day comfort food!
Best recipe ever. I don’t eat leftovers but I ate this 3 times. Making it again tonight again for friends. Thank you
I’d definitely call that a hit then! Thanks for the 5 stars, Sandra.
My husband and I loved it. This will be my new goulash recipe. Thank you
Made this tonight and it was a hit. I didn’t have any canned tomatos or sauce but had a jar of chunky marinara so used that and also used chicken stock instead of water. Didn’t have green peppers but added in chopped carrots and an extra garlic clove. Used gluten free noodles that looked small so added am extra 4 ounces of those and it didnt dry out at all. The kids loved it! Husband added some cayenne and chowed. Will definately be making this more often!
Like everyone else said it’s just like Mom use to make, in Illinois. The only ingredient I didn’t have was the Worcester sauce.
Because it’s just for 2, I try to make a meals that will last for only one days. So on the 3rd day I will add sour cream and cheddar cheese as suggested for a completely different meal.
I’m in the process of making bread to sop up the wonderful juices.
Thank you Sabrina, you’ve made my day.
Yay!! I really appreciate the 5 stars.
I’ve made this many times. Everyone in the family likes it! I tried adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Great Flavor!
What kind of tomato sauce did u use in this
I made this, and I absolutely love it. I halved the recipe because I knew it would be too much, and it still made quite a lot. I also made it vegan by using Beyond Beef crumbles in place of ground beef, and I used vegetable broth to add flavor in place of the water. It turned out very well, and my dinner guests could hardly believe it when I revealed that it was vegan. I added chopped baby carrots and roasted corn to the recipe as well. It’s easy, inexpensive, and very delicious. I definitely recommend it!