One Pot American Goulash [VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

This American Goulash recipe is a classic dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes! It’s made up of macaroni noodles, tender ground beef, and veggies simmered in a rich and flavorful tomato-based sauce.

I think we can all agree that one-pot meals are every parent’s best friend.

Well, this One Pot American Goulash is no exception! This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and is loaded up with everything you could want in a meal: pasta, veggies, ground beef, and a whole lot of flavor.

This recipe is simple, inexpensive, super quick to make, and a total crowd pleaser! Just throw everything into a skillet, cook it up, finish it off with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan, and dinner is served!

Looking for an even more hands-off version? Check out my Instant Pot Goulash!

What is Goulash?

There are a couple of types of Goulash: Hungarian goulash and American goulash. The goulash we’re making today is the American version!

American goulash, also known as “slumgullion”, “hamburger goulash”, or “American chop suey”, is a pasta dish that’s made up of macaroni noodles tossed in a rich, spiced tomato sauce with ground beef, onion, and pepper.

Ingredients needed for Goulash:

• Oil: you can use whatever oil you have on hand to sauté the veggies and brown the beef.
• Veggies: I keep it simple with green bell pepper and onion but feel free to use any other veggies you like.
• Ground Beef: I use lean ground beef. If you use a fattier meat, you may have to drain more of the grease off after cooking before adding the other ingredients.
• Tomato Paste: adds richness and flavor depth to the tomato sauce.
• Garlic: use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
• Seasonings: a simple blend of Italian seasoning, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and paprika gives the tomato sauce so much flavor.
• Tomato Sauce: I use jarred marinara sauce.
• Diced Tomatoes: I use a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with no salt added. No need to drain them. The liquid incorporates right into the sauce.
• Broth: use whatever low sodium broth you like. Beef, chicken, or vegetable.
• Macaroni Noodles: no need to cook them first. They cook right in the broth. I use high fibre white pasta to add nutritional value but any kind works!
• Mozzarella Cheese: or another kind of cheese you like. Sharp cheddar would also be delicious.

How to make Goulash

This One-Pot Goulash recipe comes together in a total of 30 minutes!

1. Cook the beef and veggies: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and pepper, cook until softened, then stir in the ground beef. Cook until browned.
2. Add the broth ingredients: Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute, then add in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the pasta: Mix in the dry pasta, reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the pasta is al dente.
4. Finish and serve: Stir in the cheese until melted, then serve and enjoy!

Goulash FAQs

Tips and tricks

• Use lean ground beef. I prefer to use lean ground beef because it’s less oily than fattier meat. If you do use a fattier variety, you may need to drain the grease after cooking it.
• Cook the pasta al dente. I recommend slightly undercooking the pasta. It will soften as it sits in the sauce and we don’t want it to be too mushy.

Variations

• Add more veggies. Feel free to cook any veggies you like right along with the bell pepper and onion. Try corn, peas, diced carrots or celery, or chopped green beans. You could also add chopped spinach at the end.
• Use another pasta. I keep it classic with macaroni noodles, but really any smaller pasta shape will work. I don’t recommend any long pasta shapes because they don’t incorporate as well into the meat sauce.
• Use another meat. Swap the ground beef out for ground turkey, pork, or chicken if preferred.

• Play with texture. If you prefer a soupier goulash, add more broth. If you prefer a thicker texture, simmer it longer to allow moisture to evaporate. Keep in mind it will also thicken as it cools!
• Make it creamy. Create a richer, creamier sauce by adding a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream. You could also add a scoop of sour cream or melt in some cream cheese.
• Make it vegetarian. You can easily make vegetarian goulash by swapping the ground beef out for plant based crumbles.

Serving suggestions

Since Goulash contains veggies, carbs, and protein, it can be a pretty darn complete meal all on its own!

However, if you do want to pair it with a side dish or two, try a simple green salad, roasted mixed veggies or green beans, or garlic bread!

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