Comfort food at its finest: try this classic goulash recipe! A satisfying stew featuring pasta that cooks directly in its sauce!
This easy one pot meal is ideal for busy weeknights. Enjoy all your family’s favorite flavors when ground beef and elbow macaroni combine for an exquisite meal in one pot!
Ingredients
If you like Hamburger Helper, this hearty and flavorful goulash version will quickly become one of your favorites! Made with ground beef, macaroni noodles and an irresistibly satisfying tomato-based sauce – perfect for satisfying hunger pangs throughout the day or night!
Start this delicious one-pot meal by dicing a yellow onion and mincing four cloves of garlic, then combine these in a soup pot over medium heat until the onions become translucent, approximately two minutes. Next, stir in two 28oz cans of diced tomatoes and one 15oz can of tomato sauce before stirring in two cups of water with 1 teaspoon of sugar; brown or regular granulated sugar may also work to sweeten this delicious goulash meal!
Once the meat is done cooking, add ground beef and continue stirring regularly until no longer pink, around five minutes. After this step is completed, stir in remaining ingredients, adjusting any seasoning to taste – for instance this recipe calls for paprika, Italian seasoning, ground pepper and salt; you may adjust amounts according to personal taste. Finally add 14oz box of elbow macaroni or another short pasta such as shells ditalini or penne.
You can serve this delicious meal immediately, or freeze it if that is more convenient for you. Just ensure to stop cooking the noodles prior to adding them to a freezer bag as they will need time to thaw and cook properly once frozen.
One-pot meals can save both time and effort in the kitchen, and this easy goulash recipe is an ideal example. Packed full of protein, carbs and comforting flavors – perfect for weeknight dinner! Don’t forget to serve this with a side salad for a more balanced meal! If you want even more comforting recipes try Crack Chicken and Dumplings or Instant Pot Asian Chicken Noodle Soup or Taco Pasta for another delicious night in.
Prep
While most one-pot pasta recipes call for water as the liquid base, this recipe incorporates beef broth for extra flavorful results. Chicken broth may also work.
Goulash is an earthy yet spicy vegetable dish, featuring onion, green peppers and jalapenos for plenty of earthy and zesty vegetable flavor. When combined with rich tomato sauce and pasta noodles for this hearty comfort food dish. Finally, its beauty is complete by topping off its creation with some shredded cheese for extra color and paprika for additional color and taste!
This recipe is quick and simple to make, perfect for weeknight meals and leftover lunches the next day. Additionally, this goulash dish makes an excellent potluck or party offering: simply double or triple the ingredients and cook in one large pot! If serving to larger crowds is desired.
Although this recipe works best when cooked on the stove directly, you can also prepare it in a slow cooker. It’s wise to brown the meat separately in the slow cooker before sauteing vegetables together so as to maintain crispiness of veggies instead of sogginess in texture.
If you’re making this goulash for a vegetarian, simply swap out the ground beef for plant-based crumbles or beans and make any necessary modifications so it meets their dietary needs. This dish also works great for those on a low carb diet as it can be served with low carb noodles if required.
Once your vegetables and beef have finished cooking, add in the pasta. Give a good stir before replacing the lid on your pot for simmering; simmer until macaroni is tender (should take approximately 30 minutes). When ready, spoon goulash into individual bowls for serving with additional garnish of shredded cheese and chopped parsley to top it off! Enjoy your meal!
Cook
When it comes to goulash, most people immediately think of Hungarian-style stew made with tender meat in a spicy tomato sauce laced with paprika. But an American take takes an easier and faster route by using ground beef as the main protein and using one pot instead of multiple pans to prepare this hearty meal – making it the perfect meal option for busy weeknights!
This one-pot goulash recipe requires minimal ingredients: beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and seasonings. Together these elements form a flavorful base perfect for ground beef; adding brown sugar brings sweetness without adding too many calories. For an extra spicy kick add chili powder or cayenne; for those seeking even more heat substitute two tablespoons of chili powder instead of Italian seasoning as a spice boost!
While this recipe calls for dry elbow macaroni, any other type of pasta would work just as well – just follow package directions so it comes out al dente when finished cooking. Incorporating it as part of the final step ensures it absorbs plenty of broth to achieve a creamy consistency in your goulash dish!
If you want a heartier goulash dish, add more beef broth or water until the consistency becomes soup-like, and stir in 1 cup of sour cream at the end to enhance its creaminess. Additionally, this versatile recipe can be customized by swapping out chicken, lamb, or sausage for beans for vegetarian preparation; diced bell peppers carrots corn or mushrooms could also be included for extra veggie goodness! To serve simply scoop into bowls and garnish with grated cheese for an easy recipe that you will add into your regular menu rotation!
Serve
Goulash is a hearty, filling meal that brings back fond childhood memories of comfort foods like ground beef, pasta and tomato sauce – making for an exquisite dish to satisfy even the pickiest eaters! Ground beef, pasta and flavorful tomato sauce come together for a warm-from-within feast that will nourish both mind and body alike.
An effective goulash recipe depends on using high-quality ingredients in one pot, all at the same time. Prepare onions and brown the ground beef before adding tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings – simmer until macaroni has cooked before finishing up this flavorful dish!
Some recipes require that noodles are cooked separately from sauce, but I like to cook my noodles directly in it to create an easy one-pot meal and prevent soggy noodles. Also, cooking in sauce allows more of the rich flavors from it to seep through into your pasta, creating an overall richer experience!
This goulash recipe is easy and customizable; simply customize by changing up the ground meat or adding additional vegetables and spices. For an extra spicy kick, add cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes; paprika gives this dish that classic herdsman’s stew taste, while you could even try using smoked paprika for extra smokiness!
Goulash is an ideal weeknight meal that takes only 30 minutes to prepare and tastes fantastic with sides such as salad, roasted vegetables or garlic bread. I enjoy adding sour cream as a finishing touch but it is entirely optional; leftovers should keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days – enjoy!
