Goulash (One Pot American Style)

Published April 23, 2020. Updated April 26, 2020

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Classic homemade Goulash! This delicious, easy goulash recipe is made with hearty beef, tender macaroni pasta, lots of vegetables and a savory tomato based sauce.

Want the same flavors in soup form? Also try my Goulash Soup, another super cozy dinner!

What is Goulash?

There are several types of Goulash. One of the most popular is Hungarian goulash, which is a seasoned stew made up of meat and vegetables.

This however is a different take on beef goulash. It’s a classic American goulash made up of ground beef, tomatoes, broth and pasta.

I grew up eating this dish and always loved it, and right now it’s all about those comfort food classics. It’s jam packed with satisfying flavors that all meld as it simmers and cooks together in one pot.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s a cheap dish made with simple, everyday ingredients. Nothing fancy or unusual here.

It’s just that hearty goodness like mom and grandma made. A dinner that never disappoints!

Serving of ground beef and macaroni goulash shown overhead in a white pasta bowl set over a green and white stripped napkin with parsley to the side.

What’s in Goulash?

The ingredients you’ll need for my homemade goulash recipe are:

  • Olive oil: Used for sautéing the beef
  • Ground beef: I like to use 85% lean or higher.
  • Yellow onion: A white or red onion can be substituted if needed.
  • Red bell pepper: Another color would work fine. Red are just a hint riper and sweeter.
  • Carrot: You could also just grate the carrot if that’s easier for you. If grating it doesn’t need to be sautéed as long.
  • Garlic: If possible stick with fresh. Bottled would be the next best thing then dried as a last option (just add with other seasonings and use 3/4 tsp).
  • Low-sodium chicken broth: standard or even unsalted broth will work just adjust amount of salt added accordingly.
  • Tomato paste: This rich tomato concentrate adds a boost of tomato flavor and also helps thicken.
  • Tomato sauce: Tomato puree will work too. Tomato sauce is similar to tomato passata in some countries.
  • Canned diced tomatoes: I like to use the petite cut for more uniform size throughout but the regular cut are fine too.
  • Worcestershire sauce: This rich sauce just adds a faint background flavor.
  • Italian seasoning: If needed make your own blend by using 3/4 tsp oregano, 3/4 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp rosemary and 1/2 tsp marjoram.
  • Paprika: Stick with standard sweet paprika for this recipe not smoked.
  • Salt and pepper: As usual, season to your preferred taste. Start small and add as you go.
  • Macaroni pasta: The size of the macaroni could vary slightly by brand so to measure I’d use a kitchen scale if you have one rather than going by volume.
  • Parsley: You can use dried if that’s what you have on hand. Just use 1 Tbsp.

Scroll down for ingredient amounts, directions and print option.

Image of ingredients used in American beef goulash.

How to Make Goulash

Here are the 7 simple steps to prepare it:

  1. Saute veggies: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and carrot and saute 6 minutes. Scoot to one far side.
  2. Then Brown beef: Add beef in about 5 chunks and let brown on bottom, about 2 – 3 minutes then break up beef and toss with veggies. Cook beef through, tossing occasionally.
  3. Drain fat, saute garlic: Drain off excess fat as needed. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
  4. Add canned ingredients and seasonings, simmer: Pour in chicken broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and paprika. Season with salt if needed and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer.
  5. Stir in pasta and cook to al dente: Add pasta and stir. Reduce to medium-low cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is nearly tender, about 10 – 12 minutes. If needed add a little more broth to thin.
  6. Let it rest off heat: Remove from heat and let rest a few minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has thickened.
  7. Garnish: Stir in parsley. Serve warm.

Image showing four steps of preparing homemade goulash in a pot.

Can You Freeze Beef Goulash?

Yes. Goulash can be frozen up to 3 months in airtight containers. Thaw overnight and reheat the next day.

Possible Variations

This is such a versatile recipe and fun to change up. Here are some things you could try:

  • Add frozen corn.
  • Sneak in another vegetable like diced zucchini.
  • Try beef broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Sub small shell pasta for the macaroni if that’s what you have on hand (use equal weight).
  • Use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
  • For extra flavor try with canned fire roasted tomatoes.
  • Try with a different seasoning blend. You could even make this with Mexican flavors instead of the herby Italian style flavors here.
  • Finish with cheese. Parmesan or Romano will go well here.

Tips for the Best Goulash

  • Be sure to brown the meat to add that boost of flavor, don’t just stir constantly and steam the beef.
  • Dice veggies small, the texture will be better with a more uniform size throughout.
  • Cook pasta just to al dente to it’s not soggy in the end.
  • Don’t be skimpy with the seasonings, they’ll bring a lot of flavor to the goulash.

What to Serve with Goulash

Since this is basically a meal in one some simple sides go nicely here:

  • homemade white bread or no knead bread
  • side salad
  • a fresh cooked vegetable like corn on the cob, green beans or asparagus
  • fruit salad (it’s not such a complimentary pairing but I serve that fruit salad with just about anything, it’s so good!)

Overhead image of beef goulash in a large pot.

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Goulash with macaroni, ground beef, and vegetables in a white pot.
5 from 18 votes

Goulash

This delicious, easy goulash recipe is made with hearty beef, tender macaroni pasta, lots of vegetables and a savory tomato based sauce. Makes about 7 cups.
Servings: 4
Prep15 minutes
Cook25 minutes
Ready in: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Saute veggies: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and carrot and saute 6 minutes. Scoot to one far side.
  • Brown beef: Add beef in about 5 chunks and let brown on bottom, about 2 - 3 minutes then break up beef and toss with veggies. Cook beef through, tossing occasionally.
  • Drain fat, saute garlic: Drain off excess fat as needed*. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
  • Add canned ingredients and seasonings, simmer: Pour in chicken broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer.
  • Add pasta and cook to al dente: Add pasta and stir. Reduce to medium-low cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta is nearly tender, about 10 - 12 minutes. If needed add a little more broth to thin.
  • Let rest: Remove from heat and let rest a few minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has thickened.
  • Garnish: Stir in parsley. Serve warm.

Notes

  • *To drain fat easily I use a ball of a couple of paper towels held by tongs to dab up excess fat.
Optional ingredients: try it with 1 cup frozen corn (add along with tomatoes), 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for spicy kick, or garnish servings with parmesan or cheddar cheese.
Nutrition Facts
Goulash
Amount Per Serving
Calories 495 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 1062mg46%
Potassium 1371mg39%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 5006IU100%
Vitamin C 75mg91%
Calcium 120mg12%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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48 Comments

  • Sharon

    This was very delicious and easy to make! I added another 1lb of meat to stretch the amount of servings i.e., 10 servings. I have played with all beef, half beef half turkey, and all turkey. I also omitted the carrots as I’m not a fan lol.

  • Sheri Beatty

    I made this tonight omits macaroni noodles, for egg noodles, added ketchup for tomato paste, forgot to shred a carrot. Used red, yellow, orange, green peppers diced. For diced tomatoes, used diced tomatoes with chilies, and adding cheese on top at the end. Since it is Taco Tuesday.. Having with a side salad and a bread stick. So good.

  • Melinda

    I made this dish today and not sure what happened but it was not good! I consider myself to be a pretty good cook. I always cooked my noodles before adding to the dish. The noodles were very doughy and not cooked. Yes I did add a little water but still didn’t cook the noodles. Also has a very sweet flavor. Not good.

  • Taylor

    This recipe is absolutely delicious. I eyeballed everything and added a little sugar to my sauce for some added sweetness. My whole family loved it and I will definitely be making again sometime soon. This is a must try!

  • Michael P Salmon

    I hope that somebody is still following this! I realize that the last comment was from April 2020! This recipe is the ideal COVID 19 Pandemic Skillet Recipe. Yet, I need to understand this step of the recipe directions. Specifically, if you discard the fat and the water from the skillet after you have sauteed the veggies with the ground beef, will not you also be discarding the nutrients and the tastes from the veggies? I suggest that you reconsider your directions. One lb of ground beef can yield as much as half a cup of rendered fat (and water) if cooked in a single layer in a hot skillet, in my experience. I like to press the ground beef thru a sturdy sieve to express the unwanted fat away from my ground beef. Here is my point- don’t wash away the great nutrients and taste from the saute of your veggies! Do sear your ground beef as suggested for added flavor, but do this before you add your veggies back to the skillet. Thanks for listening!

  • Amy Dohlman

    I had some thawed ground beef with no purpose, so I was looking for an American goulash (ignore the haters!) for the debate tonight and this was just the ticket. By far the best thing of the night.

    I used beef broth and smoked paprika (because that was all I had – added a really nice smoky-ness). And added shredded cheddar at the end along with the parsley. Delicious.

  • Mary Jane Malensek

    This is absurd, stop labeling this gulyás, it is not.
    “Hungarian goulash” has been traced back to the 16th century and it’s NEVER had macaroni noodles in it.
    Call it a macaroni & ground beef dinner, but stop this culture appropriation by calling it “goulash”.

    • Alfie

      It’s “American” goulash for gosh sake. Get over it and make whatever “You” want to call it. Geez

      • Cheryl

        I’ve made this three times over the past year without any changes to the recipe. An excellent dish when you need something fast, simple and comforting. I honestly don’t care what it’s called – I care how it tastes. Wonderful! Thank you!

        • Jaclyn

          Jaclyn Bell

          I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this recipe Cheryl! Thanks for the great review!

    • H

      We have made this for years and called it goulash. Get over yourself. Nobody’s culture appropriating anything. If you were to give my 97-year-old grandma these ingredients she would tell you “honey we’re making goulash.”

  • Liv

    When I dont have much time for a quick dinner we love is 2 boxes mac n cheese ground beef and a can of hunts pasta sauce and some corn topped with grated mild cheddar with parmesian and Romano i do the mac n cheese totally separate then add pasta sauce to the gb and corn then dump the mac n cheese into the gb and sauce and stir then top it and put in oven for 10 minutes ;) not so classy but sometimes simple is good but ill try the classy version im not normally a fan of simple easy and can of this and box of that meals