American Goulash Recipe
Our American goulash recipe is a quick, easy, and flavorful dinner recipe that's hearty and budget-friendly!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 452kcal
Equipment
- Large Pan or Pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10 blend)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 cloves = ~ 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic)
- 1 , 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 , 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 + ½ Cups beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Cup UNCOOKED elbow macaroni
- OPTIONAL shredded cheddar cheese (mixing in about 1 Cup per batch just before serving)
- OPTIONAL toppings: fresh parsley, fresh basil, shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or parmesan)
Instructions
- In a large skillet (or pot) over medium-high heat sauté the onion and bell pepper with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until the onion begins to soften and brown (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the beef, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, and cook until no pink remains and the vegetables are softened (about 5-7 minutes). Turn off the heat and remove any excess fat/liquid from the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic, sautéing until the garlic is fragrant (approximately 30-seconds to 1 minute).
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, and bay leaf and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the uncooked macaroni noodles.
- Continue to simmer, stirring often, until the noodles are tender (about 8-12 minutes, this will vary depending on the pasta used). Add more broth, as needed.
- Remove from heat, leaving the pan covered for about 3 minutes (the goulash will thicken as it cools).
- Remove the bay leaf.
- If adding the optional shredded cheddar to the recipe, stir in just before serving.
- Add optional toppings and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage and reheating: Allow the goulash to cool fully, then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or to a labeled, freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring in between, until heated to your desired temperature.
Variation Ideas:
-
- Use a different ground meat. If desired, swap the ground beef 1-for-1 with ground turkey, chicken, pork, or an Italian-sausage.
- Swap out the broth. If desired, swap the beef broth 1-for-1 with beef stock, beef bone broth, chicken broth, or chicken stock.
- Add more (or different) vegetables. Add a second bell pepper (of any color), stir in a generous handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking (it will wilt quickly), sauté some fresh mushrooms with your onion and bell pepper, or try adding other popular veggie mix-ins like corn, peas, or zucchini.
- Ditch the Italian seasoning. We like this convenient blend to amp up the flavor, but a more traditional seasoning profile would just contain a combination of salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. You can simply use what we've already put into the recipe, or add some garlic powder and onion powder too.
- Try different pastas. If desired, replace the macaroni noodles 1-for-1 with another type of short pasta like orecchiette, penne, cavatappi, farfalle (bowtie), rotelle (wagon-wheels), or ditalini.
- Make it a little spicy by adding in a a few shakes of red pepper flakes or pinch of chili powder.
- Add beans for more protein (or to replace the meat). Drain and rinse a 15-ounce can of white cannellini or kidney beans to either replace the meat all together or add some extra protein to your dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1405mg | Potassium: 1270mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 899IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 6mg
