Craving a hearty one-pot meal? Try this American Goulash! Packed with tender beef, pasta, and rich tomato sauce, it’s the ultimate comfort food that’s easy to prepare.
Recipe Science
- Traditionally, goulash uses tougher cuts of beef requiring long cooking times. Using 80% lean ground beef makes cooking fast!
- Use tomato paste, sauce, and petite diced tomatoes. This creates a thick consistency and enhances texture and flavor complexity.
- Use elbow macaroni to trap sauce for more flavor. Cook it directly in the sauce for enhanced taste and one-pan convenience.
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Why It Works
Looking for a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal? Try American Goulash! Each serving is loaded with tender ground beef, macaroni, and a rich tomato sauce. Traditionally, goulash uses tougher cuts of beef that require long cooking times to tenderize. By using ground beef, this dish becomes quick and tasty.
To build the sauce, I use simple goulash ingredients like chopped alliums, bell peppers, paprika, and dried spices for concentrated flavors. Pantry staples like canned tomatoes create a delicious sauce. The macaroni cooks directly in the sauce, soaking up all the flavors and requiring just one pan!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef: I recommend 80% lean ground before because the meat-to-fat ratio adds a hearty texture and delicious flavor.
- Pasta: Use a short-cut tubular pasta like elbow macaroni. This traps the sauce inside, delivering more flavor with each bite.
- Alliums: Saute diced onion and minced garlic with olive oil to build the savory flavor of the tomato-based sauce.
- Peppers: A mix of red and green bell peppers adds a mild, sweet flavor, and crispness.
- Seasoning: Paprika, dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper add a bold taste to the sauce.
- Tomatoes: I use three types of canned tomato products for the goulash: tomato paste, tomato sauce, and petite dishes tomatoes. These create a thick consistency with interesting textures.
- Broth: Unsalted beef broth or stock increases the meaty taste and helps to adjust the consistency of the thick pasta sauce.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese increases the savory taste and melts easily when stirred into the pasta dish. Use mild or sharp, depending on your taste preference.
- Garnish: Freshly chopped parsley adds a nice pop of green color and herbaceous notes to the goulash.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This American goulash recipe is easy to switch up! Try these tasty suggestions:
- Pasta Shapes: Try adding different types of pasta, such as shells, penne, or cavatappi. Tortellini makes the dish heartier.
- Meat Variation: While ground beef is commonly used, you can also experiment with other meats like ground turkey, chicken, or sausage.
- Seasonings: Experiment with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, or cumin.
- Herbs: Add fresh or dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or basil.
- Add Vegetables: In addition to the traditional bell peppers and onions, you can add mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, celery, or corn.
- Heat: If you like spice, consider adding chopped jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to give your goulash a kick.
How to Make American Goulash
Step 1: Cook Aromatics
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil, and once it’s nice and hot, toss in the onions. Sauté for about 2 minutes until they’re soft and fragrant. Then, add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds, releasing that wonderful aroma.
Step 2: Cook the Beef
Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking the meat into smaller chunks as it cooks, which should take about 4 to 6 minutes.
Step 3: Add Seasonings and Vegetables
Add the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Then, add the tomato paste, stirring thoroughly, and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Add the bell peppers and cook for an additional 1 minute to slightly soften them.
Tips for Perfect Execution: Cooking the dried herbs and spices in hot fat extracts their fat-soluble flavor compounds, infusing the tomato sauce with bolder and more intense flavors.
Step 4: Add the Tomatoes
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and bay leaf to the pot, stirring to ensure even distribution. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low, maintaining a simmer. Allow it to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and promote uniform heat distribution.
Step 5: Cook the Pasta
Stir in the pasta, ensuring it’s well mixed with the sauce. This one-pot dish cooks the noodles right in the sauce, soaking up all those delicious flavors.
Cover the pot and let it cook over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to ensure the noodles cook evenly and do not stick to the bottom. In about 15 to 20 minutes, the pasta should be tender but still have a nice bite.
Pro Tip: If the sauce becomes too thick, add a bit more broth to achieve the perfect hearty, thick consistency.
Step 6: To Serve
Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Stir in the cheddar cheese until it’s melted and well incorporated. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a burst of color and flavor. Enjoy your one-pot meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Hungarian Goulash is a thick stew with chunks of meat and vegetables in a paprika-seasoned broth. American Goulash, or American Chop Suey, is quicker because it utilizes ground beef, canned tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles.
Yes, you can use poultry instead of beef for the goulash. Select ground meat with the highest amount of fat to prevent a dry texture and add more flavor.
Add vegetables like corn, sauteed mushrooms, carrots, eggplant, kale, or spinach to make the goulash more nutritious. You can also add kidney beans for extra fiber and protein.
American Goulash is great for meal prep! The sauce and noodles meld together, creating even tastier flavors. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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American Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onion, ¼" dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef, 80% lean
- 2 teaspoons paprika , sweet or smoked
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper, ¼" dice
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper, ¼" dice
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 cups unsalted beef broth , or stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ cup elbow macaroni
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook Aromatics – Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, then once hot, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Cook the Beef – Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat into smaller chunks, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add Seasonings and Vegetables – Add the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add bell peppers, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the Tomatoes – Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer over over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Cook the Pasta – Stir in the pasta. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. If needed, add more broth or water to thin out the consistency. It should be hearty and thick in texture.
- To Serve – Remove bay leaves. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta instead of wheat pasta.
- Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Store in resealable plastic bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Cook on the stovetop over medium heat, occasionally stirring until hot. Add more stock or water to thin the consistency as needed.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
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