Now here’s a nostalgic dish from old time Americana… American Goulash! It’s a pantry staple comfort food that goes back over 100 years, and still tastes just as good today.
I cook tender macaroni and hearty ground beef, all tossed in a well-seasoned tomato sauce along with plenty of cheese. Doesn’t that sound like the ultimate kid-friendly dinner?
This easy pasta dish is a classic that just never gets old for me!
You just can’t beat a good one-pot meal for it’s ease of cooking, and cleanup. Some of my top picks around here are Brunswick Stew, Mexican Rice Casserole, and of course, Chili.
Now this American Goulash is another fine example. It’s so easy, and is such a hearty meal that everyone will leave the table satisfied.
What is American Goulash?
American Goulash, also known as slumgullion, is a ground beef and pasta dish, which has been mentioned in cookbooks since the early 1900’s.
It is not to be confused with Hungarian Goulash, which is a hearty stew-like beef soup.
It rose in popularity during the great depression, as it is budget friendly, can feed a large crowd, and can even be made using leftover ingredients.
The ground beef simmers in a tomato-based sauce, which is typically seasoned with onion, garlic, paprika and other flavor enhancers. The pasta cooks right in the sauce.
It’s very similar to American Chop Suey and Johnny Marzetti, however the latter often includes sausage and more vegetables, and typically gets topped with cheese and baked at the end.
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil
- Ground beef – I use 85/15 lean ground sirloin.
- Veggies and aromatics – Onion, bell pepper and garlic.
- The sauce base – Tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and beef broth.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, paprika, red chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Pasta – Elbow macaroni.
- Cheese – Medium cheddar.
American Goulash Recipe
1. Sauté veggies and aromatics: I heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Then, I add onion and bell pepper, sautéing until they start to get soft. Next, I add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Brown the meat: I add in the ground beef, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring from time to time, until it is no longer pink. Then, I add Italian seasoning, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
3. Create the sauce: Next, I add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. I bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Cook the pasta: I remove the bay leaves, stir in the macaroni pasta, and cook it until it’s just a bit firmer than my desired tenderness, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir in cheese: Finally, I stir in the cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it has melted and mixed in well.
Alpana’s Tips
- Use 85/15 ground beef. I prefer using 85/15 ground beef because it has just the right amount of fat to add flavor and make the ground beef tender without making the dish too greasy. If I want, I can easily skim some of the grease off the top later in the cooking process.
- Be generous with seasonings. If you want flavorful food, you have to put flavor in your food.
- Don’t rush it. I consider simmering the sauce for 20 minutes to be a minimum. If you have more time, simmer longer.
- Want to use fresh herbs? Swap the dried Italian seasoning for 2 tablespoons each of fresh oregano, basil and thyme.
- I always use freshly shredded block cheese. It tastes better and melts better.
Serving Suggestions
This Goulash is a hearty meal, complete with protein, carbs and veggies. However, if you would like a little something on the side, some top picks are my easy No Knead Bread and Caesar Salad.
Variations
- You can make a leaner Goulash by swapping out the ground beef for ground turkey. You can also omit the cheese if you wish.
- I like adding extra veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or even corn.
- Add some kidney beans to make it extra hearty. Chili mac, anyone?
- Some times I swap the regular paprika for smoked paprika to give it a different flavor profile.
If you’ve never tried this old time classic pasta comfort food, now is the time. American Goulash has been enjoyed for generations, and once you try it, you’ll see why. Cook up a big batch tonight, and watch those smiles light up around the table!
American Goulash, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other comforting pasta dishes!
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Creamy Sausage Pasta
Gigi Hadid Pasta
Mexican Spaghetti
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Kielbasa Pasta
Frutti di Mare
American Goulash
This American Goulash recipe is pure nostalgic comfort food with ground beef and macaroni in a flavorful tomato based sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 28oz tomato sauce
- 28oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, sauté until they start to get soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add in ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring from time to time, until it is no longer pink. Add Italian seasoning, paprika, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves. Return the sauce to a boil, then stir in macaroni pasta, and cook till just a bit firmer than your desired tenderness, about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in cheese. Cook 2-3 minutes, till it has melted and mixed in well.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Leftovers: American Goulash is great as leftovers. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.
- It also freezes well, so makes a great meal prep option. Store in individual portion sized freezer safe containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 556Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 129mgSodium 1179mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 5gSugar 9gProtein 42g
Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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This was so simple and delicious…made it for dinner with hubby, daughter, and son-in-law and we all loved it….the sauce is sooooooo GOOD.
Thank you for the recipe.