This is the best goulash recipe and is the most comforting of all comfort foods. It is warm, delicious, filling, hearty and easy to prepare ALL IN A SINGLE POT! Dump all of the ingredients in at once and let it cook! This is the perfect family meal for a busy night.
Original recipe: December 2016 | Updated: August 2021
Why This American Goulash Recipe Works
This is the best goulash recipe (aka American Chop Suey) you will ever taste. It is a ONE POT meal and one of my all-time favorite old fashioned recipes that I literally cannot control myself around. When it is in the fridge, I eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner until it is totally gone.
It is one of the easiest, most delicious and hearty comfort food recipes I make with consistency. It is jam-packed with comfort, flavor and texture.
I make this dish both for intimate family dinners and also for large gatherings. No matter the crowd, it is ALWAYS a hit. I mean, how can you go wrong with ground beef, pasta and tomatoes?! If you have an Instant Pot, give my super easy Instant Pot Goulash a try!
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Goulash Ingredients
Ground beef – Try replacing the ground beef (or a portion of it) with ground pork for an added kick of flavor. For a healthier version of this comforting meal, replace the beef with ground turkey or chicken.
Diced tomatoes – Do not drain the tomatoes! Also, consider using a variety with added herbs and flavors.
Tomato sauce – If you have time for it, you will be happy with the boost of flavor that homemade tomato sauce offers.
Water – Replace all or a portion of the water in the recipe with LOW SODIUM beef broth for an even more flavorful meal.
Seasoned salt – This might seem like an odd ingredient, but don’t skip it! It adds the perfect amount of seasoning. When I’ve skipped this ingredient in the past, I’ve noticed a difference in overall flavor of the dish. Make this Lawry’s copycat recipe from Throwdown Kitchen!
Elbow macaroni – A different variety of pasta can be used in this recipe, such as penne or rotini.
What Is Goulash?
Goulash? Gulach? Goolash? Ghoulash? What the heck does this funny word even mean? First of all, American and Hungarian Goulash are two entirely different recipes.
Based on this recipe from Taste of Home here are the ingredients you’ll find in the Hungarian version that you will not find in the American version: carrots, green peppers, stew meat (in place of ground beef), beef broth, paprika, caraway seeds and sour cream.
Keep reading for details about the American version of the delish one-pot dinner detailed in this post.
As for goulash origin, it stems from the Hungarian word “Gulyás” which is defined as “cowboy.” Hungarian cowboys butchered the weakest cattle and made easy meals out of their meat. Hence, the word!
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How To Make Goulash
Step 1
Cook 2 pounds of ground beef in a saucepan or Dutch oven until it is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan. Add 1 yellow onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook until onions are translucent. The onions and garlic will be nice and fragrant, as well (mmm, I LOVE the smell of sauteed garlic).
Step 2
Add the remaining ingredients to the ground beef onion mixture. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Step 3
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Remove from heat and serve to hungry tummies!
Recipe Notes
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese or Parmesan over the top just before serving for an extra cheesy version of this dish.
- Add 2 bay leaves and/or a splash of red wine to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
- Add a chopped green bell pepper to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
- I recently had a friend tell me that she added 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to this recipe and that it was super yummy.
Make This Dish in an Instant Pot
Make this comforting meal in your Instant Pot! Instant Pot goulash could not be easier or more delicious. It cooks perfectly every time and is done in only 30 minutes. Perfect easy dinner any night of the week!
Make Goulash in a Slow Cooker
This slow cooker recipe is a delicious, filling and hearty meal that is super easy to prepare in your crockpot. Requiring mere minutes of prep time and a few simple ingredients, crockpot goulash is the perfect family meal for a busy night!
Make Your Own Tomato Sauce
To add an extra touch of flavor to this meal, consider making your own tomato sauce! Homemade Tomato Sauce is SO easy to make and the flavor is out of this world.
FAQ About Goulash
Goulash and spaghetti contain similar ingredients. When making spaghetti, the pasta and sauce are cooked separately and combined just before serving. Goulash is typically made in a single pot.
The great thing about goulash is that it’s a one-pot meal. You’ve got pasta, meat and veggies all wrapped into one easy meal. If you’re looking for something extra to serve alongside this comfort food favorite, consider any of the following:
A delicious chopped salad complements any meal perfectly! You can’t go wrong with garlic bread! Any side of vegetables would go great with this meal. Consider steamed broccoli or cauliflower or sauteed zucchini or mushrooms. Asparagus and Brussels sprouts would be great, too! Add a giant heaping spoonful of goulash over a baked potato. Roasted or grilled tomatoes would taste amazing with this dish and would complement the tomatoes in the recipe even more!
Cooked and cooled goulash, when stored in an airtight container, will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Goulash freezes fairly well, with the pasta losing some of its firmness after it has been thawed. When preparing a big batch of goulash to freeze, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to the recipe just before serving.
Comfort Food Recipes
What People Are Saying About This Easy Goulash Recipe
My family loved this meal. I did cook the noodles separate and added at the end after simmering everything else. I used roasted tomato and garlic diced tomatoes. Will absolutely make again. Thank you for the recipe. – Kelly
This rekinds me of my childhood. I usually use my garden stewed tomatoes which have onion, bell pepper and celery. If not, I make sure to add celery when the onion is added. Also, beef better than bouillon works nicely inplace of the broth. Bay leaf is another good flavor inhancer. I like the one pot method. – Lisa
Hands down one of my favorite recipes. I make it at least once a month but I cut everything in half because it does make a huge pot of food. I also substitute ground sausage for the beef. But again….amazing recipe. – Lily
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Best Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 30 oz diced tomatoes undrained
- 30 oz tomato sauce
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and elbow macaroni to the pan. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, cover pan and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until pasta is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately!
Notes
- The seasoned salt in the recipe might seem odd, but don’t skip it! It adds the perfect amount of seasoning. When I’ve skipped this ingredient in the past, I’ve noticed a difference in overall flavor of the dish.
- Replace all or a portion of the water in the recipe with LOW SODIUM beef broth for an even more flavorful meal.
- Try replacing the ground meat (or a portion of it) with ground pork for an added kick of flavor.
- For a healthier version of this comforting meal, replace the beef with ground turkey or chicken.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese or Parmesan over the top just before serving for an extra cheesy version of this dish.
- Add 2 bay leaves and/or a splash of red wine to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
- Add a chopped green bell pepper to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
- I recently had a friend tell me that she added 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to this recipe and that it was super yummy.
I used the broth and half of a large bell pepper.
It was terrific!!! Easy !
Added crushed red pepper to taste, next time I’ll use it in recipe.
I’ll make this again!
So glad you enjoyed the dish. I like your additions – goulash is so versatile to change up and enjoy many ways.
This has become a favorite at our house. I use crushed tomatoes since my husband doesn’t care for tomato chunks. I reduce the water by a half cup to avoid it becoming too runny. We have added green pepper and have also made it with ground venison; both are delicious! You can’t go wrong with this one pot meal. Thank you!!
Thank you Erin, those all sound like they create a bowl of perfect goulash. I love that you tweaked it for your family’s preference.
Would it be okay to use minced garlic if you don’t have garlic gloves if so how much would be ok to use?
Great question! If you have minced garlic on hand, it’ll be about 1 tbsp for 3 medium cloves. I prefer fresh garlic but some garlic is better than none!
I have made this a few times my family really enjoys it, I didnt have tomato sauce and didnt have enough money to go get more having to use tomato soup🤔 it should still be good
I first commented on this recipe three years ago. It continues to be a favorite that I fix at least once a month.
Over the past couple of years I’ve continued to adjust the recipe to suit my personal tastes and finally settled on what, to me, is the perfect version.
In place of the Tomato Sauce, I use 2 cans of Manwich Sauce. I add one 8 oz. can of Mushrooms and 1 can of Corn (both drained and rinsed). I also add Red & Green Bell Peppers, plus use purified Spring Water instead of Tap Water. I also switch up the noodles from Elbow Macaroni to Rigatoni.
To avoid soggy noodles, I put everything in the dutch oven, and combine it before I add the water. This seems to help keep the finished product from being a little runny. It’s thick and hearty when I serve it up.
Boo.
Made a half recipe, however hubby put in full recipe amount of Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning by mistake! . It tasted great! We will be making it again!
Goulash is so great – I’m so glad you tried it. The mix up on the ingredients happens to me too! Thanks for sharing.
Can I make this in crock pot
I would cook the noodles separately or just at the last 45 min or so but yes, otherwise simple to add to the crock pot. Thanks for asking!
Well, I made it…I started to make half the recipe and I wish I had! It definitely needed more seasoning,but the killer was the Bay leaves!! Man, I wish I’d left them out!! That’s all you taste, that musty, bad taste! This has left such a ‘bad taste in my mouth’, I’ll probably never make this again….
I’m sorry you don’t care for bay leaves and the flavor they bring. Changing up the seasoning would be an easy fix.
I cut the recipe in half since it’s just me and my husband. It turned out fantastic!
You’re correct, this recipe makes a lot! I sometimes make it and freeze it or bring it to a friend who needs a meal. But cutting it in half is a great option too. Thank you for sharing!
Made it today. Made half recipe. Turned out wonderful. If I wanted it more liquid, would it be best to add water or the beef stock?
Both work! I like the added flavor of the stock, but water works too.
Can this be fixed in an Instant Pot.
Yes! I do have an IP version. Good question!
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/instant-pot-goulash/
I can’t find how many servings this recipe makes. (Maybe it’s all the ads 😆) but I don’t see it next to the nutritional info or in the directions.
I’d appreciate the info! Thanks
Ah! Haha found it 8!
The recipe card holds the servings and allows you to adjust it to make larger or smaller portions. Thank you for asking!
This is awesome stuff.
I agree! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for the recipe! The only thing I did differently was I added about a tablespoon of brown sugar and it tastes just like my mom’s when I was a kid. Has become hubby’s favorite hamburger dish. Thank you again, I didn’t think I’d ever taste this again.
So glad you enjoyed it and it reminded you of childhood. Thanks for the tip on what you tried and what it meant! I’m sure other people will enjoy that twist!
Why do you put brown sugar in this recipe? I think it is a lot of tomato and I’m hoping to cut the acidic taste…. Does burn sugar do this?
Sugar will help cut acidity. In spaghetti, I add a bit. If you choose brown sugar over sugar, you will get a little of that molasses flavor and that wouldn’t be bad in goulash if it was just a little. But it’s a personal preference. I don’t use it.
Looks, tastes, and smells like my grandma’s goulash! I almost cried! Perfect recipe! Thanks
Hi Krissy, Aren’t passed down recipes amazing? I’m so glad you are enjoying it! Thank you for sharing.
Followed your recipe it was great. My daughter’s did not want to eat it at first. But they both wanted seconds. We enjoyed it very much. Thank you!
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for commenting.
Omg, thank you for this recipe. I make it at least twice a month. I sub with ground turkey and use broth in place of water. It is delicious!!! I suggest adding sour cream when serving to take it to a whole new level.
Sonia
Great tweaks to this recipe!! Thank you for sharing those. Sounds amazing with the sour cream.
Looks delish! What do you consider the serving size to get 454cal/serving? Thanks!
Hi KMC, I don’t pretend to know much about that angle of eating. But I do use a website to check things personally and this is one site you could try:
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076