This easy old fashioned goulash recipe is the ultimate one-pot comfort food, packed with rich flavor and nostalgic charm. Perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd, it’s a hearty and satisfying dish that always gets rave reviews. Once you try it, you’ll see why it’s a go-to favorite for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
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.
- I’ve made this easy dinner recipe more than a hundred times and it has never failed me.
- This ultimate comfort food is a ONE POT meal! Dump everything in and just let it cook for a super easy dinner tonight the whole family will love.
- It’s an all-time favorite nostalgic recipe 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.
- One of the easiest, most delicious and hearty comfort food recipes I make consistently.
- This easy old-fashioned goulash recipe is jam-packed with 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 big hit.
- If you have an Instant Pot, give my super easy Instant Pot Goulash a try!
Goulash Ingredients
Ground beef – Replace 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 lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken.
Onion – Yellow onions or white onions will be your best options for bringing out the flavors in the dish.
Garlic – Use fresh minced. Replace with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in a pinch.
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. This rich tomato-based sauce is hard to beat.
Water – Replace all or a portion of the water in the recipe with low sodium beef broth for an even more flavorful meal.
Worcestershire sauce – This sauce is one of my little secret ingredients for this recipe. A little goes a long way!
Seasoned salt and Italian seasoning – Don’t skip either of these seasonings! They add the perfect flavor to the dish.
Elbow macaroni noodles – A different variety of small 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 dinner 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 Americanized 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 the 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!
Are Goulash and Spaghetti the Same
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.
How To Make This Easy American Goulash Recipe
Step 1
Cook 2 pounds of ground beef in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove top until 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 (I love the smell of sauteed garlic).
Step 2
Add the remaining ingredients to the ground beef onion mixture and stir.
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 sharp cheddar cheese or Parmesan over the top just before serving for an extra cheesy version of this dish.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, oregano or basil and top with a sprinkling of black pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Add 2 bay leaves and/or a splash of red wine to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
- Include a small can of tomato paste into the meat sauce for a robust tomato flavor.
- Add chopped green bell peppers to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top just before serving.
- Leftover goulash is delicious! This hearty ground beef recipe makes a large batch, but you can easily reheat throughout the week.
Pure Comfort Food Recipes
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe
- Spaghetti Sauce Made Out of Tomato Sauce
- Easy 3-Ingredient Chili
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Crab Soup
What To Serve With Goulash
The great thing about this one-pot meal is that everything is wrapped into a single pot. If you’re looking for something extra to serve alongside this American comfort food, consider any of the following:
- A delicious chopped salad complements the dish perfectly.
- You can’t go wrong with garlic bread.
- Any side of vegetables would go great with it. Steamed broccoli, green beans 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.
How Long Does Goulash Last in the Fridge
Cooked and cooled beef goulash, when stored in an airtight container, will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How To Freeze Goulash
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.
Place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months for best results. When ready to thaw, allow it to sit in the fridge over night.
Make Hamburger Goulash 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 goulash 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.onths for best results. When ready to thaw, allow it to sit in the fridge over night.
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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Easy Old Fashioned 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!
Video
Notes
- Sprinkle sharp cheddar cheese or Parmesan over the top just before serving for an extra cheesy version of this dish.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, oregano or basil and top with a sprinkling of black pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Add 2 bay leaves and/or a splash of red wine to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
- Include a small can of tomato paste into the meat sauce for a robust tomato flavor.
- Add chopped green bell peppers to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top just before serving.
- Leftover goulash is delicious! This hearty ground beef recipe makes a large batch, but you can easily reheat throughout the week.
I grew up in New Orleans, and this dish was very exotic to me when my Boston-born-and-raised husband first described it to me longer ago than I want to admit. His mom called it "American chop suey" and cooked it exactly as you do, but minus the garlic. It’s a real American classic! Bon appetit, ya’ll! (I won’t go into how exotic every NOLA dish was to my meat-and-potato Yankee guy back then.)
That’s a great story! Thanks for sharing. It’s fun to see how the same recipe is viewed by people in certain parts of the country or even what they call it.
Thank you for this receipe, I never could find a simple one that we liked or that could be make quickly. My mom nevered made it and I only got it at church potluck dinners. I have a elderly aunt that lives with me and when I can’t get her to eat I make this and she loves it too!
Glad to hear it! It’s such a simple easy dish and can easily be dressed up or kept simple.
This looks incredibly yummy, but it’s not "goulash." We had this growing up all the time but called it beefaroni. Our goulash was a stew made with chunks of beef in a tomato/paprika gravy.
That’s interesting! It’s a little different for every family and area of the world you live in. I’ve heard many variations!
Good. Cheap. Easy. I grew up in Houston, in the 70’s and this was a staple in our household and we called it ‘goulash’. I still make this frequently as it’s a fantastic ‘take your lunch to work’ dish. I live in KC now and it’s referred to here, as ‘daygo’ (sp?) here. Whatever, wherever, this a classic, quick and easy dish. Got kids? They’ll love it!
That’s really interesting! I know so many people that grew up with this in the 70’s and 80’s and now its a staple in their own families. Good food sticks around.
I made it and it was so good it is only 2 people in our house and it did not last 2 days and it as mad in the Dutch Oven
I’m glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Love goulash. Hope this recipe is a winner.
I hope you love it – come back and let us know what you thought!
I love goulash, grew up eating it. I now dont eat beef has anyone tried ground turkey?
I haven’t tried it but that would be a great substitute and you wouldn’t miss any flavor!
Do you cook the Mac before you add it to the other stuff
It cooks in the sauce that you are making, so no pre-cooking necessary!
Great quick and easy. My 3 favorite recipe and meal words.
A little much for just 2 people. Might cut recipe in half next time.
Glad you like it too! Yes, this one makes a large batch, but it freezes well too!
It’s funny/interesting how each family has their own twist on the basic recipe for goulash! It’s so versatile! My mom taught it to me minus Worcestershire and substituting powdered garlic. As my Mom got older, she simplified it considerably: just "hamburg", macaroni, and a couple cans of stewed tomatoes, no salt due to heart issues. Surprisingly, it was still yummy. I make it this way for my kids and let them add their own salt and pepper. On my serving, I sometimes add lemon pepper and a little butter! Other times I will turn it into chili-mac by adding chili powder, onion, garlic, and kidney beans, cheddar on top…always a winner! MMM…I’m heading to the kitchen now because THAT sounded like a great idea for tonight’s dinner!
So right, this is one of those meals that can be made so many different ways and each family enjoys it! I’m glad your family likes it too!
My husband doesn’t like goulash. I love it, so I’m going to substitute A-1 Steak Sauce (which he loves!) for the Worcestershire sauce. I need to give it a different name, so I’m renaming it Megan’s Hearty Stew, and I’m adding mild cheddar cheese to the top.
It’s amazing how many of us grew up eating this versatile dish.
It is true. Such a great, affordable meal.
My mother also added crumbled bacon. I like to add some mild cheddar.
yum! You can’t go wrong with either addition. Thanks for sharing – other readers like the ideas!
When reheating I love to ad tomato juice. It makes it a super good leftover!
That’s another great addition! Thank you for sharing.
Can you freeze it?
Absolutely. When you reheat it, I would recommend adding a little chicken broth or water to it as it reheats on your stove.
I’m so glad to finally find a recipe for a large family! Whenever I cook with HB meat, it’s always 2lbs at a time, so thank you for this recipe. It’s on the stove now! ?. Can’t wait to try it!
Yes! I’m glad you’re going to try this – its a favorite!
Can this be made a day ahead? Would it still be good the next day?
Yes, it would. But some of the juice will have soaked into the pasta. Still delicious though!
Try also adding 1 or 2 cans of ranch style beans or chili beans and add mozzarella cheese if you like I usually use grated parmesan cheese before I eat but the chili beans are awesome in goulash
Interesting twist! Thanks for sharing!
I remember my mothers 3rd husband would make this but use Mac n Cheese instead of straight up macaroni.
good receipe but i add 1/2 can of tomato juice…..i love that tomato taste……reheat i add the other half of the can
Glad you found a way you liked it best!