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Easy Goulash (American Style) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 62 reviews

This Easy Goulash recipe is a comforting American-style one-pot meal featuring ground beef, tender elbow macaroni, and a rich tomato-based sauce infused with Italian seasonings. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for a quick family dinner with optional cheese topping and fresh parsley garnish for extra flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Vegetables

  • ¾ pound ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken, pork, veal, or bison)
  • ½ yellow onion, diced

Liquids and Sauces

  • 2 cups low sodium beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth)
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

Seasonings

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional, for a sweeter sauce)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground paprika
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Pasta and Cheese

  • 1 cup dry elbow macaroni (any short or tubular pasta works)
  • ½ cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Garnish

  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the beef and onion: In a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and diced onion together over medium heat until the onion softens and the beef is fully cooked, about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Drain grease: Remove and discard any excess grease from the cooked meat and onion to avoid a greasy sauce.
  3. Add liquids and seasonings: Stir in the beef broth, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, seasoned salt, black pepper, and brown sugar if using. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Simmer to blend flavors: Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to deepen the flavors.
  5. Cook the pasta: Add the dry elbow macaroni directly into the simmering sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, approximately 12-15 minutes. Avoid overcooking to prevent mushy pasta.
  6. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning: Take out the bay leaf and season the goulash with additional salt or pepper if needed to suit your taste.
  7. Add cheese (optional): Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese to melt it into the goulash. Alternatively, if using a Dutch oven suitable for oven use, place it in a preheated oven to melt and brown the cheese on top.
  8. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top for a fresh finish before serving the goulash hot.

Notes

  • You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, pork, veal, or bison depending on your preference.
  • Low sodium broth and soy sauce help control saltiness; adjust seasoning at the end if needed.
  • Use any short pasta in place of elbow macaroni, such as penne or small shells.
  • Adding brown sugar is optional and adds a subtle sweetness balancing the acidity from tomatoes.
  • If you want browned cheese, use a Dutch oven safe for oven use or briefly broil after adding cheese.
  • Leftovers store well refrigerated and may thicken—add a splash of broth or water when reheating.

Keywords: easy goulash, American goulash, ground beef pasta, one pot dinner, quick goulash recipe, comfort food, pasta goulash

Find it online: https://www.cheftara.com/easy-goulash-american-style-recipe/