Wednesday night, 6:47 PM. Emma walked through the door covered in baseball dirt, the laundry basket was overflowing, and my brain was completely fried from back-to-back meetings. Standing in front of the open fridge staring at ground beef and half a box of elbow macaroni, I almost grabbed my phone to order pizza for the third time that week. Then I remembered my grandmother's American goulash the one-pot wonder she'd throw together after working all day and still feeding five hungry kids plus my grandfather.
Why You'll Love This Old Fashioned American Goulash
Back making this for over a decade rushed Tuesday nights, lazy Sundays, potlucks where I needed to feed 20 people I know exactly why this recipe works when everything else feels too hard. This fixes three problems at once. It's genuinely a one-pot meal, which means one thing to wash instead of five. It uses ingredients you probably already have ground beef, a can of tomatoes, pasta, basic spices. And it tastes like you put in way more effort than you did. That rich, slightly sweet tomato sauce coats every piece of pasta.
It reheats perfectly, so you can make a big batch on Sunday and eat it all week. The leftovers might even taste better because the flavors keep developing. The other thing nobody tells you about most one-pot meals? They're either soup-like or dried out. This hits that perfect middle ground where the sauce is thick enough to cling to the pasta but not so thick it feels heavy. You get a little bit of everything in each spoonful tender pasta, seasoned beef, sweet tomatoes, that hit of paprika and garlic.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Old Fashioned American Goulash
- What You'll Need for This Easy American Goulash
- How I Make This One-Pot Wonder
- How to Store Your American Goulash
- American Goulash Variations
- Equipment For American Goulash
- When You Need to Switch Things Up
- The Secret My Cousin Guards Like Gold
- Top Tip
- What to Serve With American Goulash
- FAQ
- Time to Get That Pot On the Stove
- Related
- Pairing
- American Goulash
What You'll Need for This Easy American Goulash
The Base:
- Ground beef
- Elbow macaroni
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Beef broth
The Flavor:
- Paprika
- Italian seasoning
- Bay leaves
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
The Finish:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley
See recipe card for quantities.
How I Make This One-Pot Wonder
Brown the Beef:
- Heat your Dutch oven over medium-high
- Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon
- Cook until no pink remains
- Drain off most of the fat, leave about a tablespoon
Build the Base:
- Toss in diced onion right into the same pot
- Cook until soft
- Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until you can smell it
Add Everything Else:
- Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth
- Stir in paprika, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce
- Drop in bay leaves
- Season with salt and pepper
- Bring the whole thing to a boil
Cook the Pasta:
- Add your dry elbow macaroni right into the pot
- Stir it in, make sure it's covered by liquid
- Reduce heat to medium-low
- Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes
- Stir every 5 minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom
Finish It:
- The cheese melts in and makes everything creamy
- Pull out the bay leaves
- Stir in shredded cheddar cheese
- Let it sit off the heat for 2-3 minutes
How to Store Your American Goulash
Fridge Storage (4-5 days):
- Let it cool completely before storing
- Pack in airtight containers
- The pasta absorbs more liquid as it sits
- Add a splash of broth or water when reheating
Freezer Storage (3 months):
- Cool it down first
- Portion into freezer-safe containers
- Leave an inch of space at the top (it expands)
- Label with the date
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating
Reheating Tips:
- Stovetop works best—add a little broth and heat slowly
- Microwave is fine but stir halfway through
- It'll look thick and dry at first, but loosens up as it heats
- Taste and add more salt after reheating if needed
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- Katie does this every Sunday for her week of dinners
- Cook it the night before, let it sit in the fridge
- The flavors get even better overnight
- Reheat on the stove before serving
American Goulash Variations
Cheesy Goulash:
- Stir in cream cheese with the cheddar
- Add a cup of shredded mozzarella on top
- Broil for 2 minutes until bubbly
- Emma's favorite version
Veggie-Loaded:
- Add diced bell peppers with the onion
- Throw in sliced mushrooms
- Stir in frozen corn at the end
- Sneaks in vegetables nobody complains about
Spicy Kick:
- Use hot Italian sausage instead of half the beef
- Add red pepper flakes with the paprika
- Top with pepper jack instead of cheddar
- My go-to when it's just adults
Hungarian-Inspired:
- Double the paprika
- Add a dollop of sour cream when serving
- Use egg noodles instead of macaroni
- Closer to the original
Equipment For American Goulash
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with lid (at least 5-quart)
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
When You Need to Switch Things Up
Meat Options:
- Ground beef → Ground turkey (add a tablespoon of oil, it's leaner)
- Regular beef → Ground chicken (works but milder flavor)
- All beef → Half beef, half Italian sausage (adds extra flavor)
Pasta Swaps:
- Elbow macaroni → Shells, rotini, or penne
- Regular pasta → Gluten-free pasta (add it 5 minutes later, cooks faster)
- Standard → Whole wheat (takes 2-3 minutes longer)
Tomato Alternatives:
- Diced tomatoes → Crushed tomatoes (makes it smoother)
- Two cans → One can tomatoes plus one can tomato soup (my grandma's trick)
- Regular → Fire-roasted tomatoes (adds smokiness)
Cheese Changes:
- Dairy cheese → Vegan shreds (melts differently but works)
- Cheddar → Mozzarella (milder, stretchier)
- Sharp cheddar → Colby jack (what Emma prefers)
The Secret My Cousin Guards Like Gold
My cousin guards her American goulash recipe like it's a state secret. Every family gathering, she shows up with this massive pot of it, and every single time, someone asks what makes hers taste different. Better. Richer somehow. She just smiles and says "family recipe" and changes the subject. This went on for twelve years until last Thanksgiving when she'd had three glasses of wine and I caught her in the kitchen adding something to a pan before anyone else came in.
Butter. A full stick of butter, browned until it smelled nutty and had these little golden bits at the bottom. She was making the goulash normally browning the beef, adding the onions, doing everything the regular way. But right before she added the tomatoes and broth, she poured that browned butter into the pot, scraped every bit of those brown specks in with it. "Don't you dare tell anyone," she said when she saw me watching. Then she added something else I didn't expect a tablespoon of brown sugar and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Top Tip
- Don't rinse your pasta before adding it to the pot, and definitely don't cook it separately like you would for regular pasta dishes. Adding dry macaroni directly to the simmering sauce is what makes this recipe work the way it does. The pasta releases starch as it cooks, which thickens the sauce naturally and makes everything cling together instead of being watery.
- This is the difference between American goulash that looks like soup with noodles floating in it and the thick, saucy version that everyone remembers from childhood.I learned this the hard way during batch number 15 or so, back when I was trying to "improve" my grandmother's recipe. I thought I was being smart by cooking the macaroni separately so I could control the texture better. Big mistake.
- When I mixed the cooked pasta with the sauce, it just sat there like two separate things on the plate. The sauce pooled at the bottom, the pasta clumped together on top, and the whole thing tasted bland because the noodles hadn't absorbed any of the flavors. Emma took one bite, gave me this confused look, and said "This isn't goulash, Mom." He was seven and he was right.
What to Serve With American Goulash
Back serving this at dozens of dinners, here's what actually works on the side. Garlic bread is Emma's non-negotiable choice he uses it to scoop up every last bit of sauce from his bowl. Buttered dinner rolls work great too, or cornbread if you're making the spicy version. For something green, a basic salad with ranch dressing keeps it simple, or try cucumber and tomato salad, creamy coleslaw, or even a Caesar if you're feeling fancy. Roasted broccoli with garlic, plain green beans, or corn on the cob in summer all work without stealing the spotlight.
The truth is, this traditional American goulash is filling enough to be the main event on its own. It's got protein, pasta, and vegetables already mixed into the sauce, so you don't need to go crazy with sides. I usually just do garlic bread and a bagged salad saves energy for seconds, which everyone always wants. Some people serve it over mashed potatoes (yes, pasta on potatoes, and yes, it's good). For breakfast leftovers, top it with a fried egg. Want more ideas? Try pairing it with our Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks or Easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe for a complete meal.
FAQ
What is the difference between goulash and American goulash?
Hungarian American goulash is a soup or stew with chunks of beef, lots of paprika, and sometimes potatoes or egg noodles. American goulash is a completely different dish—ground beef, elbow macaroni, and tomato sauce all cooked together in one pot. We basically borrowed the name and created our own comfort food version that's faster and easier to make.
What spices are in American goulash?
The main spice is paprika, which gives it that slightly sweet, smoky flavor. Most recipes also use Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano and basil), garlic, and sometimes a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Bay leaves add depth while it simmers. It's a simple spice blend that packs a lot of flavor without being complicated.
What is goulash called in America?
It depends where you grew up. Some people call it American goulash, others call it American chop suey (especially in New England). In the Midwest, lots of families just call it goulash and everyone knows what you mean. It's also sometimes called slumgullion or Johnny Marzetti in different regions. Same basic dish, different names.
What are the three ingredients in American Goulash?
At its most basic, you need ground beef, elbow macaroni, and tomatoes (either diced, sauce, or both). Everything else onions, garlic, cheese, spices—makes it better, but those three ingredients are the foundation of this classic American goulash recipe. My grandmother made it with just these three during tight months and it still tasted like home.
Time to Get That Pot On the Stove
Now you've got everything you need to make the best ever American goulash—from the basic method to my cousin's secret browned butter trick that changes everything. This is the kind of dinner that saves you on those nights when you're too tired to think, too busy to plan, and too hungry to wait. One pot, 30 minutes, and everyone's happy.
Want more easy comfort food that actually delivers? Try our Easy Cheesy Bacon Onion Bombs Recipe for the ultimate appetizer that disappears in minutes. Need another hearty dinner winner? Our Best Potato And Hamburger Casserole Recipe feeds a crowd without breaking a sweat. Feeling adventurous? The Easy Drunken Noodles Thai Recipe brings restaurant flavors to your kitchen with ingredients you can actually find at the grocery store.
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Pairing
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American Goulash
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven (At least 5-quart, or a heavy-bottomed pot)
- 1 Wooden spoon (For browning and stirring)
- 1 Measuring cups & spoons (For accuracy)
- 1 Can opener (For tomatoes and sauce)
Ingredients
The Base
- 1 lb Ground beef - 80/20 for best flavor
- 2 cups Elbow macaroni - Dry uncooked
- 1 Yellow onion - Diced
- 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
- 1 can Diced tomatoes - 14.5 oz with juice
- 1 can Tomato sauce - 15 oz
- 2 cups Beef broth - Or water with bouillon
The Flavor
- 1 teaspoon Paprika - Sweet or Hungarian
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Bay leaves - Remove before serving
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - Adds umami
- Salt and pepper - To taste
The Finish
- 1 cup Shredded cheddar - Stirred in at the end
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley - Optional for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven and drain most of the fat.
- Sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and cook briefly.
- Add tomatoes, broth, and seasonings; bring to a boil.
- Stir in dry macaroni, cover, and simmer until tender.
- Remove bay leaves, stir in cheese, and let rest.
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