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A serving bowl filled with hearty American goulash macaroni, beef, and tomato sauce topped with parsley, ready to eat.

American Goulash

This old-fashioned American Goulash is the ultimate one-pot comfort food—ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a rich tomato sauce packed with flavor. It's a weeknight lifesaver, great for leftovers, and tastes like something grandma used to make because she did.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: American goulash recipe, American goulash Reddit, American goulash vs Hungarian goulash, Baked American goulash recipe, Best ever American goulash, Grandma's American goulash
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rest Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 460kcal
Cost: $15

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.
    Ground beef being browned in a skillet with a wooden spatula, releasing steam as it cooks.
  • Sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and cook briefly.
    A spoon adding minced onions into a pot of browned beef cubes simmering in rich broth.
  • Add tomatoes, broth, and seasonings; bring to a boil.
    A close-up of beef chunks simmering with diced onions, bay leaves, and tomatoes as paprika oil is poured into the pot.
  • Stir in dry macaroni, cover, and simmer until tender.
    A steaming pot of American goulash cooking in a black Dutch oven, filled with macaroni, ground beef, and tomato sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Remove bay leaves, stir in cheese, and let rest.
    A serving bowl filled with hearty American goulash macaroni, beef, and tomato sauce topped with parsley, ready to eat.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 350g | Calories: 460kcal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 35g (12%) | Protein: 25g (50%) | Fat: 23g (35%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 70mg (23%) | Sodium: 820mg (36%) | Potassium: 620mg (18%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 6g (7%) | Vitamin A: 950IU (19%) | Vitamin C: 9mg (11%) | Calcium: 150mg (15%) | Iron: 320mg (1778%)
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