This easy cheesy Old Fashioned Goulash recipe is an ultimate comfort food! Also known as American Goulash, this classic hearty meal made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and crushed tomatoes will be a perfect dinner idea on a budget!
If you are craving some homemade comfort meal that’s easy to make, try this amazing Old Fashioned Goulash Recipe! It’s packed with ground beef, crushed tomatoes, macaroni, and cheese and makes the best cozy dinner for the whole family. Worcestershire sauce add a perfect touch to the dish and helps to brighten up the flavors.
This classic recipe is always a big hit for the family; and even if you have picky eaters, they will devour this meal in no time at all!
Similar to my Spaghetti Bolognese, Pasta e Fagioli Soup, Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, and Dutch Oven Meatballs, this recipe is great comfort meal for the whole family!
Why you will love the recipe
- Easy to make. The whole dish is made pretty much in one pot, except the pasta, which you can cook while the sauce is simmering. Even if you are a beginner cook, this recipe will come out perfect every single time!
- On a budget. This recipe is made with basic ingredients, very filling, and can serve between 4-6 people. So, if you are looking for a dinner idea on a budget, this will be a great meal for your family!
- Best flavor combination. This recipe has all my favorite ingredients (beef, tomatoes, pasta, and cheese). They perfectly balance each other, creating a delicious meal that everyone will love.
- Great for meal prep. I love doubling this recipe and freezing extras for those days when I don’t want to cook. Check out freezing and defrosting instructions below.
What is Goulash
If you search for a Goulash recipe, you probably will be surprised to find many different versions that don’t look similar. American Goulash is quite different from Hungarian Goulash, or other variations from different parts of the world.
While the Hungarian version is made with chunks of beef, peppers, and good amount of paprika, American Goulash is made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, crushed tomatoes, and mixed with cheddar cheese before serving.
How to make goulash
Step 1. Make the meat sauce.
Preheat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 chopped onion. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is softened and translucent. Then add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds.
Add 1 pound ground beef, break it in smaller pieces and cook for about 10 minutes or until it’s cooked through and there is no pink color inside.
Add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and the seasoning (½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper). Stir and let it simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
Step 2. Cook macaroni.
While the sauce is cooking, boil a pot of water and cook 1 ¼ cups elbow macaroni according to the instructions.
Step 3. Mix together.
Then drain the pasta and stir into the meat sauce.
Now you can turn off the heat and fold in 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
- Ground Beef. I prefer to use 85% lean ground beef as it has the best balance of flavor. Although, 90% lean beef will also work in this recipe.
- Crushed Tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes are my favorite! They can add a lot of flavor to the dish without doing extra work.
- Worcestershire sauce. Don’t skip this ingredient! It adds a perfect touch to the recipe, bringing it to a whole new level!
- Macaroni. When I cook pasta in a separate pot, I prefer to slightly undercook it. Since we then add it to the simmered meat sauce, it will continue to cook and won’t get too mushy.
Options and substitutions
- Meat. While this recipe is made with ground beef, you can substitute it with ground lamb or turkey. Although, it might slightly change the overall flavor.
- Vegetables. If you’d like, you can add some vegetables you have on hand, like bell pepper, celery, carrots, peas, corn, and even chopped green beans.
What to serve with goulash?
Since this recipe is quite filling, I like to serve it with some salad, vegetables, and bread. Here are a few ideas:
Salads: Farro Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, BLT Pasta Salad Recipe, Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe.
Vegetables: Green Beans Amandine, Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan.
Bread: Potato Rolls Recipe, Easy Dinner Rolls, Sandwich Bread Recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will stay fresh on the fridge for up to 3-4 days, stored in an air-tight container.
Yes. This is a great recipe for meal prepping and freezing. When it’s completely cooled off, transfer to an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, just leave it in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a microwave or on the stovetop.
Yes! Just double all the ingredients and cook according to the instructions. This is a great recipe to cook for a big family or for meal prep!
More comfort meals ideas:
- Gruyere Potatoes au Gratin
- Chicken Broccoli Ziti
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Baked Chicken Cutlets
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
- Dutch Oven Chicken Stew
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Old Fashioned Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups elbow macaroni dried
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 chopped onion. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is softened and translucent. Then add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add 1 pound ground beef, break it in smaller pieces and cook for about 10 minutes or until it’s cooked through and there is no pink color inside.
- Add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and the seasoning (½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper). Stir and let it simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, boil a pot of water and cook 1 ¼ cups elbow macaroni according to the instructions.
- Then drain the pasta and stir into the meat sauce.
- Now you can turn off the heat and fold in 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Ground Beef. I prefer to use 85% lean ground beef as it has the best balance of flavor. Although, 90% lean beef will also work in this recipe.
- Crushed Tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes are my favorite! They can add a lot of flavor to the dish without doing extra work.
- Worcestershire sauce. Don’t skip this ingredient! It adds a perfect touch to the recipe, bringing it to a whole new level!
- Macaroni. When I cook pasta in a separate pot, I prefer to slightly undercook it. Since we then add it to the simmered meat sauce, it will continue to cook and won’t get too mushy.
- How to store. It will stay fresh on the fridge for up to 3-4 days, stored in an air-tight container.
Can leftovers be frozen?
I’d like to add a vegetable to the dish. What would you recommend? Would zucchini be good? Spinach?
This is such a great recipe for the classic goulash we enjoyed as kids! So hearty and filling but easy to make.
This is such a comforting dinner! My family loved it and requested it again. Satisfying and hearty!
My mom made this type of meaty macaroni on a weekly basis growing up, but we didn’t call it goulash where I am! You remind me this was such an easy and satisfying weeknight meal.
Your recipe does not disappoint. The goulash came out amazing, it was such a winner and easy to make. Thanks so much for sharing; I will make it again!
What a perfect dish for the colder weather! My family really enjoyed this delicious goulash!
Now when it comes to making goulash, I always get excited. But when it comes to making it old fashion, I go all in. Fantastic recipe!
It’s a great dish for the colder months that the whole family will love. Just like I ate when I was a kid.
You can never go wrong with Goulash!
Such a great recipe and so delicious! Thanks for sharing constant inspiration.
Old fashioned comfort food is always a hit. My family would love this for dinner any night of the week. Perfect for batch cooking too.
I didn’t see anywhere that one needs to drain the grease from the meat. Is this needed or not ??
Hi Oslo! If you have too much grease left after cooking the meat, you can surely scoop out some fat. Although, I use 85% lean meat and after cooking it, I don’t have much fat left, so I don’t need to drain it.
That goulash looks so good! I will be making that very soon!
I love your blog, by the way!
Thank you so much, Kelly! Let me know how it came out!