Description
Old-Fashioned Goulash is a hearty and comforting American one-pot meal featuring ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a savory tomato-based sauce seasoned with Italian herbs and paprika. This classic stovetop dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that satisfies with its rich flavors and cheesy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Pasta and Liquids
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 cups water or beef broth
Tomato Sauce and Seasonings
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Ground Beef: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 3–4 minutes until the onion becomes soft and fragrant.
- Add Sauces and Seasonings: Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the meat mixture. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Combine Pasta and Liquid: Add the uncooked elbow macaroni and 2 cups of water or beef broth into the skillet. Stir everything together to ensure the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to ensure the pasta cooks evenly until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add Cheese (Optional): If using cheddar cheese, stir it into the hot goulash just before serving until melted and evenly distributed.
- Serve: Serve the old-fashioned goulash hot as a delicious, comforting main course.
Notes
- You can add a pinch of sugar to the sauce if your tomatoes taste too acidic.
- Ground turkey or plant-based crumbles are great substitutes for ground beef for a lighter or vegetarian-friendly version.
- To add more veggies, incorporate chopped bell peppers or corn when sautéing the onions.
- Omitting cheese makes this recipe dairy-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
