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American goulash is an easy, old-fashioned, and comforting meal that is insanely delicious and perfect for the cold winter months. Everything cooks in one pot, even the pasta!

Everyone needs a hearty recipe that they can go to on those chilly days where you want to be warmed up from the inside out! Try this chicken stew, this fantastic beef stroganoff, or this yummy BEST EVER Beef Bourguignon!

A pot of American goulash with a wooden spoon in it.

What is American Goulash?

Goulash is a hearty dish of stewed beef and tomatoes that was first developed as a Hungarian dish. It typically doesn’t even have pasta, but this American version does and cooks right in the sauce. This makes it an easy and complete meal. It tastes similar to lasagna but without ricotta cheese. I love it because it’s a 1:1 ratio of meaty red sauce with noodles. The more beefy sauce, the better!

This time of year is all about the hearty meals that keep us warm and leave us feeling full and satisfied. American goulash will do precisely that! Plus, it’s easy to make. Get ready for this… You make it all in ONE POT. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and then the rest of the time, it’s just cooking on the stove. This recipe makes a lot, so it’s perfect for feeding a big family, sharing with others, or eating the leftovers for lunch the rest of the week. Enjoy!

Ingredients in One-Pot Goulash

This delicious one-pot meal is perfect when you need an easy recipe for those busy, on-the-go nights. The ingredients are simple, and you probably have most of them already at home and ready to go! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Ground Beef: I like to use lean ground beef in this recipe.
  • Onion: Dice up your onion into small, similar sized pieces.  
  • Garlic Cloves: If you don’t have fresh garlic cloves on hand then you can use minced garlic. 1/2 teaspoon equals about 1 clove of garlic.
  • Water: The water is used as a base to cook the pasta noodles in.
  • Beef Base (or bouillon): The beef boullion just ups the beef flavor and adds to the overall taste.
  • Tomato Sauce: The tomato sauce will mix everything together.
  • Diced Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are easy and work perfect for this sauce.
  • Bay Leaves: These add in that classic, deep flavoring to the overall dish.
  • Soy Sauce: My favorite one to use is this soy sauce.
  • Seasoned Salt: This adds to and enhances the flavors in the goulash.
  • Italian Seasoning: You can use store bought or you can make this homemade Italian Seasoning and always have some on hand!
  • Paprika: This sweet spices adds in a lot of flavor.
  • Black Pepper: The pepper will only add in some seasoning, there isn’t enough for any heat.
  • Elbow Macaroni Noodles: The best part about these is that you pour them in uncooked! No worrying about getting these ready beforehand.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar from a block will melt in the sauce better.
  • Fresh Parsley: This is used as a garnish for the finished recipe!

Let’s Make Some Dinner!

This American goulash is packed to the brim with beef, noodles, and cheese. The flavors are incredible, and my mouth waters just thinking about it!

  1. Brown the Meat: Brown ground beef in a large stock pot. Remove from pan and drain. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons grease in pan. Add the diced onion and then cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  2. Simmer: Return ground beef to pot along with the water, beef base, cans of tomatoes and sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper. Then, stir together, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Add (uncooked) Noodles: Stir in the noodles then cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking to the bottom.
  4. Mix in Cheese: Just before serving, stir in the cheese. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
4 pictures showing the steps on how to add the goulash ingredients to the pot.

What’s the Difference Between Hungarian Goulash and American Goulash?

Hungarian goulash is a thick stew filled with meat and vegetables. It sometimes has dumplings or potatoes in it rather than pasta. The classic sample ingredient in traditional Hungarian goulash is paprika. American goulash doesn’t have any extra vegetables (aside from the tomato-based sauce), and it has macaroni noodles and cheese. American goulash also goes by the name “American chop suey.”

A pot with American goulash being stirred with a wooden spoon.

Can You Freeze American Goulash?

YES! This is a fantastic meal to make ahead of time! Here is how you can freeze it after it’s been cooked and reheat it later!

  • Freeze: Once your goulash has cooled then you can place it in a casserole dish and cover it with a double layer of foil. Or, you can put it in a ziplock bag and lay it flat in your freezer. Make sure to label your container with the date! American goulash can stay frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat: When you are ready to eat your goulash, take it out of your freezer and thaw it in your fridge overnight. Heat it up on the stove on medium heat until it is warm throughout! Enjoy!
3 bowls of American goulash, each with a spoon.

How to Store Leftovers

This goulash recipe makes a lot so it’s likely that you will have leftovers! This makes a fantastic lunch or dinner the next day!

  • In the Fridge: Place your cooled goulash in an airtight container and put it in your fridge. Leftover goulash can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
  • Reheat: You can heat this back up on the stove on medium heat until it’s warmed through. Or, you can warm it up in the microwave. Cook it for 1-2 minutes on high and stir. Continue this until its warmed up!
A bowl of American goulash with a silver spoon.

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American Goulash

4.73 from 73 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
American goulash is an easy, old-fashioned, and comforting meal that is insanely delicious and perfect for the cold winter months. Everything cooks in one pot, even the pasta!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 People

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Brown ground beef in a large stockpot. Remove from pan and drain. Leave about 1-2 tablespoons grease in the. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Return ground beef to pot along with the water, beef base, cans of tomatoes and sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper. Stir together, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Stir in the noodles, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking to the bottom.
  • Just before serving, stir in the cheese. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Video

Notes

Updated on February 2, 2022
Originally Posted on October 5, 2018

Nutrition

Calories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 29gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1601mgPotassium: 367mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 410IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 3.8mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




133 Comments

  1. I have been looking for a recipe that loos like the one my mother served us as kids. This one looks and sounds just like it. As a child l could not turn it down. I can’t wait to try this . Thank you.

  2. 5 stars
    Made this recipe tonight, cut in half for just 2 people, added Rรณtele tomatoโ€™s because my husband likes it with a bit of a kick. Tasted very good. Itโ€™s a keeper.

  3. 5 stars
    I made this with Worcestershire instead of soy sauce. This is one of their favorites and now this recipe is in our family favorites.

  4. 5 stars
    Great receipe and tastes great! I would recommend adjusting the soy sauce and seasoned salt, it comes out a tad bit salty.

  5. 5 stars
    Hello,
    Recipe is great, I made some slight modifications with chick pea pasta for additional protein. The recipe says serves 8, what is the actual serving size for 562 calories that you have listed. I count macros so this information will be helpful.

    Thank you,
    Kim

  6. 5 stars
    I hadnโ€™t had goulash in years and this recipe did not disappoint. Very easy and very tasty. I love that you donโ€™t have to use another pot to boil the noodles. I too added green peppers. Served with a side salad and a bread, yum!

    1. Hello! Scroll to the bottom of the post, and on the recipe card, you will see a button that says “Print”. Let me know if you have any more questions!

    2. You can also take screenshots and then print them out. That’s usually what I do after I crop each screenshot. Works well for me. J/S

  7. 5 stars
    This tasted like a much upgraded version of Hamburger Helper, reminded me of my childhood. I did adjust a few things, mainly the seasoning salt and soy sauce amounts, and I did not use diced tomatoes but instead used crushed tomatoes because I have a picky eater in my house. I halved the recipe and it worked out perfectly. This will be on repeat in our house.

  8. 5 stars
    This recipe is a favorite of ours. In fact, I have to 1.5 times it because I always tend to have extra eaters when I make this!! I use Italian sausage instead of beef (personal preference), Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce and cook the noodles separate.
    I’ll have to check out more of your listed recipes for more delicious meal ideas. Thanks for sharing!

  9. I made the recipe as written and threw it in the trash, it must have not been edited for errors. The soy sauce, seasoned salt and Italian seasoning should a least be cut in half.

  10. 5 stars
    This is the third time that I’ve made this recipe and I tweaked it to my taste. I only used 1 tsp of soy sauce, left out the water and the beef bouillon. I added a little extra garlic and some green pepper. I also added 1 tsp white sugar to even out some of the acidity. I simmered the sauce for 1 hour, cooked the noodles separately and added them to the sauce to eliminate a little bit of the starchy texture. I added just enough noodles for my liking (which is more than the recipe called for.) This is such a great recipe, and my family loves it! Thank you for sharing! It’s a keeper for sure! ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. 5 stars
    I made this goulash last night and it was sooo good!! I made it just as the recipe called for but I did add green pepper. My mom used to make this when I was a kid and this did not disappoint! My husband loved it as well. It makes a large amount so I know what weโ€™re having for dinner tonight andI donโ€™t mind at all. Itโ€™s always better the next day. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!! I love it!!!!! ๐Ÿ˜„

  12. 5 stars
    I’ve probably made this a dozen times & it is a hit every single time. Great family- & casual guest-friendly dish!