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Busy days call for a recipe like Easy Goulash, a rewarding one-pot masterpiece that practically cooks itself. It’s cheesy, meaty, and 1000% delicious. My mom made this all the time when I was growing up and I hope you share it with your family, too.
Meggan’s notes
If you were lucky enough to grow up on “homemade hamburger helper” like I did, you’ll love this trip down dinnertime memory lane. And it won’t take all night, either. I know your busy, so this American goulash recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less, and it’s every bit as cheesy and comforting as you remember.
Table of Contents
What is goulash?
There are two kinds of goulash. Hungarian goulash is a meat-and-vegetable stew that is simmered slowly and served with egg noodles. American goulash is a quick-cooking stove-top casserole made with ground beef, macaroni, and canned tomatoes.
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Goulash Ingredients
- Ground beef: Or lighten things up by using ground turkey instead. Ground Italian sausage tastes good too if you’re excited about that.
- Italian seasoning: Make your own Italian seasoning or use store-bought.
- Macaroni: Or any small pasta that you have on hand: penne, rotini, shells, etcetera.
- Cheddar cheese: Shredded is best so it melts like a dream (the cheese is optional, but I’m from Wisconsin, so cheese goes on everything).
How to make Goulash
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, add beef, onion, and Italian seasoning. Cook until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain well if desired.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, macaroni, water, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Cover and simmer until macaroni is mostly tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until macaroni is tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes longer, then season to taste with salt and pepper (I like an additional ¼ teaspoon salt). Garnish with cheddar cheese.
Easy Goulash Recipe Tips & Variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups of goulash, enough for 4 hearty, 2-cup servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely, label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. For individual servings, portion into smaller containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave.
- Add the herbs and spices early in the game: If you don’t add the Italian seasoning with the meat, the final dish will have a strong, harsh flavor of Italian seasoning. We add it first so it has enough time to cook.
- Don’t skimp on moisture: This recipe needs enough liquid for the pasta to cook. You can use beef broth instead of water to add an extra layer of flavor.
What to serve with this Recipe for Goulash
Goulash is a rich and hearty casserole with a soft texture, so I like to serve it with lighter, crunchier sides. A fresh garden salad, tender-crisp roasted green beans, or sweet roasted carrots with yogurt sauce are all good choices. In summer, grilled corn on the cob and roasted zucchini are great options, too.
I also love cornbread or biscuits on the side for soaking up all that extra sauce! If you’re craving something sweet, a classic fruit salad is always a good choice. If you love seasonal flavors, try watermelon salad in the summer or citrus salad in the winter.
Goulash Recipe FAQs
Traditional Hungarian goulash is a thick meat stew seasoned with paprika while American goulash is closer to Hamburger Helper, a quick and easy dinner with macaroni, ground beef, and tomato sauce. In the Midwest, we usually add cheese to our goulash, too.
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Best Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (see note 1)
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (see note 2)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni or other small pasta
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, add beef, onion, and Italian seasoning. Cook until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, macaroni, water, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Cover and simmer until macaroni is mostly tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until macaroni is tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes longer, then season to taste with salt and pepper (I like an additional ¼ teaspoon salt). Garnish with cheddar cheese.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Ground beef: For a lighter casserole, substitute ground turkey or chicken.
- Italian seasoning: Make it yourself with ½ tsp. each of dried basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups of goulash, enough for 4 hearty, 2-cup servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Hi Meggan, I made your Goulash recipe tonight for dinner. My husband enjoyed it very much! It definitely earned a place on my recurrent recipe list. It is quick, and easy to make, doesn’t require much of a clean-up, and is definitely a keeper.
I wish I could tell you what I thought of the taste, but unfortunately I don’t know. Almost four years ago, I was hospitalized with a breakthrough case of the Delta variant COVID/COVID pneumonia. I haven’t been able to taste, or smell anything since. Which leads me to another reason why I love your recipe. Your measurements are just about right for my family. Since I cannot taste anything to fine tune my spices, and seasonings, I appreciate that more than you can imagine!
I did make a few minor changes. I generally prefer stewed tomatoes to diced tomatoes, so I chopped up a can of those. I also added extra onion, and garlic–always a safe thing to do with my family. : )
Thank you so much for making dinner such a huge success! Thank you also for the time, and effort you spend making your website one of the best!
You are so welcome, Jan! I can’t imagine what that is like. I’m so glad they are helpful and your family loves it! ๐ If you ever have any questions on any other recipes, please let me know! Take care! – Meggan
Good food fast and easy
Thank you, Joyce! – Meggan
My 12 y/o son made your goulash. The recipe was easy and the final results were delicious! He (not I)๐will be making more of your recipes. Thanks!
You’re so welcome, Melanie! If he has any questions, please write! ๐ – Meggan
I just made this and itโs so delicious and quick to make. I used a lot of different spices but it was a delicious meal. Thank you for sharing ๐
You’re welcome, Becky! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! – Meggan
I have tried to read your reviews but I am unable to. I was wondering why I canโt read them?
Thank you,
Tammy
Hi Tammy, I’m sorry you’re unable to see the reviews. I just checked and I see them at the bottom of the post. If you click “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page, you can then scroll down past the box to leave a review. One should show, then click “View all comments”. Hope this helps! – Meggan
This was so easy and delicious. Not a drop left, even after tripling the recipe for my large family.
I’m so glad you liked it, but sorry there wasn’t any left ๐ -Meggan