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★ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ★
Old-Fashioned American Goulash
American goulash is one of those nostalgic recipes that brings back fond memories for so many. This timeless, old-fashioned dinner has been feeding families for generations and is still an easy, budget-friendly way to serve a hearty meal to a family or crowd.
This particular Goulash recipe is flavorful featuring ground beef, bell peppers, onions, Worcestershire sauce and spices. I often hear that it tastes like the goulash they remember from their childhood.
Easy Ground Beef Dinner
Simple ingredients and just 30 minutes make this an easy ground beef dinner for busy weeknights. Beef, pasta and vegetables all come together in one filling family meal.
Make It in One Pot
Cook the macaroni right in the sauce for an easy one-pot goulash with minimal cleanup. Or, cook the pasta separately for more control over the texture, then stir it into the beef and tomato sauce.
Budget-Friendly and Great for a Crowd
American goulash is an inexpensive way to stretch a pound of ground beef into a hearty and balanced meal. Make a big batch for a family dinner, to feed a crowd or save the leftovers for lunch.
Serve this American Goulash with a simple 5-ingredient cranberry-apple salad, homemade dinner rolls and a Twinkie bundt cake for dessert!
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
Traditionally, and with this recipe, here's what you'll find in American Goulash:
- Elbow macaroni. The classic pasta for American goulash. The curved noodles hold onto the beefy tomato sauce, but another short pasta shape will work too.
- Ground beef. Makes this goulash hearty, filling and budget-friendly. Lean ground beef works well.
- Bell peppers. A classic goulash ingredient that adds subtle sweetness and helps distinguish the flavor from spaghetti with meat sauce.
- Onion and garlic. Add savory flavor to the ground beef and tomato sauce.
- Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Create a rich, saucy base with just a little texture from the diced tomatoes.
- Worcestershire sauce. Adds savory depth and enhances the beef flavor.
- Sugar. A small amount balances the acidity of the tomatoes and peppers, just like Grandma used to make it.
- Olive oil. Adds richness and helps give the tomato sauce a smooth finish.
Optional Ingredients
Customize your American goulash with any of these easy additions:
- Italian herbs — add dried or fresh herbs for more flavor. Try paprika, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and/or oregano.
- Bay leaves — simmer 2–3 in the sauce for added flavor, then remove before serving.
- Beef bouillon — add 1 teaspoon for more rich beef flavor.
- Beef broth — add up to ½ cup if you prefer a thinner sauce.
Topping ideas: Try Parmesan cheese, black olives or artichokes.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
American goulash comes together in just a few simple steps, with the option to make it all in one pot.
- Cook macaroni, drain and set aside.
- Add ground beef to the same pot.
- Add bell pepper and onion; cook until beef is browned.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add sauce ingredients and cooked macaroni.
- Stir to combine and heat through.
Serve and add any optional toppings, as desired!
★ Tips & FAQs ★
American goulash is a pasta dish made with ground beef, elbow macaroni and tomato sauce. Hungarian goulash is traditionally more like a beef stew or soup, made with chunks of beef and seasoned with paprika. American goulash is also sometimes called American chop suey.
Did you grow up eating American Goulash for dinner? Comment below with where you're from and what you called this dish growing up.
Yes. Ground turkey or lean ground beef can be used for a lighter version of American goulash.
If you're looking to make this dish healthier, try a protein or plant-based pasta to add protein and/or vitamins.
Yes. For one-pot American goulash, cook the ground beef, peppers, onion and garlic first. Add the sauce ingredients, uncooked macaroni and 1½ cups of water, then simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the macaroni is tender. Add a little tomato paste if you prefer a thicker sauce.
Yes. Elbow macaroni is traditional, but another short pasta such as shells, rotini or small penne will work too.
Store leftover American goulash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days according to USDA guidelines.
Yes. Let the goulash cool, then store it in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
★ More Beef Dinner Recipes ★
Want even more dinner ideas?
- Browse all my easy beef dinner recipes.
- Browse all my easy dinner recipes and Pin your favorites!
This easy recipe for Old Fashioned Ground Beef Goulash was featured on South Your Mouth and Menu Plan Monday.
American Goulash
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz elbow pasta
Beef and Vegetables
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 bell pepper any color, seeded and diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
Sauce
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes for smoother sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
Optional Toppings
- grated Parmesan cheese
- red pepper flakes
- Italian spices
- olives
- artichokes
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Instructions
- Cook pasta. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook beef with vegetables. Set the dutch oven to medium-high heat and add ground beef, diced bell peppers and onion. Cook until ground beef is brown and peppers and onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic paste and cook for an additional minute.
- Add pasta and sauce. Add cooked pasta, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, sugar and salt to taste. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Serve. Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, Italian spices, olives and/or artichokes are optional toppings.
Jordi says
I am from Florida and I grew up eating goulash all the time
James says
Thanks for the recipe.
Kathy says
When I was growing up this was a weekly meal, but my mom didn't add all bell peppers and other stuff. It was just ground beef, onion, diced tomatoes (that was canned from the garden), and sometimes we didn't haven tomato sauce so my mom would put in ketchup. Since these grocery prices are just keep going up, I'm going back to how my mom made it.
Angela G. says
The beauty is you can customize this to what you have on hand.
Rosie says
Like your moms version, I added ketchup. I also used vegetable soup.
Georgiana Knight says
My mom used chopped onion and a can of alphabet soup..👍
Erin says
I am originally from Connecticut. My Grandma and my Dad used to make this for my brother and I back in the 80’s and 90’s. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Donna says
Good old fashioned comfort meal! I used a quart jar of home canned tomatoes..
Pam says
Added seasonings for extra flavor.
Shelly Duston says
My boyfriend has been asking for awhile for me to make goulash. I've never made it before. I've never seemed to have all the ingredients to make any of the recipes I came across and running to the store to get them was not an option. And then I came across Mighty Mrs. Old fashioned beef goulash recipe and got started. This was so easy to make. Huge hit with my boyfriend....thank you!
Shari says
I am making this dish tonight, we grew up eating this as a family of 6. My mother always used to call it Quickie Macaroni. Budget friendly & delish. Similar recipe, but don't remember the Worcestershire added, also my mother always used whole tomatoes. Always a comfort food in our home.
Ray says
In our household mom canned hundreds of quarts of tomatoes in the fall. So a jar or two always made it into her goulash! LOL
Wendy Hajder says
This is exactly how our family makes our goulash here in Minnesota, no German in our ancestry, we are Scandinavian and British/Irish...but then this is an American dish, right? Going to make tomorrow, sounds too good not to! 😊
Deb says
Made this for supper this evening and it brought back so many memories! I added Italian seasoning and just a little bit more salt.
Was delicious!
Thanks so much 🙂
Rustyroses says
Quick and easy to make and is a satisfying meal.
Lauren W says
I grew up on American Goulash. Mom was raised on it and then brought the dish from VT to CA in the late 50's. German/Dutch ancestry here.
Still a favorite comfort food. I use stewed tomatoes and sauce-with no sugar, but a little ketchup to help sweeten and thicken, and onion, salt and pepper. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Now, I am craving this. Time to cook up a batch.
Carol Parker-Schutt says
Making this tonight. Super excited to try your version. 🥰
Angela G. says
I hope you enjoy it Carol!
Tami says
I do a goulash recipe similar to your but put in a 9x13 pan. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Then cover with a cup or more of the shredded cheddar cheese. Place in oven and cook until it boils and cheese is melted on top. Remove and let it set until cooled a bit and enjoy. This was my husbands favorite meal. Also served with French bread. Yummy in my tummy.
Angela G. says
Sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Colleen says
My mom made this in the 60's. I was a young picky eater so I wasn't a fan back then. Little did I know it was budget friendly. I would eat it now though. At the time we lived in upstate NY and this dish was called goulash. Thanks for the trip down memory lane