Classic American Goulash Recipe (2024)

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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!

Classic American Goulash Recipe (1)

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 thissoy 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 homemadeItalian 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 inuncooked! No worrying about getting these ready beforehand.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Freshlyshredded 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.
Classic American Goulash Recipe (2)

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.”

Classic American Goulash Recipe (3)

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!
Classic American Goulash Recipe (4)

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!
Classic American Goulash Recipe (5)

What to Serve with Goulash

Goulash is a hearty dish that lends itself to just about every side out there! It’s easy to add things to this meal that your entire family will love! I like to add in some rolls or breadsticks, and a couple of veggies and maybe even a salad. I’ve gathered a few recipes that I have served with this before!

Side Dishes

Glazed Carrots

20 mins

Salads

Copycat Olive Garden Salad

15 mins

Side Dishes

Perfect “Roasted” Air Fryer Asparagus

15 mins

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American Goulash

4.72 from 70 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 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 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

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Classic American Goulash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between goulash and American Goulash? ›

Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew with a broth that's heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It also goes by the name of American Chop Suey.

What is original goulash made of? ›

The classic “kettle goulash” is prepared by frying cubes of beef or mutton with onions in lard. Garlic, caraway seeds, tomatoes, green peppers, and potatoes complete the stew. Székely gulyás, another Hungarian specialty, is a stew of pork and sauerkraut flavoured with tomatoes, onions, caraway seeds, and sour cream.

What is goulash called in the South? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, American Chop Suey, or even Beef-a-Roni, is an American comfort-food dish popular in the Midwest and South.

What is Slumgullion made of? ›

Slumgullion, also known as American Goulash, is a deliciously easy dinner of ground beef simmered in a tomato sauce all day, then elbow macaroni added in at the end. The macaroni is cooked IN the sauce at the end, making this a one-pot dish the whole family will love!

Why is American goulash so different? ›

American goulash is more of a pasta and ground beef dish

Owing more influence to Italian-American cuisine than Hungarian, paprika isn't even a consistent addition, per Syracruse.com. The nostalgic family meal is synonymous with American chop suey, another macaroni-based one-pot dish.

What is technically goulash? ›

Goulash (Hungarian: gulyás) is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

What is the difference between American and traditional goulash? ›

American goulash is a one-pot dish of ground beef, pasta (often elbow macaroni), tomatoes and cheese. Sometimes it includes paprika, like its Hungarian counterpart. Since American goulash calls for ground beef, it cooks much faster than Hungarian goulash which relies on low-and-slow cooking to render the beef tender.

What is another name for American goulash? ›

American chop suey is an American pasta casserole made with ground beef, macaroni and a seasoned tomato sauce, found in the cuisine of New England and other regions of the United States. Outside New England it is sometimes called American goulash or Johnny Marzetti, among other names.

What country has the best goulash? ›

Hungary's most famous food, the goulash, is a crimson-hued beef soup laced with vegetables and imparting the sweet-sharp flavor of fresh paprika. The dish is named after the herdsmen in eastern Hungary — the gulyás — who prepared this hearty soup in large cast-iron kettles.

What is hobo stew made of? ›

Canned beans with liquid - Such as great northern beans or pinto beans. The liquid is important because it helps thicken the soup. Medium potatoes - I use russets for the starch they add to the soup, but red potatoes and Yukon golds also work. Seasoning - creole seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

What's the difference between stroganoff and goulash? ›

Traditional goulash is a stew/soup, usually using a cheaper cut of meat suited to slow cooking. It usually contains potatoes and other vegetables, as well as noodles. A true stroganoff consists of paprika-dusted fillet steak quickly pan fried with mushrooms and onions in a sour cream and brandy sauce.

Why is it called hobo stew? ›

Mulligan stew, also known as hobo stew, is a type of stew said to have been prepared by American hobos in camps in the early 1900s.

What are the two types of goulash? ›

Hungarian goulash and American goulash. Hungarian goulash is a thick soup with meat and vegetables, usually seasoned with paprika. American goulash is very different. It generally has tomato sauce, macaroni and beef.

Why is goulash called Johnny Marzetti? ›

One of the dishes Marzetti offered her customers was a baked casserole of ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce, and noodles that she named for her brother-in-law, Johnny.

Why is it called American goulash? ›

American goulash is usually referred to in the midwestern and southern United States as simply "goulash". As a descendant, of sorts, of Hungarian goulash, the only real connection seems to be the name, and the inclusion of beef and paprika.

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