Are you searching for a taste of pure, unadulterated childhood comfort? A hearty, satisfying, one-pot meal that’s budget-friendly, feeds a crowd, and tastes like a warm hug in a bowl? It’s time to rediscover the simple, soul-warming magic of a truly classic, homemade American Goulash.
This recipe, inspired by the legendary Chef John, is your ultimate guide to that nostalgic dish you remember from family dinners and school cafeterias—but made a million times better. Forget watery, bland versions. We’ll show you how to build a deep, rich, and savory beef and tomato sauce, and then cook the macaroni right in the pot until it’s perfectly tender. It’s a simple dish that doesn’t taste simple, and it’s perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate One-Pot Wonder
What makes this American Goulash a timeless, beloved classic is its incredible, crowd-pleasing flavor and its brilliant one-pot simplicity. This isn’t the traditional, slow-braised Hungarian Goulash stew; it’s a uniquely American creation that is essentially a rich meat sauce and pasta dish all cooked together. The secret to the best flavor is allowing the sauce to simmer and develop before cooking the pasta directly in it. This allows the macaroni to absorb all that delicious, savory flavor while its starches help to thicken the sauce to a perfect consistency.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Prep Time | 15 mins |
| Cook Time | 1 hr 5 mins |
| Additional Time | 5 mins |
| Total Time | 1 hr 25 mins |
| Servings | 12 |
The Essential Ingredients for Perfect Goulash
This recipe uses a handful of simple, classic pantry staples to create a meal that is bursting with savory, comforting flavor.
- Ground Beef: For the best, richest flavor, we recommend using a ground beef with a good amount of fat, like an 80/20 or 85/15 ground chuck. The fat adds a ton of flavor to the base of the sauce. You’ll drain off the excess grease, so you’re left with all the flavor and none of the heaviness.
- The Aromatics (Onion, Garlic & Green Bell Pepper): This is the classic, savory flavor foundation for American Goulash. The onion and garlic provide a sweet and pungent base, while the green bell pepper adds that signature, slightly sharp, and nostalgic flavor that is absolutely essential to the dish.
- The Rich Tomato Sauce: We build a deep, flavorful sauce with a few key ingredients.
- Canned Tomatoes: A combination of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce creates the perfect texture.
- Beef Broth: This adds a deep, savory, beefy flavor to the sauce that you just can’t get from water alone.
- Seasonings: A blend of Worcestershire sauce for umami, Italian seasoning for an herbaceous note, a little sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, and a touch of paprika (a nod to the dish’s Hungarian namesake) create a perfectly balanced sauce.
- Elbow Macaroni: The classic, quintessential pasta for American Goulash. Its small, curved shape is perfect for capturing the rich, meaty sauce in every single bite.
- Cheddar Cheese (Optional but Highly Recommended): While not in every classic recipe, topping the finished goulash with a generous amount of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese is a popular and incredibly delicious addition that takes the comfort level over the top.
Step-by-Step to the Best American Goulash
Follow these simple, detailed steps to create this deeply comforting and delicious one-pot meal.
Step 1: Brown the Beef and Aromatics
In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until it is browned and crumbly.
Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the pot. Continue to cook, stirring, for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it is fragrant.
Carefully drain off any excess grease from the pot.
Step 2: Build and Simmer the Sauce
Return the pot to the heat. Stir in the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds to toast the spices and bloom their flavor.
Pour in the beef broth, the can of diced tomatoes (with their juice), the can of tomato sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, and the sugar. Stir everything together, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the sauce simmer for at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour for an even deeper flavor). This step is crucial for allowing all the savory flavors to meld together.
Step 3: Cook the Macaroni Directly in the Sauce
After the sauce has simmered, stir in the 2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni.
Increase the heat to bring the mixture back to a steady simmer. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed much of the liquid.
Pro Tip: Cooking the pasta directly in the sauce is the secret to the most flavorful goulash! The pasta soaks up all the savory sauce, and its starches help to thicken the sauce to a perfect, rich consistency.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Once the pasta is tender, turn off the heat. If you are using cheese, stir in about 1 cup of the shredded Cheddar cheese until it is melted and creamy.
Taste the goulash and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Let the finished goulash rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken up a bit more.
Serve hot in large, cozy bowls, topped with the remaining shredded cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, if desired.
The Best Easy & Classic American Goulash Recipe
A recipe for classic American Goulash, a hearty one-pot comfort food meal. This version features ground beef sautéed with onions and bell peppers, then simmered in a savory, paprika-spiced tomato and beef broth sauce. Uncooked elbow macaroni is added directly to the pot to cook in the flavorful sauce, absorbing all the flavors as it becomes tender. The dish is a simple, satisfying meal perfect for a family dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 3 cups water or beef broth
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Shredded Cheddar cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Note: The ingredients and instructions for this recipe were not fully provided in the source article and have been inferred based on a standard ‘Chef John’s American Goulash’ recipe that matches the description and details.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and crumbly. Drain off excess fat.
- Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the pot with the beef. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water or beef broth, paprika, Italian seasoning, and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Increase the heat to bring the mixture back to a simmer.
- Cover and cook on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Let the goulash rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving.
- Serve hot, topped with shredded Cheddar cheese if desired.
Notes
- This is a one-pot meal where the pasta cooks directly in the sauce, which makes for easy cleanup and a more flavorful dish.
- Stirring occasionally after adding the pasta is important to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Letting the finished goulash rest for a few minutes allows the sauce to thicken slightly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
- Calories: 350-420
- Sugar: 8-12 g
- Sodium: 700-900 mg
- Fat: 12-18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5-8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30-38 g
- Fiber: 4-6 g
- Protein: 25-30 g
- Cholesterol: 70-90 mg
Serving Your Classic Goulash
American Goulash is the ultimate one-pot meal, a perfect harmony of meat, pasta, and vegetables. It’s fantastic served on its own, but a classic pairing is a slice of simple, buttered white bread or a piece of crusty garlic bread for sopping up every last bit of the rich, savory sauce. A simple green salad on the side makes for a perfect, complete family dinner.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
American Goulash is a fantastic make-ahead meal, and the leftovers are often even more delicious!
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire sauce (through Part 2) up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, simply bring the sauce to a simmer on the stovetop and proceed with Step 3, cooking the macaroni.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Note that the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it cools, so leftovers will be thicker.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat goulash is in a saucepan over low heat. Add a generous splash of water or beef broth to loosen the sauce and stir as it warms up until it is hot and bubbly.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This classic comfort food recipe is a wonderful base for your own delicious and creative twists.
- Use a Different Meat: For a richer flavor, you can use a 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground Italian sausage. For a leaner version, this recipe is also fantastic with ground turkey.
- Make it a Creamy Goulash: For an extra rich and creamy finish, you can stir in 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese or Velveeta at the very end along with the shredded cheddar, and stir until it has completely melted into the sauce.
- Add Some Beans: To make the goulash even heartier and stretch it further, you can stir in one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans during the last 10 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time.
Enjoy The Ultimate One-Pot Comfort Meal!
You’ve just created a truly special meal that is the very definition of American comfort food. This classic, from-scratch Homemade American Goulash is a perfect harmony of savory, rich, and hearty flavors that is guaranteed to be a massive hit with your entire family. It’s a humble yet spectacular one-pot meal that is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
We hope you enjoy every last, delicious spoonful!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves classic comfort food!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the difference between American Goulash and traditional Hungarian Goulash?
This is a great question! Hungarian Goulash (gulyás) is a slow-cooked stew made with chunks of beef (not ground beef), onions, and a large amount of paprika. It is often served as a soup and does not typically contain pasta. American Goulash, like this recipe, is a much quicker, one-pot dish made with ground beef, tomatoes, and elbow macaroni, with paprika used only as a minor seasoning. They are two very different, but equally delicious, dishes!
Q2: Can I cook the pasta separately and add it at the end?
You can, but it is highly recommended to cook the pasta directly in the sauce. This is the secret to the best flavor and texture. The pasta absorbs all the delicious, savory flavor of the sauce as it cooks, and the starches that the pasta releases act as a natural thickener, making the final sauce rich and perfectly clingy.
Q3: Can I make this American Goulash in a slow cooker?
Yes, this is a fantastic recipe for the slow cooker! Simply follow the first step of browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables on the stovetop first, as this builds a crucial layer of flavor. Then, transfer the cooked meat and vegetable mixture to your slow cooker and stir in all the sauce ingredients (but not the pasta). Cook on Low for 4-6 hours or on High for 2-3 hours. Then, stir in the uncooked macaroni and cook on High for another 20-30 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Q4: Why is my goulash watery?
A watery goulash is usually a sign that it just needed to simmer a little longer. If your sauce seems too thin after the pasta has cooked, you can simply remove the lid from the pot and let the goulash continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes, which will allow the excess liquid to evaporate and the sauce to thicken up nicely.
Q5: Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, easily! Simply substitute the elbow macaroni with your favorite gluten-free pasta shape. Also, be sure that your brand of beef broth and Worcestershire sauce are certified gluten-free.