Description
American Goulash is a cozy, budget-friendly one-pot meal with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a rich tomato sauce that brings back nostalgic weeknight comfort.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1–1.5 lb ground beef (85–90% lean)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
15–16 oz can tomato sauce
14.5–28 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
1.5–2.5 cups beef or chicken broth
1–2 tbsp Worcestershire or soy sauce
1–2 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
1 tsp paprika (optional)
2 cups (8–10 oz) elbow macaroni (dry)
1 cup shredded cheddar or 1/4 cup grated parmesan (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, then add bell pepper and cook 2 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and brown thoroughly; drain if overly fatty.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire or soy, Italian seasoning, and paprika if using.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add dry elbow macaroni. Cover and simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring, until pasta is tender.
6. Adjust seasoning, remove from heat, and stir in cheese if desired. Let rest 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days.
Freeze up to 3 months; undercook pasta slightly for best texture.
Reheat gently with a splash of broth if sauce thickens.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 80mg