American Goulash

American Goulash vs Hungarian Goulash

You might be wondering why this pasta dish is called goulash. When most people think of goulash they are thinking of traditional Hungarian goulash recipe which calls for cubed beef chuck cooked low-and-slow in a tomato-beef broth flavoured with paprika, garlic and caraway - a traditional kind of beef stew with potatoes and veggies. They aren’t really thinking ground beef, pasta, tomatoes and cheese. American goulash is a comfort food meal made with macaroni noodles tossed in a rich, spiced tomato sauce with ground beef, onion, and peppers often called slumgullion, American chop suey, hamburger goulash or just goulash to most Americans. Its American adaptation has been around for many many years and has become an American staple comfort food. This is our adaptation of this famous dish and we made it a one-pot meal because we love them as much as you guys do! What makes ours a little different is that we like ours saucy and meaty (great for extra protein) not dry, so it’s more like a stew with pasta.

American Goulash Recipe Ingredients (specific amounts in recipe card below):

• PASTA: This recipe uses elbow macaroni but any short pasta like ditalini or even penne will work. I use a gluten free pasta for mine and its works great for a wheat free option
• ONION & GARLIC: I like using fresh garlic and fresh onion but feel free to use dried onion powder and garlic powder. Use as little or as much garlic as you prefer. Depending on size I usually use 4-6 cloves of garlic.
• BELL PEPPERS: You will need two bell peppers for this recipe - chose whatever bell peppers you prefer.
• SPICES & HERBS: I like using a combination of paprika, Italian seasoning, chili powder or red pepper flakes and of course salt and pepper. I add in 2 bay leaves as well. Feel free to add some dried mustard or use fresh herbs instead for extra flavour or switch the flavourings and herbs up to taste or add in more herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary and basil.
• TOMATO PASTE: This adds extra richness to the sauce.
• DICED TOMATOES & TOMATO SAUCE: This dish is a tomato based dish so we use both finely diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. We like ours saucy so we do both diced and sauce.
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: This is optional but always adds delicious flavour - feel free to use a little soy sauce in its place for extra flavour or leave it out
• BROTH: I usually use beef broth as it has a richer flavour than chicken broth or vegetable broth - but you can use whatever you prefer in this recipe. I usually chose a low sodium one so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
• GROUND BEEF: I always like to use lean ground beef, but feel free to use ground chicken or ground turkey or even a vegan mince that works too. We like ours meaty so we do 2 lbs!
• WINE: Red or white wine is what we use for a more flavourful and grown up flavor. It is used to deglaze the pan. If you prefer to leave it out that is fine. Substitute with more broth.
• CHEESE: You can add whatever shredded or grated cheese you would like - I used sharp cheddar chees but you can also use Parmesan cheese or a combination of both.
  
  

How to Make This One pot American Goulash

1. SAUTE onions, peppers, and garlic then the ground beef
2. STIR in the tomato paste then DEGLAZE with wine
3. STIR in tomatoes, tomato sauce, W sauce, and spices then SIMMER to reduce a little
4. ADD broth and noodles and COOK over med-low simmer until noodles are cooked through adding more broth as needed and stirring often.
5. FINISH by stirring in half the cheese topping dish with remaining half - then allow to melt & serve
   
   

American Goulash Make Ahead, Storage, Reheating & Freezing

• MAKE AHEAD: Can I Make This One Pot American Goulash In Advance? It can technically be made ahead BUT like any one pot pastas - it’s best when enjoyed hot off the stove top as the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce and soften. That being said you can make the meat sauce mixture ahead and store in the fridge for up to 4 days in advance and then when you are ready to cook it completely just add in the pasta, and broth and simmer until pasta is cooked. When it sits and is allowed to cool, the pasta will continue soak up and absorb the extra liquid and it won’t be as wonderful as it is fresh. The leftovers are still good, just not AS good as they are fresh off the stove.
• STORAGE: Leftovers in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• REHEATING: To heat up the leftovers, simply add everything to a saucepan on the stove top until warmed through or reheat in the microwave. You may need to add extra broth to help loosen up the sauce as with any one pot pasta dishes.
• FREEZING: I don’t usually recommend freezing as the pasta can become mushy when frozen. But if you are concerned over waste and want to freeze leftovers, they can technically be stored and frozen for 1- 3 months. To freeze, store the cooked mixture in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as stated above.
  
  

More One Pot Meals You Will Love:

• One Pot Hamburger Helper
• Puttanesca - One Pot Baked Orzo
• Quick and Easy One Pot Beef Stroganoff
• One Pot Baked Greek Chicken Orzo (Giouvetsi/Youvetsi)
• Creamy Shrimp Scampi With Orzo
• Skillet Lasagna