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American Goulash is a Family Favorite, ONE DISH meal that is perfect any time of year! My family has been making this Goulash for 4 generations!

American Goulash

My Family’s Goulash Recipe:

This is a recipe that has been in my family now for generations. It was handed down to me for my Grandma. I’m always respectful of grandma’s recipes, especially since I know how much love and care she put into the ones she handed down, but I do tweak them occasionally. This old-fashioned goulash recipe, though, is practically sacred, and my family has zero tolerance for any deviation from grandma’s original. Don’t even try to make this goulash recipe with corn or add bell pepper (like the Paula Deen goulash version). You won’t like them when they’re angry!

What is American Goulash?

American Goulash is one of those home-style, comfort food dishes, made in one pot that originated in the mid-west and the south. Made from simple ingredients like ground beef, pasta, and canned tomatoes, it’s easy to fix and makes an equally perfect weeknight meal or potluck dinner. Throughout the country, the name varies depending on the region – Traveling Man’s Hash, Beef and Mac, Slum Gullion, Kentucky Burgoo, and American Chop Suey.

What Ingredients Go Into American Goulash?

You’ll also find that the ingredient list can change as much as the name does. Some recipes have vegetables, some do not. Some have tomatoes, some do not. Some have cheese, some do not. Beef seems to be the only unifying ingredient among the recollected recipes (though some European transplants still make it with pork), but it means “comfort food” no matter who’s doing the answering. This is a simple goulash recipe, one that’s been a family favorite for decades.

American Goulash vs American Chop Suey:

The primary ingredients in these dishes are almost the same. My American Goulash has a stronger, clearer Italian-American influence. If you’d like to try my American Chop Suey recipe, you’ll notice that aromatics are just a little different and include green pepper and the herbs are a combination of Italian spices.

American Goulash vs Hungarian Goulash:

Goulash itself is an old dish created by Hungarian cow herders.  The original recipe was a carefully cooked stew, full of tender chunks of beef and onions, with a touch of salt and pepper. Later they added dried chilies from their gardens which gave this dish its characteristic red color.

Most modern Hungarian goulash recipes use a potent (Hungarian) paprika, full of toasted red pepper flavor, to achieve this beautiful hue. Unlike the American versions of goulash which use ground beef, this dish uses large pieces that require a good, slow cook, so an authentic Hungarian recipe will be a baked goulash, simmered slowly in the oven until everything is nice and tender.

American goulash is a respectful homage to the original Hungarian version, with savory ground beef cooked into a rich tomato sauce, full of different herbs and spices depending on which family recipe you’re following. Soft pieces of pasta, usually elbow macaroni, serve as a perfect conduit for all the wonderful flavors in this dish. It’s also a one-pot meal unless you want to throw in a side salad to go along with it, so it’s a home cook’s dream when it comes to clean-up?

American Goulash

How do you make Goulash?

This is a really easy dish to make! Let me give you a quick summary. The first ingredient, which I’ve already mentioned, is ground chuck, a rich 80/20 ratio with plenty of flavor that cooks much quicker than the original stewed version. I start the recipe by browning the beef. Onions and garlic get incorporated during the browning process too, so they get to absorb some of that beefiness.

The next “standard” ingredient in American Goulash is tomatoes, and that can mean paste or sauce, diced or crushed. Different combinations here can really impact the flavor, and I’m pretty sure you can find recipes for every possible scenario. Grandma’s recipe uses tomato sauce, which adds the thickness you might find in a tomato paste but without the acidic quality that needs to cook down longer to mellow out.

She also calls for diced tomatoes (regular, not petite), which distribute nicely in this chunky dish and adds a slightly subtler tomato flavor than crushed would. (Check out my American Chop Suey recipe if you want a nice strong tomato component. It’s a great hand-me-down recipe from my husband’s side of the family with some overlap in ingredients but a unique flavor all on its own. Oh, and cheese!)

Pasta is definitely a deviation from the Hungarian original, but in American Goulash elbow macaroni is basically a requirement. The size of the pasta itself works great, but the tube-shape means it’ll also hold onto the sauce much better than a flat pasta. In this recipe, the elbows actually cook in the sauce, so they’ll absorb all the wonderful flavors in the dish, rather than just some salted water.

American Goulash

What spices are in American Goulash?

My grandma used Mediterranean-inspired spices in her recipe – bay leaves, oregano, and basil.  If you don’t have the latter two on hand, you can substitute 1 – 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning. Grandma also added a touch of soy sauce, which adds a nice, savory umami flavor as well as some salt. You can substitute tamari, the Japanese version of soy sauce, if you need a gluten-free option.

Oh, and speaking of sodium chloride, she also used seasoned salt in this one, rather than just plain table salt. Seasoned salt is a great multi-purpose flavor enhancer to keep on hand for French fries and roasted veggies since it adds spices like paprika and turmeric, onion and garlic powder, and a touch of sugar. All these things work to add another layer of seasoning to this American Goulash.

Reader Tip From Judi: This is always have been the way my grandma made it. Except instead of water, she used tomato juice (which she canned herself)

Dishes Similar to American Goulash:

There are other classic beef and pasta dishes like Cheesy Chili Mac or Beefaroni, but none, in my humble opinion are nearly as delicious as this Goulash. My mom made it for me, and she got the recipe from her mom. Now I get to make it for my family – it’s totally a family thang!

Can You Freeze American Goulash?

So the answer, in this case, is Yes and NO. The pasta in any leftovers of this dish continues to absorb the liquid and it becomes softer and softer. And yes, after freezing and thawing, they’re a bit mushy but, what can I say, I still love Goulash that way! So if you only enjoy a firm al dente pasta, skip the freezing! If pretty soft pasta is still acceptable to you (like it is to me!) you can save part of it in an 8” or 9” pan and freeze it for later

 

American Goulash

 

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American Goulash in a Blue Pot
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Old Fashion American Goulash-One Pot Family Favorite

This classic American Goulash is easy, home-style, comfort food! Made in one pot. Perfect for feeding a crowd or hungry family. Loaded with beef and pasta.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 People
Calories 300 kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 2 Pounds Ground Beef 80/20
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion
  • 4 Large Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 3 Cups Water
  • 2 15 Ounce Canned Tomato Sauce
  • 2 14.5 Ounce Canned Diced Tomatoes Juice Included
  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 2 Cups Elbow Macaroni Uncooked
  • 2 Cups Cheddar, Shredded

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, brown the meat over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks into small pieces. Continue to cook until the meat is cooked through and there's no longer any pink. 

  2. Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent.

  3. Stir in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano, basil, bay leaves, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, and serve!

Recipe Notes

Looking for a low carb goulash recipe? The Little Pine has one here!

 

 

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Nutritional Information

Nutrition information will vary based on the specific products. To be safe, check the nutrition facts labels of your products. Optional object listed above have been left out of nutritional data.

Nutrition Facts
Old Fashion American Goulash-One Pot Family Favorite
Amount Per Serving
Calories 300 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 987mg 41%
Potassium 426mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 17g 34%
Vitamin A 1.9%
Vitamin C 8.9%
Calcium 6.3%
Iron 16.9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Notes for American Goulash:

Cheese – So I have to say grandma wouldn’t approve of this addition, but I wouldn’t necessarily discourage making this a cheesy goulash. Frankly, my kids love it with cheese melted on top!

A generous sprinkling of mild cheddar or Monterey jack (even the peppered variety), either stirred in before serving or melting on top, would work well with this dish.

Dietary restrictions – You can easily make this vegetarian by substituting some extra veggies for the beef – about 4 cups of any combination of the following: chopped celery, mushrooms, or zucchini (sautéed with the onions and garlic), or pre-cooked lentils (added during that last 25 minutes).

There are also some great vegetarian “beef” crumbles you can substitute. Gluten-free elbow macaroni works perfectly if needed.

If you’re looking for a pasta recipe or beef recipe this is it! Or, if you’re like me, and buy your ground beef at Costco, you need lots of good hamburger recipes! This Goulash just may become your go-to recipe. You can always substitute the beef with ground turkey if you want to add to your healthy dinner repertoire.

Now go get your Goulash on!

More Easy Family Dinners!

  • Porcupine Meatballs ~ These super easy meatballs are made with beef and rice then simmered in a delicious tomato sauce.  Always a family favorite!
  • Million Dollar Spaghetti ~ This Spaghetti Casserole is super easy to put together and has a center layer of creamy, gooey cheese. This is one of my favorite ways to serve spaghetti and people just can’t get enough of it! 
  • One Pot Burrito Bowl – This One Pot Burrito Bowl brings the deliciously authentic flavor you’d expect to find in your favorite Mexican restaurant right to your own table!

 

American Goulash

 

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