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This classic American Goulash is easy, home-style, comfort food! Made in one pot, it’s the original one-pot meal. Perfect for feeding a crowd or a hungry family. Loaded with beef, pasta, and lotsa of flavor!
Old-Fashioned American Goulash
This recipe has been in my family for 4 generations! Goulash has variations in many cultures, but they all center around bringing families together. My grandmother’s sacred recipe ticks all the must-have boxes for “hug-in-a-bowl” pasta recipes: thick tomato sauce, zesty garlic, rich herbs, and as much cheese as I can stand.
For a quicker version, try my instant pot goulash. Want a chunkier style? You’ll love my beef goulash. Or, for an Eastern European version, German goulash is authentically delish!
If you’re looking for more easy, comforting meals like this, be sure to check out my full collection of ground beef recipes for even more family-friendly dinner ideas.
What is American Goulash
An original American dish of ground beef, pasta cooked in a rich tomato sauce, all in one pot. This has been served on American family dinner tables for 5-6 generations. This is wholesome, hearty, and American food at its best!!
American Goulash vs Hungarian Goulash:
These two dishes are entirely different! Hungarian goulash is an eastern European version of goulash that’s more like a thick, rich stew with chunks of meat and a tomato broth seasoned with paprika. American goulash is generally made with ground beef, elbow pasta, and doesn’t have much, if any, paprika.
Difference between American Goulash and American Chop Suey?
They’re the same dish with different names. When I got married, I was given my husband’s delicious family recipe for American chop suey. In our house now both are in our regular dinner rotation.
American Goulash Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use 80/20 ground beef.
- Olive Oil: We don’t add any oil to our recipe. We don’t drain the beef, but rather use the dripping to saute the onions and garlic.
- Onion: You can use a yellow or white onion. I most often use yellow onion.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic only!
- Canned Tomato Sauce:
- Canned Diced Tomatoes:
- Soy Sauce: We use soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce in our recipe.
- Dried Oregano: When you read the ingredients, you’ll notice we use a lot of oregano. No, it’s not a typo; that’s how we’ve made it for decades. If you’re concerned about the amount, start with half and add more if you’d like.
- Dried Basil: Adds a nice herbal sweetness.
- Bay Leaves: Adds subtle, aromatic flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: This is our foundational seasoning. We use table salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Macaroni Noodles: I use elbow pasta. I like Barilla brand pasta. Ditalini is a great substitute for elbow pasta.
- Cheddar: We like sharp cheddar cheese. Feel free to use your favorite cheese.
American Goulash Recipe Notes
- Herbs (Oregano, Basil, Bay Leaves) – Don’t let dried herbs scare you off. If you want your dish to have a bright burst of flavor, use fresh herbs; but if you want a mellow, warm, and cozy build of flavor, use dried herbs. What makes this dish stand out from others is the Mediterranean-inspired spices — the bay leaves, oregano, and basil. If you don’t have all of those, you can swap in 1-2 tablespoons of good ol’, reliable Italian seasoning.
- Seasoned Salt – My grandma was a master of balancing flavors, and one trick she loved was using seasoned salt. Seasoned salt is a great multi-purpose flavor enhancer, and its versatility is endless! Sprinkle it on French fries, zest up roasted veggies, add a shake or two into sandwiches — it adds spices like paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic, and even a sweet twist of sugar.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shredded versus block cheese. I am a bit of a cheese purist. Those bags of pre-shredded cheese available at the grocery store may look tempting and may save time, but there’s something so much creamier about freshly shredded cheese.
- Obviously, there’s no judgment if you choose to use the pre-shredded cheese for convenience’s sake! To take this goulash pasta recipe over the top,I generally buy a block of cheddar cheese and hand-shred it. American goulash with cheese is totally irresistible!
- We Use Water: Feel free to switch with beef broth. I think originally, my family was too poor, so we used water!
- Bell Pepper: Many recipes include bell peppers. My family didn’t use them in our goulash but I think this dish would be delicious with them included.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Refrigerator? An airtight container in the fridge is the way to go if you’re planning to finish this pasta recipe within one to two days. If you want to store it longer, you’ll need to transfer it to the freezer.
- Reheat Leftovers: In the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel. You may need to add some liquid to the leftovers, like chicken broth or beef broth.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! Well, sort of. Pasta is notoriously fickle in the freezer (say that five times fast), as the water content in the noodles can affect its quality in unusual ways. And if you store the sauce on top of the pasta, the noodles will continue to absorb the liquid, becoming softer over time, and after you thaw them.
- After freezing and thawing, this American goulash recipe will be a bit mushy, but that’s one of the beautiful things about comfort food — a little mushiness doesn’t stop it from tasting delicious! But if you only enjoy firm al dente pasta, it’s best to freeze only the sauce and make the pasta fresh when you’re planning to indulge again.
- As for the American goulash sauce, you can freeze that for up to four months
- Make-Ahead Tips: Thankfully, this recipe is very “make-ahead” friendly. Generally, what I do is follow the recipe through step #3. Then I let the mixture cool to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate.
- When it’s time to serve, I bring the tomato-beef mixture to a simmer and continue with the recipe in step #4 below.
Serving Recommendations
Serve this one pot American beef goulash with something fresh and crunchy like KFC coleslaw, broccoli salad, strawberry spinach salad, or carrot salad.
Of course, in my family there always needs to be a side of bread like authentic southern cornbread, or sweet Bisquick cornbread, my favorite crescent rolls, butter swim biscuits, cat head biscuits, or my quick and easy Bisquick biscuits.
Variations, Substitutes, + Additions
- Add Vegetables: this is great with a can of drained corn stirred in when you add the pasta.
- Add Beans: A can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or black or pinto makes this an even hardier dish and stretches the recipe to feed more people.
- Keto-Friendly: You can substitute the pasta for angel hair shredded cabbage like in the recipe low carb goulash by Lindsey at The Little Pine. I’ve tried her recipe and it’s actually, really delicious!
Can I Make This In Crockpot?
If you’d like to make this in the crockpot, check out my crockpot goulash. Basically, the difference in this recipe and my crockpot version is the means of cooking and the amount of liquid used.
Commonly Asked Questions
- Can you make it with other meats? Yes! This is wonderfully made with ground turkey. For an Italian spin, try Italian sausage!
- Can the noodles be cooked separately? Yes, but when they’re cooked directly in the beefy tomato sauce they absorb a lot more flavor. Some people like to cook the noodles separately and store them separately so they don’t get too soft.
- What is another name for American goulash? This dish goes by many names often depending on what region of the country you come from. Slumgullion, in a casserole version, try my Johnny Marzetti casserole, which is essentially a casserole version of this recipe, of just plain goulash are among some of the names.
How To Make American Goulash
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In a Dutch oven, brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks into small pieces. Continue cooking until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
-
Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
-
Stir in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano, basil, bay leaves, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat, cover, and simmer.
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Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaves.
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To serve, ladle into individual bowls and top with cheddar.
*****See full instructions below.
More Comforting Goulash And Stew
- Goulash Soup
- Meatball Stew
- Classic Beef Stew
- Cowboy Stew
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Pork Stew
- Chicken Stew
- Hamburger Stew
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Brunswick Stew
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
American Goulash
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground Beef 80/20
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups water
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans 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 (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown the meat (2 pounds) 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.
- Stir in the onions (1 large) and garlic (4 large cloves). Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent.
- Stir in water (3 cups), tomato sauce (2 (15-ounce ) cans), diced tomatoes (2 (14.5-ounce) cans), soy sauce (3 tablespoons), oregano (2 tablespoons), basil (2 teaspoons), bay leaves (2), seasoned salt (1 tablespoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the pasta (2 cups), cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves. To serve, ladle into individual bowls and top with cheddar (2 cups).
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Herbs (Oregano, Basil, Bay Leaves) - Don’t let dried herbs scare you off. If you want your dish to have a bright burst of flavor, you use fresh herbs; but if you want a mellow, warm-and-cozy build of flavor, you use dried herbs. What makes this dish stand out from others are the Mediterranean-inspired spices — the bay leaves, oregano, and basil. If you don’t have all of those, you can swap in 1-2 tablespoons of good ol’, reliable Italian seasoning.
- Seasoned Salt - My grandma was a master of balancing flavors, and one trick she loved was using seasoned salt. Seasoned salt is a great multi-purpose flavor enhancer, and its versatility is endless! Sprinkle it on French fries, zest up roasted veggies, add a shake or two into sandwiches — it adds spices like paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic, and even a sweet twist of sugar.
- Cheddar Cheese - Shredded versus block cheese. I am a bit of a cheese purist. Those bags of pre-shredded cheese available at the grocery store may look tempting and may save time, but there’s something so much creamier about freshly shredded cheese. Obviously, there is NO judgment if you choose to use the pre-shredded cheese for convenience's sake! To take this goulash pasta recipe over the top,I generally buy a block of cheddar cheese and hand shred it. American goulash with cheese is totally irresistible!
- Add Vegetables: this is great with a can of drained corn stirred in when you add the pasta.
- Add Beans: A can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or black or pinto make this an even hardier dish and stretch the recipe to feed more people.
- Keto-Friendly: You can substitute the pasta for angel hair shredded cabbage-like in the recipe Low Carb Goulash by Lindsey at The Little Pine. I’ve tried her recipe and it’s actually, really delicious!
Nutrition
On your phone? Check the web story here.
I do almost as the recipe says, but I do add chilli powder to give it the extra zing…we like it hot.
Do you have an approximate serving size for this dish?
Thanks!
-Haley
I haven’t had this in forever and can’t wait to try it out now that I am married to see how it comes out. But being from Kentucky, I can tell you that goulosh and burgoo are totally different things. However, if you have never had burgoo, you may also want to give it whirl. Check out Old Hickory BBQ or Moonlite BBQ, both in Owensboro, KY. Thanks!
Jamie you are so right about goulash and burgoo being two totally different things! And burgoo takes a long time to fix. 🙂 But boy is it good!
This was sooo good! I halved the recipe and had plenty of yummy leftovers. Added half of green pepper. Will be making this again.
2 thumbs up for all versions of Goulash! Mom fed 7 kids on a blue collar budget with 75% of our groceries home grown, traded or hunted. Our version would have to start with home canned tomatoes & elbow Mac, but whatever we had in freezer or was on sale went in the pot. Even venison burger or ground pork browned with onions & celery works if hamburg isn’t on hand. Had to laugh about letting it ‘age’ overnight. We didn’t ever have leftovers& no one who smelled it who didn’t reach for a bowlfull. Thanks for enlightening the rest of humanity what is probably rural white soul food. 🙂
Same with our family, too, Beth. Mama fed seven kids delicious food, and there was always plenty, and almost never any leftovers.
I am making this right as I type and my apartment smells divine. The only thing I am concerned with, is if the pasta will absorb too much of the liquid and become mushy. I have had this problem when I make soups and add pasta or rice. I’m thinking of making the pasta on the side and add it as I eat it.
Thank you!
I just responded to another reader regarding the mushy issue so check that out. If you are going to reheating it multiple times it could totally get mushy. Making the pasta on the side is a fail safe alternative. I just have to say that when the pasta does sit overnight, it does get softer, but it also increases the pastas flavor. I may just be used to the softer texture of the pasta in this dish because that’s how my family made it! Hope that helps….let me know how it works out. 🙂
Well for me…..I separated it into 2-baking dishes and froze 1 and put the other in the refrigerator. I took it out of the refrigerator about 1hr before my cooking time and the put it in a 350 Oven for about 45-min. I was surprised it took so long to heat through but it did and my guys loved it so it was worth the wait
I think it’s much quicker to heat it on the stove top gently.
I did not see how long to cook it after it has been in refrigerator.
I am thinking that I should take it out for about 1hr to bring to room temp. Then what??
I’ve never timed it but I think it takes about 15-20 minutes on a low gentle heat. If it seems a bit dry add a little water so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
My Family and I really enjoyed this recipe. i have one question my noodles ended up being mushy, is that normal? Did I do something wrong? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you
Hmmm. I don’t know why but I don’t seem to have that problem when I make it as directed and I HATE mushy pasta!!! I have had that problem happen when I’ve cooked it the nite before and tried to “keep” it heated for an extended period in a crock pot the next day. Making it the way directed above does definitely make the pasta soft but I haven’t had it turn mushy.
I’m wondering if possibly you let it sit an extended period after cooling? Or maybe the next day? Not sure… You could always cook it for less time or not at all after you add the pasta. You could just keep the pasta out and add it the next day and eat as soon as it’s al dente. Hopefully, this helps a bit and doesn’t just muddy the waters. Let me know if you figure out how to make it work better for you!! Good luck 🙂
I just made this for the second time tonight, and the weirdest thing is that my noodles this time are completely mushy the same day I cooked it. (they held their shape but have the consistency of mush) The only thing I changed between the first time and this was my pasta shape — from medium-sized (De Cecco) to tiny elbows (Panzani). Such a bummer, I’ll defnitely go back to a bigger shape and back to De Cecco.
Do you drain the diced tomatoes?
No, I add everything in the can.
This may be a silly question, but how to you heat it up after it spends the night in the fridge?
Hi Samantha! What a great question!!! You can microwave it or add a little water to a pan and slowly, over low heat, stirring often, heat it until it’s warm through.
Thanks a million Kathleen! My whole family watched me make this yesterday and we are all looking forward to chowing down on it for dinner tonight 🙂
Thank you!
I grew up in Iowa and my mother made this every week. She used home canned tomatoes, and never wrote the recipe down. I got homesick just reading your recipe. I have everything in house, so guess what is for dinner tomorrow?
My mom added just a touch of sugar and we called it slop.
My grandmother always added a couple ribs of chopped celery with the onion and garlic. It’s a secret ingredient that you wouldn’t think adds much, but it really does! 🙂
Hi Kathleen! This recipe looks amazing! I was considering making this tonight. But, I was wondering..Is the Soy Sauce an absolutely necessary element to the recipe? I don’t seem to have any more on hand and no time to pick any up. Is this something I can substitute or leave out altogether without compromising the flavor of the original recipe? If so, what would be an acceptable substitute for this item? Thanks in advance for your help! 🙂
Hey Christi,
This is one of those recipes that I wouldn’t dream of substituting anything. I have a very specific taste memory for this dish and think any change would ruin it for me. That being said, since you haven’t eaten this specific recipe many times it may be fine if you sub the soy sauce for Worcestershire sauce. I’d add 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire. Btw-I too often need to make substitues but this one kills me a little. I want it to be perfect for you!
Hey Kathleen,
Thank you so much for your suggestions! You’ll be happy and relieved to know that I, in fact did not have to substitute anything in the recipe last night! Haha 🙂
My other half brought me a bottle of Soy Sauce yesterday evening on the way home from work. Needless to say, it came out perfect and tasted amazing! It was a huge hit with the fam! Thank you! 😉
I made this the other day. It was yummy. One pot meal. Love that.
I used a dutch oven.
I have eaten this my whole life, when you grow up poor and in a big family you eat a lot of stew type stuff. I dont have a recipe, i cook my onions and garlic then add in my ground beef, i boil the noodles till theyre al dente while i do the meat. I drain the noodles, put them back in the pot then add the meat, then i put in a huge can of stewed tomatoes that i crush up w a masher, and a can of crushed tomatoes thats like a thick sauce, then add in a couple cans of tomato sauce, some sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and fresh ground pepper and a bay leaf. I let it simmer until the noodles soak up the sauce some. We then eat it with some buttered bread. No bacon, no soy sauce and the only cheese we use and is a must is shaker parmesan cheese. Its simple, yummy and takes no thinking lol
Kathleen,
You have a winner here. My husband who also loves to cook was very skeptical that this recipe was going to taste good. He asked that I not put the bay leaf in so I didn’t but only to appease him. Guess what? Winner!!!! With or without the bay leaf! Delicious!!!
Thank you for sharing!
Maria
Yay! So happy you guys liked it and made it your own 🙂
Made this for the fam tonight. (I read the part of letting it sit overnoght too late) It was still very good! Everyone liked it, including my picky boys I can’t wait ti see if the leftovers taste better after being refrigerated overnight. The only thing I did different was use ground venison instead of ground beef. Thanks so much for the recipe. It’s a keeper!! 🙂
Karrina, sooo happy it was a hit with the fam! Nothing better than a happy, well fed family 🙂
My father in law use to make this all the time and of course he loved to cook and never shared his recipe. After he passed we searched through all of his books and could never find this recipe. We had many failed attempts until I saw this one Pinterest and decided to try it! It smelt so good I couldn’t wait until the next day to try it!!! And I must say this is the it! I’m so happy to have found this recipe thanks so much for sharing!
Ashley thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so happy this recipe connects with your father in laws 🙂