Name: Easy Goulash Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion (peeled and diced); 1 green bell pepper (seeded and diced); 2 pounds lean ground beef; 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced); 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce; 2 (15 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes; 3 cups beef broth; 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce; 2 teaspoons seasoned salt; 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning blend; 3 bay leaves; 2 cups macaroni noodles (uncooked); 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

By: Jill Mills Posted: Aug 27, 2021 Updated: Jul 28, 2022

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This wonderfully Easy Goulash Recipe is super to be a new family favorite! A completely homemade version of American goulash, this pasta dish is filled with flavor from the tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, fresh garlic, and seasonings all cooked together with ground beef and macaroni noodles, then finished with a pile of cheddar cheese. Dinner is served!

Easy Goulash Recipe

We absolutely love this Easy Goulash Recipe, and your family will too! This is the perfect one-pot meal that comes together in a snap for a weeknight dinner.

For more family-friendly recipes, check out these: Pork Chop Casserole | Pepperoni Pizza Pockets | Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner | BBQ Chicken Quesadilla | Easy Cranberry Chicken

The Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Easy Goulash Recipe (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card):

Olive oil – you’ll cook the onion, pepper, and ground beef in the oil. If you prefer, you can use a different oil, such as vegetable oil.
Onion – either a yellow or white onion works well.
Green bell pepper – bell peppers are mild, but add great flavor to the goulash.
Lean ground beef
Garlic – fresh garlic is the best for this recipe.
Canned tomato sauce
Canned petite diced tomatoes
Beef broth – use canned beef broth or homemade.
Worcestershire Sauce
Seasoned salt
Italian seasoning blend
Bay leaves
Macaroni noodles – be sure you do not cook the macaroni before adding it to the beef goulash. It will cook as it simmers together with the meat and sauce.
Cheddar cheese – you’ll add this right at the end to make the goulash nice and cheesy.

ingredients to make Easy Goulash Recipe.

How to Make Goulash

Add olive oil to large pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat.

diced onion and bell pepper in olive oil in the pot.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and ground beef then cook, stirring often, until the beef is fully browned. Drain off any excess fat. Next, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

browning the ground beef with the onions and bell peppers.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.

adding bay leaves and seasonings to the pot.

Add the uncooked macaroni noodles. Stir well and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until the pasta is tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese just before serving.

So delicious and cheesy!

freshly made Easy Goulash Recipe in a red pot.

What to Serve with Easy Goulash Recipe

Extra cheese
Sour cream
Fresh chopped parsley
Hot sauce
Bread and butter
Side salad
Steamed rice
Extra macaroni noodles

stirring Easy Goulash Recipe with a wooden spoon.

Variations

Ground turkey – to lighten the dish, you can use ground turkey instead of beef.
Fire-roasted tomatoes – try using fire-roasted petite diced tomatoes for extra flavor.
Add spice – to make your goulash spicier, try adding some cayenne pepper.

How to Store Leftovers

Keep the leftover beef goulash in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or reheat all of the leftover goulash in a pot on the stove.