Classic Goulash is a one pot recipe that is family friendly and great for a busy weeknight meal. It is affordable, feeds a crowd and everyone enjoys it.
If you aren’t familiar with goulash it is basically a concoction of ground beef, bell pepper, onion and pasta that is cooked in a tomato based sauce.Throw in some cheese at the end and you’re done in just about 30 minutes.
Classic Goulash
To make this goulash recipe I use a big ol’ pot. It makes a substantial amount so you will need the extra room. I love to serve this when I am having guests over and especially during colder months. There are no fancy ingredients and it is so quick to make.
You can make this goulash leaner by using ground turkey in the place of ground beef if you’d like. This recipe is also really forgiving if you want to add in extra vegetables like corn, green beans or carrots.
The consistency of goulash is thicker than soup-more like a pasta stew. I like it that way but if you prefer more of a thinner soup then you can add in some beef broth to thin it out more.
Ingredients
- Ground pork sausage: this is the star of the show, use what you like or have on hand it's ok if you want to sub part of it for ground beef, both work great
- Onion and garlic: these add lots of flavor, you cook them up with the meat
- Crushed tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes: I love that this recipes uses canned tomatoes because they are always in my pantry
- Beef broth: this is the cooking broth for your noodles
- Italian seasoning: I love this seasoning blend, so many flavors in one mix
- Macaroni noodles: you can use any small pasta that you like, macaroni is a classic
- Cheddar cheese: this is mixed in and melted in the dish, you can use a variety of cheeses or what you like
Recipe Instructions
- Cook up the meat and the onions.
- Add the garlic, tomatoes, spices, and broth the the pan.
- Add the noodles and cook until the noodles are cooked though.
- When the noodles are cooked, stir in the cheese.
- SO easy! Serve hot and enjoy. So hearty and easy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time I drain the fat from the ground beef. If you are using a 90/10 ground beef you don’t need to but in general it will make the dish healthier as well as less oily from the extra grease.
Macaroni noodles are the most commonly used but you have use any smaller shaped pasta like orzo or ditalini.
Where did goulash originate from?
Goulash originated in Hungary. However this version of goulash is American or also known as American Chop Suey. It came to American via immigrants because it was affordable and fed lots of people.
I like to serve a loaf of bread or a simple green salad with goulash. Not much else is needed because you have protein, fat and carbs.
More Recipes
- Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Classic Minestrone Soup
- One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta
- Simple Cream of Tomato Soup
- Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Soup
If you’ve tried this Classic Goulash Recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
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Classic Goulash
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
Goulash is a one pot recipe that is family friendly and great for a weeknight meal. It's made with sausage, pasta, tomatoes, and more!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork sausage
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 2 cans petite diced tomatoes (15 ounces each)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked
- 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (8 ounces)
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot with a lid, add the sausage and cook over medium to medium high heat until for a few minutes.
- Add a the onion and cook with the sausage until the sausage and the onion are cooked through, an additional 5 minutes or so.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook just until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth and stir to combine.
- Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and macaroni noodle and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a gently boil over medium heat.
- Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodle are cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid, remove from the heat, and stir in the cheese until melted.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve right away with additional cheese on top if you'd like.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can add some more veggies to this dish if you'd like. You can add bell peppers, zucchini, or whatever else you'd like. I just add them when I add my onion to the pot.
- You can switch out the cheese for whatever you like or have on hand.
- You can use whatever ground sausage that you like or have on hand. It works great with Jimmy Dean's sausage, you can use sausage that comes in links and remove the casing (hot Italian sausage is great in it). I just think it's best with a sausage that is ground. You can also use ground beef or part ground beef and part sausage.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: main dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: goulash recipe, goulash, how to make goulash, American goulash recipe, American goulash
Goulash is a hearty dish that features ground beef and tender noodles in a savory tomato sauce. It tastes delicious and makes for easy clean up because you only use one pot.
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