This recipe for American Goulash has been a family favorite for generations. This hearty macaroni pasta dish made with a tomato based meat sauce. Family-friendly and crowd-pleasing, this dish is affordable and delicious!

Growing up, I always looked forward to when my Grandma made Goulash. Goulash has many variations, but I love the Midwest goulash that I grew up with.

American goulash was originally developed as an inexpensive dinner recipe. Goulash was a great dinner recipe to stretch a pound of ground beef and feed a lot of people.

Even though my Grandma is no longer with us, whenever I make goulash I think of her. Goulash is a great recipe if you need to feed a crowd without spending a ton of money

There are so many different goulash variations, but the recipe that I am sharing is my favorite.

My 4 year old loves this recipe so much. I am always looking for kid-friendly recipes, and this American Goulash recipe is a crowd pleaser.

Goulash Ingredients:

Pasta- I prefer using the large elbow noodles for goulash. If you can't find the large elbows, you can always use regular elbow pasta noodes.
Onion and bell pepper- Diced yellow onion and green bell pepper are sautéed in olive oil before adding the ground beef.
Garlic- fresh garlic adds a nice flavor profile to the pasta.
Ground Beef- This is the meat for the goulash.
Spices- I like to add some dried oregano and sweet paprika to the goulash. You can leave out the sweet paprika if you want.
Tomatoes- A combination of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce make the base of the pasta sauce.
Bay Leaf- Adds a nice depth of flavor the pasta sauce.

Cooking Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil; add salt. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside until needed.
Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper; cook 10-12 minutes, or until softened.
Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute.
Remove the beef from the package and add to the pot. Using a meat masher, break about the beef and cook until browned.
Add the oregano, paprika, salt and pepper to taste; stir.
Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf.
Add the cook elbow pasta and stir.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

This goulash pasta recipe makes a lot which I think is a great thing because the leftovers taste amazing.

More pasta recipes to try:

I hope that your family enjoys this Midwest old fashioned pasta recipe!

American Goulash

Name: American Goulash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 16 ounce Box Large Elbow Pasta; 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil; 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced; 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced; 2 Garlic Cloves, minced; 1 Pound (16 ounces) Ground Beef; 1 Teaspoon Oregano; 1 Tablespoon Sweet Paprika, optional; 2 -15 ounce cans Tomato Sauce; 2 - 15 ounce cans Diced Tomatoes; 1 Bay Leaf; Salt and Pepper to taste

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This hearty macaroni pasta dish made with a tomato based meat sauce. Family-friendly and crowd-pleasing, this dish is affordable and delicious!

Ingredients

1 16 ounce Box Large Elbow Pasta
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Pound (16 ounces) Ground Beef
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Sweet Paprika, optional
2 -15 ounce cans Tomato Sauce
2 - 15 ounce cans Diced Tomatoes
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil; add salt. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside until needed.
Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper; cook 10-12 minutes, or until softened.
Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute.
Remove the beef from the package and add to the pot. Using a meat masher, break about the beef. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until it starts to brown.
Add the oregano, paprika, salt and pepper to taste; stir.
Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf.
Add the cooked elbow pasta and stir.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 149Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 711mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 7g

Serving size is just an estimate per serving.