American Goulash

Why you’ll love it

American goulash has very little resemblance to Hungarian goulash apart from having beef and paprika in it. Depending on the region in the USA, you’ll hear similar dishes variously referred to as American chop suey, Johnny Marzetti, and slumgullion. They’re all basically the same delicious beef and pasta recipe that’s appeared in cookbooks since 1914!

Whatever you call it, this easy ground beef recipe is great for kids and picky eaters. It’s also a fantastic weeknight dinner for busy parents since it’s made all in one pot, so clean-up is minimal. Cue the nostalgia with this comfort food classic!

What you’ll need

• Olive oil – for sautéing the beef and aromatics
• Ground beef – we’re using lean ground beef here
• Garlic and onion – classic aromatics to add layers of flavor
• Bell pepper – either red or green is perfect
• Tomato sauce – for my international audience, canned tomato sauce is similar to passata
• Canned tomatoes – I like the texture that diced tomatoes give
• Beef broth – it adds richness to the sauce. You can also use a half broth, half red wine mix to elevate the dish!
• Italian seasoning – a fabulous blend of dried herbs that conveniently comes in a single jar
• Paprika – I used mild paprika, but you could use hot or smoked to change it up
• Red pepper flakes – optional, but they give a nice little kick without it being spicy
• Macaroni – it’s the standard pasta used, but you could sub something that’s the same size
• Bay leaves – this might seem like a small detail, but they really enhance this goulash. Don’t skip ’em!
• Cheddar cheese – some versions include cheddar while others don’t. The cheddar in my version is totally optional.

How to make American Goulash

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the beef, onions, and garlic until the beef has browned. Stir in the chopped bell pepper, tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, paprika, and red pepper flakes.

Bring it to a boil and then add in the macaroni and bay leaves. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes, then take the pot off the heat, stir in the cheddar, and cover for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Substitutions and variations

• If you prefer, swap the ground beef for sausage meat or ground turkey.
• You could easily add in some extra vegetables (chopped small) if you like. Try mushrooms.
• You can play with the seasonings a bit, but I wouldn’t deviate from the liquid measurements too much as it’s a one pot pasta and you don’t want to end up with too little or too much liquid!