Easy One-Pot American Goulash
American Goulash is an easy one-pot comfort food classic made with ground beef, elbow macaroni and a rich tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 3 cups beef broth or water
- 16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese optional
- Diced green onions or chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Stovetop American Goulash Instructions
- Sauté the onion: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Brown the ground beef: Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Season the mixture: Stir in the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- Add tomatoes and pasta: Pour in the petite diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, beef broth, and uncooked macaroni. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10–13 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If using, stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Garnish with green onions or parsley and serve warm.
Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) American Goulash Instructions
- Sauté the onion: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Brown the ground beef: Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Transfer to slow cooker and season: add the beef and onions to the slow cooker. Season - stir in the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- Add tomatoes broth: Pour in the petite diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir to combine.
- Cook - cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Add macaroni - about 30 minutes before serving, stir in the macaroni and cook on high until the pasta is tender.
- Options - stir in cheddar cheese just before serving if using. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with green onion or chopped parsley.
Instant Pot American Goulash Instructions
- Sauté the onion and beef: set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil and diced onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add in ground beef and brown thoroughly, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Season: Stir in the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- Add tomatoes and pasta: Pour in the petite diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, beef broth, and uncooked macaroni. Stir to combine making sure to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Pressure cook: lock the lid, set the valve to "sealing" and cook on high for 4 minutes.
- Quick release: when the timer goes off, carefully do a quick release. I like to cover the valve with a towel to prevent liquid from splattering all over. Give the g goulash a good stir. The mixture will thicken as it sits.
- Options - stir in shredded cheddar cheese if using, and garnish with chopped green onions or parsley.