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American goulash served in a shallow speckled bowl with an ornate gold fork, surrounded by parsley and uncooked macaroni.
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American Goulash

American Goulash is a one pot dinner of ground beef, tomatoes, and elbow macaroni simmered together until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick, then finished with melted cheddar. Ready in 50 minutes and serves 6.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: American chop suey, american goulash, One Pot Beef and Macaroni
Servings: 6
Calories: 800kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounces
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces
  • 2 cups beef broth low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
  • 1½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the 2 pounds ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain off the excess fat.
    Side-by-side photos showing raw ground beef and browned beef crumbles in a cream enamel pot with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the diced onion and green bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
    Diced onion and green bell pepper added to browned ground beef, followed by minced garlic and tomato paste.
  • Add the can of crushed tomatoes, the can of diced tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Tuck in the 2 bay leaves and stir to combine.
    Tomatoes, broth, seasonings and bay leaves added to browned beef and vegetables, then stirred together into a red sauce.
  • Bring to a simmer, then stir in the 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then so the pasta does not stick, until the macaroni is tender.
    Uncooked elbow macaroni added to beef and tomato sauce, then stirred through with a wooden spoon for cooking.
  • Fish out the bay leaves. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar until melted and creamy.
    Shredded cheddar added to cooked beef and macaroni, then stirred into the tomato sauce until melted and creamy.
  • Scatter the remaining ½ cup cheddar over the top, cover for 1 to 2 minutes until it melts, then sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons parsley and serve.
    Two photos showing American goulash topped with shredded cheddar, then finished with melted cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

  1. Use a wide heavy pot. A Dutch oven works best. The macaroni needs room, and a thin pot scorches on the bottom once the pasta goes in.
  2. Drain the beef well. Regular ground beef leaves a lot of fat behind. Lean or extra lean needs less draining.
  3. Stir every few minutes. Once the macaroni is in, it sticks to the bottom if left alone.
  4. Check the pasta at 12 minutes. Cook time varies by brand. Tender, not falling apart.
  5. Grate the cheese from a block. Pre shredded cheddar is coated to stop it clumping and it doesn’t melt as smoothly.
  6. Taste before serving. Adjust the salt. Tomatoes and broth vary.
  7. Storage. Airtight in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth to loosen. Freezes up to 3 months, though the macaroni softens.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 800kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1236mg | Potassium: 1272mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1093IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 7mg
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