Introduction
There are certain smells that act like a time machine, aren’t there? For me, the rich, savory aroma of paprika, beef, and stewed tomatoes tumbling out of a simmering pot instantly transports me back to the small, cozy apartments of my Queens childhood. It wasn’t the Bengali food I grew up on, but it was the flavor of assimilation, of neighborly friendship, and of simple, profound satisfaction earned after a long, cold day. This comforting meal, which we are making today, is the quintessential Americanized version, what we call old fashioned goulash.
It’s the dish that demands simplicity. No fancy wine reductions, no expensive cuts of meat, just humble ground beef goulash and elbow macaroni swimming in a hearty, soul-warming tomato sauce. When I started cooking for my own family, Lena, Aria, and Kai, this recipe was one of the first I perfected. It’s impossible to be sad when you’re eating a big bowl of American goulash, spooning up the thick sauce and chasing those tender morsels of beef. It’s economical, it feeds a crowd, and frankly, it tastes like history. You are searching for the best old fashioned goulash recipe, and I promise you, this one, passed down through the suburban heartland and embraced by our busy Brooklyn brownstone, is the one you’ll keep on repeat.
Forget the intricate European stews for a moment; this is pure, unadulterated American nostalgia. It’s what you might call American chop suey, but gussied up with a little more depth. It’s what keeps Aria and Kai quiet for ten glorious, chewing minutes. The secret? A long, low simmer that allows the pasta to cook right in the flavorful sauce, absorbing every single ounce of deliciousness. This is a one-pot weeknight wonder, a true culinary hug.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned Goulash
- Ingredients for Old Fashioned Goulash
- How to Make Old Fashioned Goulash
- Pro Tips & Variations
- Old Fashioned Goulash Serving Suggestions
- Old Fashioned Goulash Storage & Reheating
- FAQ about Old Fashioned Goulash
- Final Thoughts
Why You’ll Love This old fashioned goulash
When I think about the recipes that truly resonate with our readers at MisterRecipes.net, they always share three core pillars: they must be simple, they must be delicious, and they must feel like an event, even if it’s just Tuesday night. This humble bowl of pasta and meaty sauce ticks all those boxes and more. This is truly the grandma’s old fashioned goulash experience, modernized for maximum flavor and minimal cleanup.
Why do I make this version, specifically, multiple times a month? It’s because it’s a beacon of comfort food that requires just one pot, making it the perfect solution for busy weeknights when chasing two energetic twins feels like a full-time sport. We’re aiming for easy goulash that delivers massive flavor, and this recipe nails it.
- It’s a True One-Pot Meal: The magic of this dish is that the elbow macaroni cooks directly in the tomato and beef sauce. As it plumps up, it releases starches, naturally thickening the sauce until it clings perfectly to every piece. This means less scrubbing and more family time. If you love one-pot dinners, check out our One-Pot Beefaroni for similar ease!
- Deep, Satisfying Flavor (The Secret Ingredient): While the core dish is simple, a hint of Worcestershire sauce and a bay leaf are the unsung heroes here. They add incredible depth, transforming simple tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into a rich, complex gravy that coats the ground beef beautifully.
- Budget-Friendly Comfort: This old fashioned goulash recipe utilizes staple pantry ingredients, like budget-friendly ground beef (or ground turkey, if you prefer) and inexpensive pasta. It stretches easily to feed a crowd, making it ideal for potlucks or just surviving the third week before payday.
- Kid-Approved and Customizable: Trust me, my kids, Aria and Kai, are harsh critics. They devour this. It’s not spicy, it’s hearty, and when topped with a blanket of melted shredded cheddar cheese, it’s irresistible. Plus, it’s a sly way to sneak in extra veggies, like bell peppers or mushrooms.
- Freezer-Friendly: This homemade goulash freezes like a dream, making it perfect for meal prepping. Double the batch, enjoy some tonight, and save the rest for a future dinner emergency. We will cover comprehensive storage tips below!
- Nostalgia Factor: For many, this dish is pure nostalgia, reminiscent of school cafeterias or family dinners at grandma’s house. This specific version, focused on rich flavors and tender pasta, aims to capture the essence of that comfort food goulash.
Ingredients for old fashioned goulash
The beauty of this easy goulash lies in the simplicity of its components. You likely have most of these ingredients in your kitchen right now. Here is what we need to build our magnificent American culinary classic:
- Ground Beef: I recommend 80/20 for the best flavor, but 90/10 works well too. This forms the heart of our beef goulash.
- Aromatics: Diced yellow onions and crushed garlic are non-negotiable starters for building a robust base flavor.
- The Tomato Base: We use a combination of canned tomato sauce (for smooth consistency) and canned diced tomatoes (for texture and acidity).
- Liquid Gold: Water or beef broth. Using broth adds significantly more depth, but water works just fine in a pinch.
- Pasta: Classic elbow macaroni. It’s what gives it that iconic texture. However, feel free to substitute with shells, rotini, or even small penne. We’re making old fashioned goulash with elbow macaroni for tradition’s sake!
- Depth & Spice: Smoked paprika, dried oregano, a Bay Leaf, salt, pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. That Worcestershire sauce is the secret handshake of this recipe.
- Optional Finish: A generous handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Melted sharp cheddar elevates this from a hearty stew to a cheesy, magnificent feast.
How to Make old fashioned goulash
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this dish needs intention, not perfection. This process encourages you to slow down, listen to the sizzle of the meat, and enjoy the layering of flavors. This is the simple method that yields the ultimate one pot old fashioned goulash.
- Brown the Beef & Aromatics: Grab your largest Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef (or ground beef pasta) and break it up with a spoon. Season it lightly with salt and pepper as it cooks. Once the beef is fully browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl, leaving about one tablespoon of fat in the pot. If you used high-fat beef, drain the excess completely.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onions to the beef fat and sauté them gently until they become translucent and smell sweet, about 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t rush this step, the sweetness of the cooked onions is key to a rich sauce.
- Build the Flavor Core: Push the onions to the side and add the minced garlic. Cook for just one minute until fragrant. Immediately stir in the smoked paprika and Italian seasoning. Toasting these dry spices for 30 seconds activates their oils and deepens their flavor profile dramatically.
- Pour in Tomato & Liquid: Pour in the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes, stirring well to scrape up all those flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pot (this is where the flavor lives!). Add the beef broth (or water) and the vital dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir in your seasonings: salt, black pepper, and the crucial bay leaf.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce up to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. This slow simmer allows the tomatoes to break down further and the seasonings to fully integrate, creating a deep, cohesive flavor for your easy goulash.
- Introduce the Macaroni: Stir the cooked ground beef back into the sauce. Now, add the uncooked elbow macaroni. Ensure the pasta is completely submerged in the liquid. If the sauce looks too thick or the pasta isn’t covered, add another half cup of broth or water.
- Cook the Pasta: Cover the pot and continue to simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the macaroni is perfectly al dente. Check and stir every 5 minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. Once cooked, remove the bay leaf.
- The Final Flourish (Optional but Recommended): Once the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick, turn off the heat. Stir in a generous handful of shredded cheddar cheese, or simply ladle into bowls and top with cheddar. Cover briefly until the cheese is melted and gooey. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. This truly makes the old fashioned goulash with elbow macaroni shine.
Pro Tips & Variations
While the classic recipe is perfect as is, cooking is an act of creativity and rebellion, remember? Feel free to adapt this comfort food goulash to your family’s preferences and dietary needs. These tips will help you master the dish, and the variations will keep things fresh!
Adam’s Essential Pro Tips for Perfect Goulash
- The Bay Leaf Rule: Never skip the bay leaf! It imparts a subtle, herby depth that you can’t quite place, but you absolutely miss when it’s gone. Just remember to fish it out before serving.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Since the pasta is cooking in a thick tomato sauce, it tends to cook differently than in boiling water. Start checking it earlier than the package directions suggest, around the 12-minute mark. You want it tender, but not mushy, as it will continue to absorb liquid even after the heat is off.
- Adjusting Consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick during simmering, add a splash of water or broth (about 1/4 cup at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered for an extra 5 minutes to allow some liquid to evaporate.
- Salt the Stages: Salt the beef when you brown it, and salt the sauce when you introduce the tomatoes. Layering the seasoning ensures the entire dish is flavorful, not just salty on the surface. For another simple, high-impact recipe, try our Old Fashioned Chili Recipe, which relies on layered spices.
Variations: Customizing Your Comfort Bowl
This old fashioned goulash recipe is highly flexible, making it perfect for customizing. Here are ways to remix this classic:
- Make it Beefaroni Goulash: To emphasize the cheesy, beefy nature of the dish, stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese or even Velveeta along with the shredded cheddar. The result is an ultra-creamy, decadent version that kids adore.
- Healthier Protein Swap: You can absolutely use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef. If you do, make sure to add a little extra olive oil during the sauté stage, as leaner meats won’t render as much fat, and ensure you boost the seasoning significantly.
- Add Hidden Veggies: This is a great place to hide nutrition from discerning eaters (like Aria and Kai, who swear they hate onions if they can feel them). Finely dice or grate carrots, bell peppers, or zucchini into the simmering sauce. They dissolve almost completely, adding nutrients and a subtle sweetness.
- Spicier Kick: For the adults who prefer a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you toast the spices, or stir in a teaspoon of hot sauce (like the one Lena smuggled back from our trip to Nashville) right before serving.
- Different Pasta Shape: While elbow macaroni is traditional, try shells, rotini, or ditalini. For a fun twist, especially if you ran out of small pasta, break up strands of spaghetti or linguine into 1-inch pieces.
old fashioned goulash Serving Suggestions
Goulash is a meal unto itself, a perfectly balanced plate of protein, carbs, and vegetables. However, every great meal deserves a supporting cast. The key to pairing is choosing sides that offer a light, crisp contrast to the rich, hearty nature of the beef goulash.
The Perfect Pairings
This homemade goulash calls for simple, fresh sides that cleanse the palate:
- A Simple, Bright Salad: You need acidity and crunch. A simple green salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, and garlic powder) cuts beautifully through the richness of the tomato sauce.
- Crusty Bread or Garlic Bread: Is goulash even goulash if you don’t have something sturdy to mop up the last bits of sauce? Slice up a baguette or make a quick, buttery garlic bread. Nothing gets left behind when you have a good piece of bread in hand. You could also try this with our Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes for a high-carb comfort meal.
- Simple Steamed Green Beans: Steamed or quickly sautéed green beans tossed with a bit of lemon zest and butter add a welcome pop of green and a fresh, crisp texture.
- Roasted Broccoli or Asparagus: High-heat roasted vegetables, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, bring a slight char and earthy flavor that complements the deep, savory notes of the old fashioned american goulash.
Remember, the goal is effortless dinner, so stick to sides that require minimal additional effort. The goulash is the star, and we don’t want the sides to steal the show.
old fashioned goulash Storage & Reheating
One of the best qualities of this old fashioned goulash is how well it holds up. In fact, like many tomato-based stews, the flavor often deepens and improves after a night spent chilling in the refrigerator. This recipe is fantastic for batch cooking and meal prep, truly embodying the spirit of resourceful, traditional comfort food.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerating: Once cooled completely, transfer servings into airtight containers. The goulash will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note: The pasta will absorb more sauce overnight, so the leftovers will be thicker than the fresh batch.
- Freezing for Long-Term: This dish is very freezer-friendly! Cool the goulash completely and place it in freezer-safe vacuum bags or sturdy containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. If you know you plan to freeze it, I suggest slightly undercooking the macaroni by 1 minute to prevent it from getting mushy upon reheating.
Reheating the Leftovers
The biggest challenge with reheating homemade goulash is dealing with the thickened, starchy sauce and potentially dried-out pasta. Here’s how to bring it back to life:
- Stovetop (Best Method): Transfer the goulash to a pot over medium-low heat. Add a splash of liquid, either water or beef broth (start with 1/4 cup per serving). Stir frequently as it slowly heats through. The added liquid will loosen the sauce back to its original consistency.
- Microwave (Fastest Method): Place the portion in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of water or broth over the top. Cover loosely and heat in 60-second intervals, stirring between each, until piping hot.
- From Frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then reheat using the stovetop method described above. If you’re in a rush, you can reheat directly from frozen on the stovetop, but keep the heat low and stir often to prevent sticking.
FAQ about old fashioned goulash
What is the difference between American Goulash and traditional Hungarian Goulash?
This is the most common question I get! Traditional Hungarian Goulash is primarily a rich, slow-cooked beef stew, seasoned heavily with paprika (often sweet and smoked) and features chunks of beef, diced onions, and sometimes potatoes—but no pasta. Our version, sometimes called American chop suey or old fashioned american goulash, is a totally separate dish. It’s an inexpensive, one-pot ground beef and pasta dish in a thick tomato-based sauce, a true comfort hybrid created in the States for speed and affordability.
Why did my goulash sauce turn out thin?
The sauce consistency in one pot old fashioned goulash relies heavily on the starches released by the elbow macaroni as it cooks. If your sauce is thin, you likely added too much liquid relative to the pasta. To fix it, simply simmer the goulash uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the excess moisture to evaporate. Alternatively, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water, stir it into the simmering goulash, and allow it to cook for 2 minutes to thicken.
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef for the goulash recipe?
Absolutely! Ground turkey is a fantastic substitution for a lighter dish. When using ground turkey, ensure you choose a blend that isn’t too lean, or add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot before browning to prevent sticking. You may also want to increase the seasonings slightly, as turkey has a milder flavor than ground beef. For another great way to use ground beef casserole, check out this recipe.
What is the best type of tomato to use for this recipe?
For the classic taste of grandma’s old fashioned goulash, I recommend using quality canned crushed tomatoes or pureed tomato sauce for smoothness, combined with diced tomatoes for texture. A common mistake is using highly seasoned Italian tomato pastes, which may shift the flavor profile too far away from the classic American diner style. Stick to simple canned tomatoes and rely on the garlic, onions, and paprika for the primary seasoning.
Can I use a slow cooker for this best old fashioned goulash recipe?
While you can certainly brown the beef and build the sauce in a slow cooker, I generally recommend the stovetop for this specific recipe because of the pasta. If you cook the macaroni for too long in the crockpot, it will turn mushy. If you must use a slow cooker, create the sauce and let it simmer for 3 hours on low. Then, add the uncooked macaroni during the last 30 minutes of cooking, ensuring there is enough liquid to submerge it.
Final Thoughts
There’s a beautiful honesty to a bowl of old fashioned goulash. It doesn’t pretend to be sophisticated or new. It simply exists, faithfully and robustly, as the perfect answer to a stressful day. Standing in my kitchen, smelling the paprika and tomatoes simmer, I often find myself thinking of my mother, and how she used food, whether it was Bangladeshi curry or an experimental American dish like this, to tell us that everything would be okay. That’s the true power of comfort food goulash.
This dish is an invitation: an invitation to slow down, to gather your people, and to just eat. It is meant to be messy, topped with too much cheese, and ladled generously into bowls still warm from the dishwasher. I hope this easy goulash brings the same warmth, simplicity, and pure joy to your table that it brings to mine every time I cook for Lena, Aria, and Kai.
If you loved this ground beef goulash, please save the recipe to your Pinterest board! Leave a comment below and let me know if you used elbow macaroni or shells. Happy cooking, and may your pot always be full!
Old Fashioned Goulash
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Push onions aside and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in smoked paprika and dried oregano. Cook for 30 seconds to toast spices.
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, more salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and scrape up browned bits.
- Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir the browned ground beef back in. Add uncooked elbow macaroni. Ensure pasta is submerged; add more broth if needed.
- Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until macaroni is al dente. Remove bay leaf.
- Turn off heat. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese (optional), cover until melted, or top servings. Serve immediately.
