Easy American Goulash (Print version)
Hearty one-pot easy american goulash with ground beef, macaroni, tomato sauce, and melted cheese. Ready in 35 minutes.
# Ingredients:
For the goulash
01 -
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
02 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
03 -
1 medium onion, diced
04 -
1 green bell pepper, diced
05 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
06 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt
07 -
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 -
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
09 -
1/2 teaspoon paprika
10 -
1 (15 oz / 425 g) can tomato sauce
11 -
1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can diced tomatoes
12 -
2 cups beef broth
13 -
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
14 -
2 bay leaves
15 -
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
16 -
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
02 -
Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Drop in the bay leaves and stir.
03 -
Bring the liquid to a boil, then stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir once or twice so the pasta does not stick to the bottom. It is done when the noodles are tender but not mushy.
04 -
Remove the bay leaves. Turn off the heat and stir in most of the cheddar until melted. Sprinkle the rest on top, cover the pot for 2 minutes, and let it get gooey. Serve straight from the pot.
# Good to know:
01 -
Best served immediately while the cheese is still gooey.
02 -
If freezing, omit the cheese and add fresh cheddar when reheating.