I don’t hear people talking about goulash much anymore. But in our house growing up, it was a nearly weekly ground beef dinner. In fact, I think it was one of the first one pot pasta dinners. The OG you could say.
I stumbled upon this macaroni beef recipe years ago in a Usenet newsgroup. They didn’t call it goulash, though. The lady who posted it called it American chop suey! The heck you say! Never heard of that, but it looked exactly like goulash to me.
The original goulash originated in Hungary. They put potatoes and carrots in theirs. Germany has a variation called Goulashsuppe. I love how that word rolls off the tongue. Or doesn’t, in my case because I’m doing good to get English words right! But the German version is a little more similar to ours.
Traditional goulash is made with bell peppers. Lots of them. My family likes some kick in our macaroni beef meals, so I make mine with chile peppers. Your mileage may vary, and you can definitely use bell peppers.
The truth is, I love making this because it’s so very flavorful. But cheey goulash is easy, too. So that’s a win all the way around.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is the kind of ground beef dinner that makes weeknights feel a little less hectic.
- Budget-friendly all the way: Ground beef, elbow macaroni, canned tomatoes. You probably already have most of this in your kitchen right now.
- One pot pasta magic: Less cleanup means you actually get to sit down and eat with your family instead of scrubbing three pans.
- Kids love it: My kids aren’t too picky anymore, but they loved this even back when they picked anything green out of their food. The cheesy goulash version with extra cheese is the one the like best.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
There are tons of ways to change up this recipe for your fam. From the spices to the veggies, make it your own.
- Ground beef: We eat this with ground turkey almost as often as with ground beef. The flavor still holds up because the tomatoes and spices do most the heavy lifting.
- Elbow macaroni: Rotini or small shells work just as good here. Anything that grabs onto the sauce is what you want.
- Frozen corn: Canned corn works fine too. Drain it first. Fresh corn off the cob is even better in summer.
- Diced green chilis: LIke I said, we like the heat. But bell pepper is traditional, so you can always go with that.
- Cilantro: If you’ve got the “cilantro tastes like soap” gene, leave this out. And yes, that gene really is a thing. Science says so.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend melts great on top. Pepper jack adds even more kick.
Tips for Success
A few things that’ll make this macaroni beef turn out even better.
- Drain that grease: Don’t skip this step after browning the meat. Too much grease makes the whole dish feel heavy and slick.
- Cook the pasta just under al dente: It keeps soaking up liquid as it sits. If you cook it all the way through first, it’ll get mushy by the time you eat.
- Use the juice from the canned tomatoes: Don’t drain them. That liquid adds so much flavor to the sauce and keeps everything from drying out.
- Shred your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that keeps it from melting smooth. Take the extra two minutes. It’s worth it.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better the next day once everything has time to sit.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or warm the whole batch in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth if it’s thickened up too much overnight.
You can freeze this ground beef dinner for up to 3 months. Let it cool all the way down before putting it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
A simple green salad on the side keeps things balanced. The crunch is a nice contrast to the soft pasta.
Cornbread is probably the best pairing though. Something about warm cornbread with a bowl of this American chop suey just works. My mom always made cornbread with hers and I still do the same thing.
FAQs
Can I make this goulash ahead of time?
Yes, and honestly it’s even better that way. Cook everything, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. The spices settle into the pasta overnight and the whole dish tastes richer. Just reheat on the stove with a little extra water.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Try penne, rotini, even egg noodles. Elbows are classic for American chop suey but any short pasta shape holds the sauce well.
How do I make this in a slow cooker?
Brown the beef and onion on the stove first, then dump everything except the macaroni and cilantro into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in cooked pasta and cilantro right before serving.
Notes
I gave my goulash recipe a real American chop suey spin, I guess. Those chile peppers really give it a kick. The corn adds to the whole Southwestern vibe, too. And of course, cumin is the legit best for pairing with beef and tomatoes.
American Macaroni Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 cup Green bell pepper diced
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 15 oz Tomato sauce
- 1 can 15 oz Diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1 ½ cups Beef stock
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp. Tomato paste
- 2 tsp. Dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Set a large Dutch oven or a deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Drop in the ground beef, diced yellow onion, and green bell pepper, cooking for 5 to 6 minutes while continuously breaking the meat into small, uniform crumbles until it is entirely browned and the vegetables have softened.
- Tilt the pan slightly to ladle out or drain away any heavy excess pooling grease, leaving just a thin coat of flavorful lipids to gloss the ingredients, then reduce the stove heat to medium.
- Add the minced garlic and the 1 tablespoon of tomato paste straight into the center of the pan, mashing and stirring them against the hot metal surface for exactly 1 minute until the paste blooms into a deep rust color and fragrant aroma.
- Pour the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, dried Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper directly into the meat matrix, stirring firmly to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Drop the 1 cup of uncooked elbow macaroni straight into the liquid sauce, tossing completely so the raw noodles are fully submerged. Bring the pot up to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately drop the flame down to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring the mixture every few minutes to keep the loose pasta starches from anchoring or burning on the bottom of the pan. Once the noodles have absorbed the liquid, plumping up into tender, sauce-flooded tubes, stir in the 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese until it completely melts and strings throughout the beefy gravy, then pull from the heat and serve immediately.
