Easy Ground Beef Goulash (One Pot Comfort Food)
This easy ground beef goulash is a hearty, cheesy one pot dinner the whole family will love. Ready in under 45 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
The One Pot Ground Beef Dinner You Will Make on Repeat
If your weeknight dinner rotation could use a serious upgrade, this easy ground beef goulash is about to become your new best friend. It is warm, deeply savory, loaded with tender pasta and melted cheddar, and the whole thing comes together in a single pot in under 45 minutes. No complicated steps, no fancy ingredients, just pure comfort food magic.
This is not the Hungarian goulash you might know from culinary school. This is the American goulash that generations of home cooks have been making forever, the kind that shows up in Southern kitchens, Canadian households, and busy family dinner tables everywhere. Some people call it golosh recipe Southern style, some call it American chop suey, and some just call it the best easy dinner food they know. Whatever name you use, the result is always the same: a pot scraped completely clean.
Using quality tools makes a real difference when you are building flavor in a one pot dish like this. A heavy-bottomed Dutch oven distributes heat evenly and prevents the pasta from scorching as it simmers, and a good wooden spoon is your best friend for breaking up the beef and stirring without scratching your cookware.
Why This Recipe Works So Well
The secret to a great recipe goulash is layering flavor at every step rather than dumping everything in at once. Here is what makes this version stand out:
- Browning the beef properly builds a rich, meaty base that carries the whole dish.
- Blooming the spices in the beef fat before adding liquid wakes up their essential oils and adds incredible depth.
- Cooking the pasta directly in the sauce means every piece of macaroni soaks up that tomatoey, beefy goodness instead of sitting in plain water.
- Smoked paprika is the ingredient that quietly elevates everything. If you have ever wondered how to make a smoked goulash flavor without a smoker, this is your answer.
Chef's Tip: Do not skip draining the excess fat from the beef if your blend is fatty. A little fat adds flavor, but too much makes the final dish greasy. Two tablespoons left in the pan is plenty.
A True One Pot Cooker Recipe
One of the biggest reasons home cooks love this dish is that it genuinely is a one pot cooker recipe. You build everything in a single skillet or Dutch oven from start to finish, which means less mess and fewer dishes. For busy weeknights, that alone is worth its weight in gold.
This also makes it one of the most flexible one pot ground beef recipes for easy dinners you will find. The base formula is forgiving and easy to riff on:
- Goulash with cheese: Stir in cream cheese for a richer, creamier sauce, or pile on extra shredded cheddar at the end.
- Canadian Goulash variation: Add a can of corn and a handful of frozen peas for a heartier, slightly sweeter twist popular in Canadian home kitchens.
- Spicy version: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño with the onions.
- Extra saucy pasta recipes style: Add an extra half cup of beef broth and serve it looser, almost like a thick pasta soup.
Make It Your Own: This is a recipe that welcomes substitutions. No bell pepper? Use zucchini. No elbow macaroni? Rotini works great. Out of beef broth? Water with a bouillon cube is a perfectly fine swap.
Tips for the Best Results Every Time
A few small moves make a big difference with this dish:
Use an 80/20 ground beef blend. The fat content keeps the meat juicy and adds flavor to the sauce. Leaner beef can make the dish taste a little flat.
Do not rush the simmer. Once the pasta goes in, keep the heat low and steady with the lid on. This is what allows the pasta to cook through without the liquid evaporating too fast.
Stir once halfway through cooking. This prevents the pasta from clumping or sticking to the bottom, especially as the sauce thickens.
Season at the end. Different tomato sauces and broths have different salt levels, so always taste before adjusting.
Ready to make the easiest, most satisfying weeknight dinner of the week? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Easy Ground Beef Goulash (One Pot Comfort Food)
This easy ground beef goulash is a hearty, cheesy one pot dinner the whole family will love. Ready in under 45 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 80/20 blend recommended
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes, one can, undrained
- 2 cups beef broth, low sodium preferred
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp paprika, smoked paprika adds incredible depth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping, optional but highly recommended
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instruction
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with their juices), and beef broth. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the uncooked elbow macaroni and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Remove from heat and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Cover for 2 minutes to let it melt.
Serve hot, straight from the pot, with extra cheese if desired.
Equipment
- Large deep skillet or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Lid for the skillet or pot
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Making It Ahead
This goulash is best served hot straight from the pot, with a generous pile of shredded cheddar melted right on top. A simple green salad or some crusty garlic bread on the side turns it into a full meal.
For storage, let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the flavor genuinely improves overnight as everything melds together. For reheating, add a splash of beef broth or water and warm it over medium-low heat, stirring gently.
This recipe is also a fantastic make-ahead meal. You can make a full batch on Sunday and have effortless lunches or dinners ready for the week. It also freezes well for up to 3 months, making it a smart addition to any freezer meal rotation.
Whether you are searching for easy dinner foods on a Tuesday night or looking to meal prep for the week ahead, this ground beef goulash delivers every single time.
