Ground Beef
$1.35per plate
Prep
10 min
Ground Beef · Goulash
American Goulash
American goulash is a one-pot classic that has nothing to do with the Hungarian stew of the same name. It is ground beef and elbow macaroni simmered together in a seasoned tomato sauce until the noodles cook right in the pot and soak up all the flavor. It feeds six for about $1.50 a plate, cooks in about 40 minutes with only one pot to wash, and it is exactly the kind of cheap, filling dinner that made it a school-cafeteria and church-basement staple.
$1.50per plate
Estimated recipe total
$8.99 · serves 6
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef with the onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat, until browned and the onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and cook one more minute. Drain excess fat.
2
Build the sauce
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and the Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble for a few minutes so the flavors come together.
3
Cook the macaroni right in the pot
Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, cover, and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the noodles do not stick to the bottom, until the macaroni is tender and has soaked up most of the liquid.
4
Rest and serve
Take the pot off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. The sauce thickens as it rests and the macaroni finishes absorbing it, so what looks a little loose turns just right. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ground turkey for beef. Turkey works well against the tomato and herbs and can be cheaper some weeks. Add a splash of oil since it is leaner than 80/20 beef.
- Shredded cheese stirred in. A handful of shredded cheese melted in at the end, or sprinkled on top, turns this into a cheesy goulash for about a dollar more. Use whatever is in the fridge.
- A can of tomato soup for the sauce. A can of condensed tomato soup can stand in for the tomato sauce in a pinch. It is a little sweeter, so hold back on any added sugar.
- Any short pasta for elbow macaroni. Rotini, shells, or penne all work in place of elbow macaroni. Keep an eye on the simmer time, since larger shapes take a couple extra minutes to cook through.
3 Budget tips
- Cooking the macaroni right in the sauce means one pot to wash and no water to drain, and the noodles soak up flavor they would rinse away in a separate pot.
- A box of elbow macaroni and two cans of tomato are among the cheapest things in the store, which is how a pound of beef stretches to six plates here.
- Double the batch. Goulash reheats beautifully and the flavor deepens overnight, so a big pot covers dinners and lunches for most of the week.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The macaroni keeps absorbing the sauce, so leftovers get thicker and the flavor deepens overnight.
Freezer
Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. The macaroni softens a little after thawing but holds up well in the sauce. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, stirring until heated through, or microwave in 1 minute bursts.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
350
Protein
19g
Fat
13g
Carbs
40g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is American goulash?
American goulash is a one-pot dish of ground beef and elbow macaroni simmered in a seasoned tomato sauce. Despite the name, it is not the same as Hungarian goulash, which is a paprika-heavy beef stew with no pasta. The American version is a cheap, filling weeknight casserole cooked on the stovetop.
Do I have to cook the macaroni separately?
No, and you should not. The macaroni cooks right in the tomato sauce and broth, soaking up flavor and saving you a second pot and the step of draining. Just stir occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom.
What is the difference between goulash and chili?
Goulash is built on tomato sauce and Italian herbs with macaroni cooked into it, while chili leans on chili powder, cumin, and beans with no pasta. They share ground beef and a tomato base but taste and eat quite differently.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $8.99 for the whole pot, split across six servings, which is roughly $1.50 each. The pound of beef is the biggest cost, with the pasta and canned tomatoes adding just over two dollars total.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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