A hearty Old-fashioned American Goulash is the epitome of comfort food. A flavorful beef stew loaded with veggies and optional pasta, this one-pot stew takes less than 15 minutes to throw together.

Old-fashioned American Goulash Recipe

On busy weeks where I won’t have as much time to cook different meals each night, I tend to make a giant pot of stew or chili for us to enjoy for at least a couple nights.

One of my family’s favorites is this Old-fashioned American Goulash, a hearty beef stew with rich flavor and plenty of tender veggies.

What’s the difference between American chop suey and goulash? In New England (the North Eastern American states) this dish is called goulash and can be made with or without pasta. In other areas of America, it goes by a variety of different name like American chop suey, slumguillion or Johnny Marzetti, and usually incorporates macaroni elbow noodles right in the stew.

If you’d like to add pasta to this recipe, stir it in during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. (Adding it before will cause the pasta to become soggy and overcooked.)

What is the difference between American Goulash and Hungarian Goulash? Hungarian Goulash is a hearty stew made with chopped beef and vegetables and is heavily seasoned with paprika. It is cooked low and slow for a few hours to develop the flavor and sometimes incorporates tender little dumplings. American Goulash is a quick 30-minute stew made with ground beef, tomatoes and usually incorporates seasonings like Italian herbs alongside paprika, and often incorporates pasta.

(We have an authentic recipe for Hungarian goulash coming up on the blog soon.)

Can you freeze leftover American Goulash? Yes, allow the stew to chill completely then place in ziptop freezer bags or your favorite freezer containers – ensuring there is as little air in the container as possible. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) Freeze for up to three months. Allow to thaw in the fridge completely before reheating and serving.

Ingredients for American Goulash

• Ground Beef
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Onion, sliced
• Italian Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade Italian seasoning here
• Paprika
• Garlic Cloves, sliced
• Carrots, chopped
• Worchestershire Sauce
• Tomatoes, chopped
• Green Bell Peppers, chopped

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: not traditional, but I added 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chipotle and hot sauce to taste.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Heavy stockpot or Dutch Oven <– highly recommended for even cooking and seamlessly transferring this recipe from the stove to the oven
• Sharp Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Wooden spoon or spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty

How to Make American Goulash

Place a heavy-bottomed pan (like a dutch oven) over medium heat.

Season the beef with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and add to the hot pan.

Cook until fully browned, stirring and breaking up any clumps occasionally.

Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.

Add the olive oil and butter to the pan.

Once the butter is melted, add the onions.

Cook the onions until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic, paprika, and return the beef to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the carrots, Worchestershire sauce and add enough water to cover the mixture.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes.

Skim off any grease that has accumulated on top.

Add tomatoes and peppers, cook for 5 minutes.

Season again with additional salt, pepper, and paprika as needed.

Pin this Easy Goulash Recipe with Ground Beef for a hearty meal the whole family will love:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our American goulash recipe:

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Yield: 8-10 servings

Old-fashioned American Goulash

Print

A hearty Old-fashioned American Goulash is the epitome of comfort food. A flavorful beef stew loaded with veggies and optional pasta, this one-pot stew takes less than 15 minutes to throw together.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning <-- grab our recipe for homemade Italian seasoning here
• 1/4 cup Paprika
• 4 Garlic Cloves, sliced
• 2 Carrots, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
• 4 Tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Green Bell Peppers, chopped

Instructions

1. Place a heavy-bottomed pan (like a dutch oven) over medium heat.
2. Season the beef with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and add to the hot pan.
3. Cook until fully browned, stirring and breaking up any clumps occasionally.
4. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
5. Add the olive oil and butter to the pan.
6. Once the butter is melted, add the onions.
7. Cook the onions until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
8. Add the garlic, paprika, and return the beef to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add the carrots, Worchestershire sauce and add enough water to cover the mixture.
10. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes.
11. Skim off any grease that has accumulated on top.
12. Add tomatoes and peppers, cook for 5 minutes.
13. Season again with additional salt, pepper, and paprika as needed.

Notes

If you'd like to add pasta to this recipe, stir 2 cups of uncooked elbow noodles in during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. (Adding it before will cause the pasta to become soggy and overcooked.)

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Verde Farms Organic 100% Grass-Fed Ground Beef 80/20, 1 lb
• 
  Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red
• 
  Chiquilin Mild, Smoked and Hot Spanish Paprika Set (Pack of 3)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 14g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

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I hope your family loves this easy American Goulash recipe as much as mine does!

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