This Cheesy Beef Goulash is warm, delicious, and full of flavor. It is one-pot comfort food. Quick and super easy to prepare.
What do you cook when it is cold outside and you have limited ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry? Try this one-pot Cheesy Beef Goulash using mostly pantry items and a handful of fresh ingredients. It takes minimum prep work and only 25 minutes to cook. I think you will agree that it is pretty awesome for a cheesy, warm, comforting, and delicious one-pot meal.
This dish is new to me. I saw it recently on the internet and wanted to make it ASAP because I knew Ro-Jiro would enjoy it very much. Turned out, the entire family loved it and I have to admit I cooked it twice in a row. The first time with broccoli for a complete one-pot meal and the second time as per most recipes out there with minor adjustments. Both versions were delicious and I have included the one with broccoli as a note in the recipe card below.
American Goulash
Before we get to the recipe, I just want to clarify that this goulash with macaroni is an American thing, not to be confused with Hungarian Goulash which is not cooked with noodles. The classic American Goulash on the other hand, does not come with cheese but I can see why some people added the cheese because it makes it even more delicious. Others even put it in the oven to brown the cheese which can be easily done. I kept it simple by simply sprinkling the cheese on the top and allowing it to sit for 5 minutes for it to melt before serving.
Sometimes, this dish is also known as Chili Mac. In fact, I actually used my Chili recipe as a guide to cook this dish. You will see the similarities in the ingredients and measurements used. I also referred to this other recipe since this is my first time cooking this Cheesy Beef Goulash.
If you have not tried this American Goulash, I hope you will give it a try soon. It really is quite delicious. Definitely check out the version with broccoli if you want a complete one-pot meal. Everything is the same except the addition of broccoli in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Similar Tools Used in Making This Cheesy Beef Goulash
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Vacuum 1102037 Cocotte, La Mer
Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup
Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoon Set
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef (450g)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 can diced tomato (14.5 oz/410g)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8oz/227g)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth or beef broth + ½ cup (120ml) extra if needed
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 2 cups macaroni (uncooked) (200g)
- 2 cups broccoli florets ** (optional) (180g)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (113g)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook until lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add Italian seasoning, paprika,
- diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste,
- and chicken/beef broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add dried macaroni. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Check and stir every now and then to make sure that there is sufficient liquid to cook the macaroni. If not, add a little more chicken/beef broth.
- When macaroni is cooked and tender, turn off stove. Sprinkle shredded cheese and chopped parsley on the top.
- Allow goulash to sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese before serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Easy Clean Up Too
This delicious comfort food can be served in a bowl and eaten with just a fork. This way, clean up is a breeze. Just one pot, a few bowls, and several forks. Dinner and clean up all in one hour or so. We enjoyed this so much that the family agreed that this should be in our dinner menu rotation. I am more than happy to oblige. 😉
Linda, this is an absolutely tasty recipe that my husband Rick loved. I can’t thank you more and myself for checking this out last week when my friend messaged it to me when I asked her for a beef recipe that uses pasta ingredients. Even I was surprised how rich it tasted and different from other beef dishes that I have made. Kudos to you!
Thank you for the positive feedback! This dish has become a family favorite for us and my sons have asked for it to be on our dinner menu rotation. Best of all, it is so easy to prepare.