Traditional goulash is made with macaroni noodles, ground beef, and kidney beans simmered in a beef and tomato herb broth. It's the ideal quick, easy and inexpensive comfort food dinner.
Goulash is the epitome of comfort food and a go-to budget dinner recipe.
A traditional American goulash has macaroni noodles, ground beef, a tomato and beef based broth with herbs and dark red kidney beans, along with paprika, onion and other spices.
If you've never made goulash, you might find this recipe a game changer because it's not really something you need to go out to the store to buy ingredients for.
Ingredients
It's more than likely you already have what you need to make it; it's also super easy and inexpensive to keep these pantry ingredients stocked for when you need to make a quick and easy dinner in a pinch.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a Dutch oven or deep skillet on medium high heat.
Brown
Begin by browning the ground beef (if you choose to add a handful of diced onion, tomatoes or other vegetable, sauté it with the ground beef). Drain the grease.
You can add a minced onion, fresh diced tomatoes, or another cup full of a diced vegetable if desired, and sauté it with the ground beef.
Sauté
Add in the tomato paste and seasonings to the pan, and sauté them for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
Simmer
Pour in the broth and herbs (thyme, oregano, bay leaf), and pinch of sugar; stir until combined. Add the dry, uncooked pasta. Stir, and reduce heat to medium.
Cook on medium heat until liquid is absorbed and pasta is tender, about 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Related Recipes
Try these other budget-friendly, pantry staple ingredient recipes that use ground beef:
Traditional Goulash
Ingredients
- ½-1 lb ground beef use ½ to 1 pound
- 1 ⅔ cups uncooked elbow noodles
- 32 oz beef stock
- 15 oz can kidney beans drained, rinsed
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. sweet paprika avoid smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sugar (pinch)
- ½ tsp dried or fresh thyme and oregano each
- 3 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion peeled minced (optional)
- 1 tomato diced (optional)
Instructions
- On medium high heat brown 1 pound beef on medium high heat. (If you are adding diced onion and/or tomato, put them in with the beef now).
- Add (3 tbsp.) tomato paste, (1 tbsp.) paprika, (½ tsp. each) onion and garlic powders, sugar; Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to toast spices.
- Add stock, stir to combine, then reduce heat to medium.
- Stir in dry pasta and drained, rinsed kidney beans.
- Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes until pasta is done; remove from heat.
- Salt and pepper to taste, and remove bay leaves before serving.
Notes
- Do not use smoked paprika
- Remember to remove bay leaves before serving
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