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    Home » All Recipes

    Easy Pasta and Beef. (American ‘Goulash’)

    Apr 18, 2019 · 22 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy recipe for “pasta and beef.” Comes together in less than 30 minutes. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.  

    Close up of cooked American Goulash. Pasta, Tomato Sauce, and Ground Beef

    Years ago I told Greg that I planned to make goulash for dinner. He thought I was making a beef stew seasoned with paprika. So you can imagine his surprise when I set down a very American casserole on the table.

    The conversation that followed went something like this:

    “What’s this?”

    “It’s goulash.”

    “No…no, it isn’t. It’s like a homemade version of, I don’t know, Hamburger Helper*.”

    I was confused. He was confused. And we both thought we were right and the other person was wrong. 

    *He has never, ever lived down comparing my cooking to Hamburger Helper, let me tell you.

    See, Greg assumed I would be making the classic Hungarian stew and had never heard the macaroni and beef casserole I made referred to as goulash. And I’d never heard of the Hungarian stew. 

    After sharing this story and recipe a few years ago on Serious Eats, I learned a few things:

    1. Some people get really annoyed when this pasta dish is called “goulash”. (But people on the internet get annoyed about everything so this isn’t really a surprise.) 
    2. This dish goes by several other names. Johnny Marzetti, American Chop Suey, Pasta and Beef, and, my favorite, “Ms. Mac Special.” That last one, I’m sure, is a family nickname for this dish.

    No matter what you call it, this recipe for pasta and beef is pure comfort food.

    How to Make Goulash (Aka Pasta and Beef)

    Cooked American Goulash. Pasta, Ground Beef, and Tomato Sauce in Pan.

    1. Cook the Pasta. Elbow macaroni is traditional for this dish. If you replace it with another type of pasta, you might need to adjust the amount of sauce used.
    2. Cook the Ground Beef. While the pasta cooks, cook the ground beef with a chopped onion and some minced garlic.
    3. Add the Tomato Sauce. For this recipe, I use a specific brand of tomato sauce: Hunt’s. It’s not fancy–at all. The reason I use it? Consistency. It’s not too thick. In fact, it’s on the thin side. Would I use this sauce for a traditional pasta dish? Never. Ever. But for goulash, it’s perfect. (If you want to make homemade sauce, use my recipe for easy pasta sauce, and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to thin before adding it to the pasta.)
    4. Stir Everything Together. Stir the pasta together with the ground beef and sauce. (If you want, add a generous handful of shredded Cheddar cheese. )

    Can I use Velveeta in American Goulash?

    Sure, I don’t see why not. I don’t use Velveeta in this recipe but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work. Add 4 ounces of shredded Velvetta to the finished recipe and stir until melted. 

    Does Goulash contain olives?

    Some recipes might. This one doesn’t. But if you love olives and want to use them, go for it. 

    Is Goulash the same thing as Cheesy Mac and Beef?

    Probably. This dish goes by seemingly a thousand names. In this recipe, the cheese is optional. If you want an easy- cheesy mac and beef, stir in about 4 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese or, to answer the question above, Velvetta. 

    Is this Goulash the same as “Slumgullion”?

    I have to be honest, when someone first asked me this, I thought they were either 1. joking. 2. swearing at me 3. misspelling something (probably misspelling a swear word.) I was wrong. Yes! American Goulash and slumgullion are the same. But “the same” is vague because recipes vary so much from cook to cook. 

    Close up of cooked American Goulash. Pasta, Tomato Sauce, and Ground Beef.
    4.77 from 13 votes
    Print

    American Goulash

    Easy 30 Minute Recipe for "Pasta and Beef." 

    Servings 6

    Ingredients

    • Salt
    • 1 pound elbow macaroni
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • 1 clove garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
    • 1 (28 ounce) can Hunt's tomato sauce
    • freshly ground black pepper, optional
    • 4-6 ounces cheddar cheese grated (about 1 1/2 cups) optional

    Instructions

    1. Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Set a colander in the sink for draining the pasta. When the water reaches a boil, add salt, about two teaspoons, and the pasta. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds, then stir occasionally while the pasta cooks.
    2. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking. Add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and aromatic.
    3. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until thoroughly cooked and browned, about four minutes. If desired, remove and discard any excess fat.
    4. Stir the tomato sauce into the beef. Reduce heat to low. Taste. Season with salt and pepper if needed. (This is a good time to check the pasta if you haven’t already.)
    5. After about 10 minutes of boiling, check the pasta for doneness. Drain the pasta in the colander and return it to the cooking pot.
    6. Add the meat sauce to the pasta and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. If using cheese, add it, one handful at a time, stirring between each addition until the cheese is melted.
    7. Serve with additional sauce, optional.

    Recipe Notes

    Love Sauce?

    If you love your pasta with lots of sauce, pick up a small (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce. Heat it gently, either in a microwave-safe cup or on the stovetop in a small pan, and serve alongside the pasta.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. April says

      January 12, 2020 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      Love that this is so easy to vary per cool or for people you are serving. So easy and my family thought it was wonderful!

      Reply
      • Peggy Johnson says

        January 11, 2021 at 8:19 pm

        4 stars
        I make it with green peppers onion an11 large can of crushed tomatoes an an use ditalinni instead of elbow s I call it American PASTA FAGIOL its delicious parmesan cheese on top of your bowl with Italian bread

        Reply
        • Ben says

          July 28, 2022 at 5:01 am

          So you really didn’t make her recipe at all

          Reply
    2. Maria Cordeiro says

      February 05, 2020 at 6:50 am

      5 stars
      Very yummy

      Reply
    3. Cindy Neidig says

      April 03, 2020 at 6:07 pm

      I think my mom made this with a can of stewed tomatoes too. And Velveeta shredded.
      Guess I’ll have to try that and see how it comes out.

      Reply
    4. Lisa says

      June 30, 2020 at 7:07 pm

      4 stars
      Looks tasty, however I really wish you used actual cup measurements, instead of weight….ex: 1-lb of elbow macaroni, 4-6oz of cheddar cheese. Better to measure by cups.

      Reply
    5. Marilyn Carroll says

      July 19, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      I made goulash with ground pork this time. with sweet peppers and onion. so good

      Reply
    6. Mike says

      August 10, 2020 at 1:07 pm

      It is goulash. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        August 10, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Hahahaha. Yesssssss!

        Reply
      • Lynette says

        June 23, 2021 at 4:45 pm

        5 stars
        What is the olive oil for? Was looking to try this recipe 🙂

        Reply
        • Elizabeth says

          June 23, 2021 at 5:39 pm

          Hi Lynette,
          You cook the onion in the olive oil. The oil is called for in step two. Hope this helps!

          Reply
    7. Lee says

      October 05, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for THIS recipe but kept getting the other ones. I had to look for elbow macaroni recipes to find you. Thanks for posting.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        October 06, 2020 at 10:09 am

        Thanks for finding it again! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. DangerKitty says

      October 23, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this recipe! I hadn’t thought of goulash in forever-my grandma used to make it as her “specialty” dish. <3 She made it with chopped bell pepper and a can of chick peas or lima beans (whatever was in the pantry) and probably tripled the onions (she LOVED onion, lol) but we loved it anyways. I made it with a 24-oz jar of spaghetti sauce and added a can of mushrooms, oregano, basil, and thyme. (I was out of bay leaf, or else it would have gone in, too.) I also added a good dash of crushed red pepper, since my family likes it hot. I grated a 6 oz brick of mozzarella and added half to the mix, then topped it with the rest and put the lid back on for a few minutes til it was all melted. Soooo good.

      Reply
    9. Tiffany says

      December 09, 2020 at 11:54 pm

      5 stars
      My made this all the time, without the cheese, when I was a child. It was one of the first recipes I asked for when I got married. It’s lost now, but this recipe tastes just like Mom used to make! And yes, it was always called goulash! Thank you for sharing this ♡

      Reply
    10. Tyler says

      January 17, 2021 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      I liked this a lot! For me it has nostalgia of younger days growing up. I’m a single guy and this was super easy. People who complain of lack of flavor don’t understand that you season your own food to your liking if you don’t like what was used. Thanks for sharing this! Will be making again this week!

      Reply
    11. Dawanya Miles says

      January 18, 2021 at 11:11 pm

      5 stars
      I didn’t put any cheese in at all because I feel like it over powers it, my mom made it with chopped onions and corn (DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED) but don’t add any cheese because the corn/cheese/tomato taste does not mix well ?? but I do really recommend corn

      Reply
    12. Jerrietta says

      February 23, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      4 stars
      I was wondering if bottled marinara sauce would work?

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        February 24, 2021 at 10:55 am

        Sure!

        Reply
    13. Patti says

      February 24, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      My mother got this recipe from my paternal grandmother. We called it More, because everyone always wanted more. We put corn and bell peppers in it; otherwise the same. I am now craving it.

      Reply
    14. Susan L Collins says

      April 19, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Mom and I used to call this Monday macaroni. It’s always a hit and way better than the “helper” boxed garbage. We used to turn to the Italian side with oregano and basil. You can add whatever herbs you like and go round the world with this simple cheap dish. Yumm6

      Reply
    15. B says

      July 24, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      This is the goulash that I remember from when I was a kid. It still tastes great with a salad or italian bread. I definitely like it better with corn and or/ green beans. I’m glad I came across this, as I had forgotten all about it!

      Reply

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    Elizabeth Barbone

    Elizabeth Barbone is the founder and recipe developer behind Cook Fast, Eat Well. A food writer for over 15 years, she's built a reputation for creating easy recipes that work.

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