American goulash was one of my all-time favorite comfort food meals when I was growing up. They served it in my school cafeteria alongside a slice of buttered white bread and a carton of milk. This Americanized version of goulash was invented to stretch a small amount of beef into enough food for a not-so-small family. It's a simple dish that doesn't taste simple, so it's perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation.
Ingredients
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp
- ground beef: 2 pound
- onion: 1 piece (diced)
- garlic: 4 clove (minced)
- bay leaves: 2 piece
- paprika: 2 Tbsp
- italian seasoning: 2 tsp
- kosher salt: 2 tsp
- ground black pepper: 0.5 tsp
- pinch cayenne pepper: 1 piece (to taste)
- quart chicken broth: 1 piece
- marinara sauce: 1 jar (24 ounce jar)
- tomatoes: 1 can (15 ounce can, diced)
- water: 1 cup
- soy sauce: 2 Tbsp
- elbow macaroni: 2 cups
- Italian parsley: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- white Cheddar cheese: 1 cup (shredded, optional)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook and stir until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaves, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth, marinara sauce, and diced tomatoes. Pour water into the sauce jar, swirl, and pour into the pot. Stir in soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until flavors intensify, about 30 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid simmer. Stir in macaroni; cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Check for doneness after 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Remove from the heat and discard bay leaves. Stir in Cheddar and parsley. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and season as desired.
