American Goulash
American Goulash is classic comfort food, with tender macaroni, a hearty mix of ground beef and pork sausage, and a rich tomato sauce all brought together in one pan. It’s budget friendly, feeds a crowd, and tastes even better the next day. The two meats give it more flavor than the usual version! Made with pantry staples, it comes together in about 25 minutes and serves 10.
Let’s clear something up right away. American goulash and Hungarian goulash are not the same dish, and if you came here expecting paprika and a slow braise, I have some news.
This is the other one. The one that shows up at church potlucks and in cafeteria lunch lines and in the memory of anyone who grew up eating on a budget.
Macaroni, a savory tomato sauce, and here’s my little upgrade, a combination of ground beef AND pork sausage instead of just one. That second meat is the difference between fine goulash and the kind people ask you about.
It goes by a lot of names, slumgullion, American chop suey, hamburger goulash, but it’s all the same delicious idea: cheap ingredients, mostly one pot, and a dinner that feeds a crowd without any fuss. It comes together in about 25 minutes and the leftovers might be even better.
It’s right in the same comfort food zone as quite a few of my recipes. See some more below!
More Ground Beef Comfort Foods
- Grandma’s Ground Beef Casserole – layered cheesy ground beef bake
- 4 Ingredient Hamburger Casserole – simple weeknight ground beef dinner
- Beefaroni – saucy ground beef and macaroni in tomato sauce
- Hamburger Gravy – rich savory ground beef gravy over mashed potatoes
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef and Sausage – The two meat combo is what sets this apart. Lean ground beef (85/15 or leaner) plus pork sausage gives you a little something extra. You can use all beef, or swap in ground turkey or stew meat, but the combo is my favorite.
Macaroni – Elbow macaroni is traditional, but any small pasta shape works. Plus they hold sauce in their tubes which is extra nice!
Marinara Sauce – Use your favorite jarred marinara. Combined with the diced tomatoes, it gives you the best body and texture in the sauce.
Beef Broth – This adds extra hearty flavor that water can’t. You can swap for vegetable broth if you need too.
Soy Sauce and Worcestershire – The secret savory boosters. Just a tablespoon each adds a deep, umami richness that keeps the sauce from tasting like plain tomato sauce.
Seasoning – My Homemade Italian Seasoning does a lot of the flavor work here. Along with a bay leaf, it’s what keeps this from tasting flat.
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How To Make American Goulash
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and pork sausage until they are no longer pink. Drain the fat if desired.
- While the meat cooks, boil the macaroni according to package directions. Drain (don’t rinse) and stir a few times to keep it from sticking. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water to mix in at the end.
- Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and Italian seasoning to the meat. Cook 3 more minutes, until the onion is soft and the spices are fragrant.
- Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, marinara, soy sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, along with the reserved pasta water if using, and stir to coat. Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley and cheese if desired.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like most tomato and pasta dishes, it’s arguably better the next day.
Reheat: Microwave or warm on the stovetop. Add a splash of broth or water, because the pasta keeps absorbing the sauce as it sits.
Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months. If you’re making it ahead or freezing it, cook the noodles separately and only add them when you’re ready to eat, so they don’t turn mushy.
Make Ahead: Same tip. Keep the pasta separate from the sauce until serving for the best texture down the road.
Variations
Meatless: Leave out the meat and add kidney beans or cannellini beans for protein.
Different Meat: Swap in lean ground turkey, all pork, Italian sausage, or even stew meat.
Goulash Soup: Add more broth to loosen it into a hearty goulash soup.
Extra Veggies: Mushrooms and extra diced green pepper are great additions.
Deeper Flavor: Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or chicken broth, and add a bay leaf while it simmers (remove before serving).
American Goulash vs. Hungarian Goulash
These two share a name and almost nothing else, so it’s worth knowing which you’re making.
American goulash is the budget friendly skillet dish in this recipe: ground meat, macaroni, and a tomato based sauce. It’s fast, cheap, and comforting, and it’s what most Americans picture when they hear the word.
Hungarian goulash is the original and a completely different animal. It’s a slow cooked beef stew built on a mountain of paprika, with chunks of beef, onions, and sometimes potatoes, and no pasta mixed in. It takes hours, not minutes.
Same name, different continents, different dinners. This recipe is firmly the American version, no passport required.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a comfort food dish made with ground meat, macaroni, and a tomato based sauce. It’s also called slumgullion, American chop suey, or hamburger goulash.
American goulash is a quick tomato and pasta dish with ground meat. Hungarian goulash is a slow cooked, paprika heavy beef stew with no pasta. Same name, very different dishes
The combination adds more depth and flavor than beef alone. The pork sausage brings extra flavor and richness that takes this above the usual version. You can use all beef if you prefer.
Yes, and it tastes even better the next day. If you’re making it ahead or freezing it, cook the noodles separately and add them only when you’re ready to eat so they hold their texture.
Yes, up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze the sauce and cooked pasta separately, since the noodles soften if frozen in the sauce.
Absolutely. Just add more beef broth to loosen it up into a hearty goulash soup.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use both ground beef and pork sausage for the best depth of flavor.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water to stir in at the end. It helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Don’t rinse the pasta after draining, so it holds onto the sauce better.
- Cook the noodles separately from the sauce if you plan to freeze or make ahead.
- Add a bay leaf while it simmers for extra flavor, and remove it before serving.
This American Goulash recipe is hearty, savory, and the definition of easy comfort food. Make a big skillet for your next busy weeknight and enjoy the leftovers even more the next day!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Hamburger Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15 or leaner
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 16 ounces macaroni noodles
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 large green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced
- ½ cup beef broth
- 29 ounces petite diced tomatoes
- 24 ounces marinara sauce use your favorite
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and sausage until they are no longer pink. Drain fat if desired.
- While the hamburger and sausage is cooking, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Drain, do not rinse, and stir a few times to keep it from sticking together. *Tip- Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and mix in with pasta at the end.*
- Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 3 more minutes until the onion is soft and the spices are fragrant.
- Add the broth, diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and stir.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta (and reserved pasta water if desired) and stir to coat.
- Serve warm and garnished with fresh parsley and cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use both ground beef and pork sausage for the best depth of flavor.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water to stir in at the end. It helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Don’t rinse the pasta after draining, so it holds onto the sauce better.
- Cook the noodles separately from the sauce if you plan to freeze or make ahead.
- Add a bay leaf while it simmers for extra flavor, and remove it before serving.
Nutrition
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