Easy Goulash Recipe an American Weeknight Classic (2024)

This recipe was originally published in April of 2016. It has been updated.

You are going to love this classic weeknight American meal. This Easy Goulash Recipe is made from lean ground beef, macaroni pasta and love.

Our youngest daughter has been in our kitchen since she could stand. She has always been interested in cooking, chopping, stirring, mixing, and of course, taste-testing. Her Easy Goulash Recipe involves all of her favorite kitchen activities.

Try this Easy Goulash Recipe Tonight!

Amie Jo takes a lot of pride in her seasoning. She likes to season, then taste, and think about what she needs to add to make her recipes taste better. Like always, she is right on the mark with the goulash.

Ingredients Needed to Make Goulash:

• Lean ground beef
• Oil
• Garlic
• Onion
• Bell Pepper
• Mushrooms
• Crushed tomatoes
• Fresh parsley
• Paprika, salt, black pepper + seasoning to taste
• Macaroni pasta

You can easily swap out ingredients based on what you have on hand, what is on sale, and your personal preference.

TIP: Get the BIG macaroni noodles. They hold all the meat sauce and make for a hearty, wholesome dinner.

The first time we really recognized our youngest daughter Amie Jo had a strong interest in cooking was during one of our family camping trips when she was about 5. She insisted on helping cut up the potatoes and onions.

Yes, when she started helping in the kitchen, I was nervous about letting her use the knife. But we helped her, showed her how to hold the knife, how to watch her fingers

We also stressed that she take her time, never rush, and always pay attention to what she is doing when using kitchen tools.Always, always, always supervise your children in the kitchen.

Children learn so many valuable life skills in the kitchen. Obviously, cooking is one of them. Cooking also allows kids to use real math skills.They also learn how to follow written directions when they are working from a recipe.

More recipes from our Kids!

Rachel’s Best Gumbo

Melody’s Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings

Stuffed BBQ Beef Bell Peppers

Scary Cute Halloween Brownies

Sloppy Joe Stuffed Bell Peppers

I firmly believe it helps build confidence and encourages independence. Children are proud of what they help create in the kitchen, and are far more likely to eat new foods if they are involved in preparing it.

How to Make "American" Goulash:

• First, heat garlic in oil over medium heat in a large pot. When you start to smell it, add onion, pepper, and ground beef. Add salt, seasoning blend, and pepper.
• Cook and stir the meat and vegetables until brown. Add mushrooms and paprika, and stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the mushrooms absorb the juices from the meat and are slightly soft.
• Next, add tomatoes and water. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Pour in the dry pasta, stir. Reduce heat to a low boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Lower to a simmer and cook an additional 10 - 15 minutes until flavors are blended and pasta is cooked through.
• Add parsley, season more to taste, and serve.

This is a great easy goulash recipe for family nights, comforting and easy to prepare. We used lean ground beef, fresh mushrooms, peppers and onions. Oh, and big macaroni noodles, of course.

We have a thing for pasta.

If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, leave them out of this easy goulash recipe, or replace them. You could use small chopped carrots (adjust cooking time!), some cabbage, or maybe even squash. Yummy!

Let the kids pick.

Simply brown the beef, add the veggies. Cook to soften. Add tomatoes, water, and seasonings. Then add noodles and cook until pasta is done.

📖 Recipe