Oh my goulash, you guys. It’s not often that I use wine in my cooking because it can be pretty pricey, but something magical happens when you add red wine to beef, and it’s something that I just can not resist. Luckily I live near an Aldi store now so I can get a bottle of wine for about $5 that is not only good enough to cook with, but good enough that I’ll happily drink the rest of the bottle with my meal. This One Pot American Goulash is the ultimate comfort food with the richest, most yummiest red sauce ever, thanks to a splash of red wine. Seriously, you’ve got to try this one.
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Do I Need Red Wine in my Goulash?
If you want this dish to be as scrumptious as humanly possible, yes. But if you can’t use red wine, you can substitute beef broth in its place. You’ll still have a pretty rockin’ red sauce, but it just won’t be like “make me weak in the knees” good.
Where’s the Paprika?
This is American Goulash, which is basically just beef, macaroni, and red sauce. It’s totally different than Hungarian Goulash. So if you’re looking for chunks of beef that have been slow simmered in a delicious paprika sauce, this is not it. This is just straight up American comfort food.
Can You Freeze Goulash?
Yes! This One Pot American Goulash recipe is very freezer-friendly. Just make sure to cool the goulash completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer for long term storage. I suggest freezing goulash for three months maximum. And remember, label and date everything that goes in your freezer!
What Do You Eat with Goulash?
I would consider this a “one pot meal” which means this one dish covers everything you need in a meal: carbs, proteins, and vegetables. If anything you might want some crusty bread to sop up that delicious gravy, or maybe a green salad on the side for extra vegetables.
Can I Add Cheese?
Yes! A common twist on this recipe is American Goulash with cheese. I would choose medium or sharp cheddar, and simply sprinkle it over top of each bowl, or stir it into the pot to give an overall cheesy flavor, similar to my Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac.
What Kind of Pot Should I Use?
Any large, heavy duty soup pot will work well for this recipe. For “one pot pastas” you really need cookware that is thick and heavy, so the contents heat evenly. Thin cookware will create hot spots and cold spots, and cause the pasta to cook unevenly. I used an enamel coated cast iron Dutch Oven, which can be found in my Amazon Shop.
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Easy American Goulash
Servings 6 About 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 2 bell peppers ($1.58)
- 1 lb ground beef ($5.29)
- 1/2 cup red wine* ($0.72)
- 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.89)
- 1 15oz. can tomato sauce ($0.59)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.12)
- 2 whole bay leaves (optional) ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup water ($0.00)
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (about 1/2 lb.) ($0.50)
- salt to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a large soup pot with the olive oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the bell peppers, then add them to the pot and continue to sauté for about two minutes more.
- Add the ground beef to the pot with the vegetables and continue to sauté over medium until the beef is cooked through. Add the red wine to the pot and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, and water to the pot. Stir to combine, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to low, and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
- After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, add the macaroni and stir to combine. Continue to let the macaroni simmer in the sauce, with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender (about 10-12 minutes).
- Once the pasta is tender, taste the goulash and add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaves, then serve.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make American Goulash – Step By Step Photos
Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing four cloves of garlic. Add them to a soup pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onion are translucent. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice two bell peppers, then add them to the pot and continue to sauté for about two minutes more.
Add one pound ground beef to the pot and continue to sauté over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink, then add 1/2 cup red wine to the pot and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Add one 28oz. can diced tomatoes (with the juices), one 15oz. can tomato sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Stir everything to combine, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Keep the lid on as it simmers, lifting it only occasionally to stir.
Once the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes (OMG it’s already smelling good), add 2 cups macaroni (that’s about 1/2 lb.). Stir to combine the macaroni with the sauce, place the lid back on top, and let it continue to simmer to cook the noodles for about 10-12 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally as the pasta simmers to keep it from sticking, returning the lid after each stir.
Once the macaroni is tender, give the American Goulash a taste and add salt if needed. Remove the pot from the heat, fish out the bay leaves, then serve that one pot goodness!
I’mma eat that goulash!!
I made this as written and it was a pretty bland. I think next time, I’ll spend more time cooking down the wine in step 2, and use beef broth instead of water in step 3.
This has been my go to recipe for goulash. I quadruple it but add 6x the beef and then freeze it before adding the noodles. It’s great to pull out of the freezer and heat up adding the noodles and dinner is ready.
Smells so good as it’s cooking! Two thumbs up from spouse. Used ground bison instead of beef.
We use 1/2 pound of hot Italian sausage and 1/2 pound of lean ground beef…this is a family favorite, especially on Halloween #GHOULash #Traditions
I can’t believe I’ve never reviewed this recipe because I’ve made it many times. The first time I made it, it unleashed a torrent of nom nom noms from my husband, who said it reminded him of a dish he grew up with in The Philippines. We’ve recently had to switch him to a heart healthy diet, and I’m pleased to report this does just as well with ground turkey, no salt added tomatoes, and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos subbing for the soy sauce. Still a winner!
I’d also like to mention that I recently purged most of my cookbooks, but YOURS, I held onto.
Very bland. I added black pepper, cayenne, more soy sauce, Mrs. Dash, and finally BBQ rub to try to make it more flavorful.
If I’m making this without wine, how should I adjust the recipe?
You can just use beef broth!
Balsamic vinegar also substitutes really well for red wine!
Can I double this recipe
Sure!
Delicious! I did not add the wine due to family preferences. I used Cento San Marzano Italian peeled tomatoes which I just squished with my hands. I have made this several times but just now commenting. It is esential to drain the grease off the meat dispite what some comments stated. No one wants greasy Goulash. Thank you for posting as this is a keeper recipe!
Been looking for this
I grew up with something much like this that we called “meadle” for meat plus noodles. We could tell how family finances were doing based on the ratio of meat to noodles.
I add carrots and celery. I’ve never used soy sauce.
So easy, flavorful, and delicious. I love a one-pot mean and this, and several others from this site, are in our regular rotation.
Great recipe but I made mine with some mid-tier tomato soup instead of the sauce because that’s what I had on hand. The soup worked great and added a sweetness.
I appreciate a one pot meal but next time I will boil the macaroni separate because I feel like I had to watch the pot more to prevent sticking on the bottom and had to keep adding water and the timing was different than the recipe. Different stoves due different things. Mine is gas and runs hot.
Sounds so very yummy,fast to make and sticks to the ribs …will make it some more…sonny
Giving this four stars because I will try it again, but with an adjustment. When I asked my teens how it was, they both said “way too acidic”. After a few bites, I got their point. Between the red wine, the tomato sauce and 28 oz of diced tomatoes, this dish was heartburn in a bowl and much too tomato-forward. Still, the flavors were really good. Next time, I plan to sub either beef or chicken broth for the tomato sauce and maybe omit the water so that it still thickens up. Also, if you like some heat double the red pepper flakes. That gave it just the right kick. All in all, a good recipe and one I will attempt again in the future.
Stephanie, maybe try to cook the tomato base longer before you put the macaroni in. The tomatoes take time to cook down and the acid will be MUCH more muted. I brown my burger meat separately because I don’t like all the fat, then drain it and put the onions/green peppers in a little olive oil to soften them for 10 minutes on low heat, then I add the tomatoes ( I use fresh romas that boil for 2 minutes to remove the skin), and then I add in the meat. Let that cook for at least 15 minutes on low then add your macaroni and cook till your preferred doneness.
Great recipe BTW – oh and I also use 3/4 can of beer instead of the wine and water.
I made this with meatless veggie crumbles, which come in a 12oz bag. Modifications required include:
Add extra 1/4 cup of liquid (wine or water). Add extra 1-2T of olive oil (to account for lack of fat). No need to brown the “meat”. I added the water, tomatoes, spices, and “meat” at the same time.
I also prefer red/yellow/orange peppers to green. But, YMMV.
Very good and very easy, and makes a bunch of good leftovers if your cooking for two. I’ve made this I think around 4-5 times now. Favorite pepper combo to do is red pepper and poblano pepper, very tasty. Goes really well with a hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot as well.
Haha, we love this one, as its also a good reason to break out the good red wine and have a glass with. What’s not to like? Definitely have this one on repeat in our house.
Now that winter finally decided to show here in Minnesota, I’ve been craving comfort foods from my childhood. I had to try this one since my mother’s recipe is canned soup, ground beef, tomato sauce, macaroni, and American cheese (I don’t enjoy the taste anymore). My family enjoyed this one! I did add sharp cheddar and gouda since I can’t resist the cheesy nostalgia.
I’ve never tasted such an immense starch as putting the noodles directly into the sauct to cook. I’ve never done it this way, and I took the advice of many recipes that said to add the uncooked noodles to the sauce, no one liked it 😔. It was “yucky”, for lack of a better term. Did I miss something?
The “one pot pasta” thing is meant to produce a yummy meal with less time and less clean-up. The idea is that the pasta cooks in the sauce, absorbing its flavor, while the starch thickens the sauce. I really like this technique but it might not be for everyone. You could always just add cooked noodles after the sauce has simmered (although you’ll need more that 2 cups since the pasta won’t be absorbing the liquid in the sauce).
Yeah you missed a reality check!!!
Starch is not good for anyone, but when you wanna eat it, there are right ways and wrong ways to do so, and this is a right way, as explained, it’ll absorb the Sauce…
Oh that note though, NEVER, follow a recipe 100%, adjust it to your own!!! And NEVER, serve guests an untested recipe…
You’ll do good on the next one :)
This was incredibly good. We made it two weeks in a row. The wine just takes it to another level entirely. My mom made a version of this growing up and the second time we made it we added a can of corn and kidney beans seasoned with paprika & black pepper.Perfection.
It didn’t say in the instructions, but do you drain the fat off of the meat before you deglaze the pot with the wine? (I usually always drain ground beef)
Also, another question if I may… can I add vegetables (such as green beans or cabbage, or eggplant) to add to the “fill power” and lower the calories a bit? If so should more liquid be added? (granted, it wouldn’t be traditional goulash, but I am trying to lower our calorie intake while increasing the fill power of the meal.)
It’s really up to you if you want to drain the fat or not. :) If you’re using a high fat percentage beef (like 80/20), you may find there is too much fat for your liking. I kind of like a little fat in there to make the dish more rich, but that’s just personal preference! If you add extra vegetables I would not add more liquid. The vegetables will release water as they cook, so if anything, it may end up making the dish too watery.
Don’t drain the fats, that’s where all the good flavor is!!! And NO, to the people who thinks Fat is bad for you, go educate yourself, it’s the Carbs that’ll kill you, NOT the Fats!!! We’re designed to run on Fats, NOT on Carbs, as common believe, sadly :'(
No one wants greasy Goulash. Drain the fats people.
Hello, can you tell me if I can put all the ingredients in pressure cooking and make it that way? And can I do this to other one pot meal recipes? Thank you!
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure how that would turn out. :)
Maybe but definitely skip the wine if you try it. Alcohol doesn’t work in pressure cooker recipes because it can’t evaporate away
You’d have to make too many changes in the amount of liquid in the canned tomatoes/water to make up for the lack of reduction time – there’s no evaporation in a sealed pressure cooker. Then you’d lose out on concentrated tomato flavor from reducing, so you’d probably be adding tomato paste.
At that point, it’s not even the same recipe.
I don’t really see an advantage to a pressure cooker here, aside from the pasta taking half as long to cook, saving you perhaps 5-6 minutes.
I made this tonight and it totally hits the spot. Turned a pound of ground beef into several servings. Way better than any Hamburger helper. My pantry wasn’t as well stocked as I thought so I had to substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine, and a can of tomato paste and extra water for the tomatoes sauce, but turned out great.
One word… YUMMY! 😋 Thank you!
I have had this recipe with and without the wine and with the wine gives it way more flavor. Excellent!
I have made this recipe multiple times. The only change I make to it is to add a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce and a big handful of cheddar cheese. It’s so good! The last time I made it, I forgot to simmer it before adding the pasta, and it was still delicious — although it probably would have been even better if I’d simmered it. :)
Made this last week and it was AWESOME!
So I grew up in central Ohio, where this is usually called Johnny marzetti. Over the years I’ve added mushrooms and recently tried harissa paste that I had on hand. Delicious.
Yes to the food, but: 8 oz (2 cups) of pasta ain’t serving 6, lol
My gma would make american goulosh all the time. It was absolutley a favorite. However she always used shell pasta which is the only thing I changed in this recipe. There is something about the meat and sauce getting trapped in the shells that I just love. I feel the red wine actually makes it a step up from my gmas version. It is sooooo amazing!
This was so incredibly good. I didn’t have wine so I used beef broth but that is the only thing I changed.
It left me and my fiancé full and satisfied and we have leftovers for the next couple days for lunch.
Made this multiple times. Never bothered to print and when I went to find it today, I nearly cried. Can’t find your blog! Ugh. This recipe is FABULOUS!
This is one of my most favorite go to recipes. Trying to feed a crowd? Trying to stretch the grocery budget a bit more this week? Trying to accommodate food allergies? This dish is almost always the answer.
I measure seasonings with my heart, often substitute ground turkey for ground beef,
sometimes use chickpea or lentil pasta,usuallyy omit the wine and often add additional seasonings (Worcestershire sauce is excellent) but it’s always based off of this recipe and is always a bit.
I’ve made this a dozen times. I use impossible meat because I’m a vegetarian. It’s a hit every time!! LOVE
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Got great reviews from the husband. Used fresh tomatoes and green peppers from the garden. An all around win! Thanks for another great recipe!
I made this tonight. I did add more spices (I usually do!) and it was delicious. I would absolutely make this again.
Loved this recipe! So easy and easy to alter. I used chickpea pasta instead. Cooked just fine. I measured all seasonings with my heart.
Very easy and tasty. Another ground beef recipe to add to the rotation. Everyone loved it. Will make again.
This turned out great, and I had so much I was able to freeze leftovers! What would be your recommended method of reheating from the freezer? I’m guessing microwave, but can that be done right out of the freezer or should I thaw overnight?
Yep, I usually just use the microwave. :) You can do either straight from the microwave, or thaw overnight. If it’s still frozen, I usually do the defrost setting for a bit until it can be broken up and stirred, then go to full power.
We made this tonight. The wine took it to the next level. Gnarlyhead Cabernet Sauvignon. We add it to the tomato sauce for our Christmas Eve lasagna and still had some left. It was delicious in the goulash too. It smelled so good while cooking too. Can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow night.
There are a million goulash recipes out there. This is the best so far. Added some cheddar cheese and ketchup 🤤
This has become one of our favorite dishes! I love this meal for a few reasons: 1. Cooking the ground beef in red wine gives it richness and 2. I can use up some scraps of stuff like corn, spinach, or celery. I use Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis for an extra kick and a pasta that will catch the sauce, like Cavatappi or corkscrew pasta. Absolutely FAB recipe … sometimes I make it a day ahead because it’s even better next day! Thanks for posting!
Hi Beth! I cannot wait to try. Do you think I can use whole wheat macaroni?
That would probably work, although you may need to add a little bit more liquid and simmer for a little longer to make it tender. :)
This was a definite hit with my family! It’s absolutely delicious. Another great one, Beth! Thanks.
This one always turns out so well; it’s hard for me to mess it up.
Side note: This recipe and most others using macaroni are missing from the index
Any recommendations on alternatives to wine? Pregnant, feeding a toddler, and don’t want to risk the alcohol not burning off.
Yes, you can use beef broth in its place. :)
This really is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. This is one of those recipes that is just absolutely perfect. It works with every kind of noodles (our favorite is shells). I don’t really know how to describe this other than just perfect.
I love this recipe! I use beyond beef to make it vegan/vegetarian and it’s a favorite in our house.
Just found your site……..I just Love It!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been looking for a different site with more to offer.
Thank you so much!!
Very tasty however I definitely recommend doubling the oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. And a tad extra wine ;)
My family doesn’t drink red wine. Do you have any idea how long the wine would keep after opening if this was the only dish I used it for?
Unfortunately, wine is not my area of expertise so I’m not sure, but I bet there is a lot of info about that out on the internet as well as ways to maybe preserve it longer. :)
Freeze the leftover wine into cubes of the portion-sizes you’ll need in the future.
My daughter shared this recipe over a year ago and it is one of my very favorites. I are almost exactly as is but double the pasta and add a pinch of cayenne pepper. It’s never once failed me!
I recently purchased an instapot and am wondering if I could make it in that?
I don’t think I’ve had a richer tasting home made sauce like this one! The wine? This needs to sit overnight to let the flavours blend. The only complaint I have is that the macaroni was mushy but that could be because I misread the last two steps and didn’t simmer just the sauce(without noodles) so maybe there was too much liquid for the noodles to absorb🤷♂️. I also added diced celery, chili powder, bit of curry powder, and a bunch of roasted pepper and garlic seasoning. I was sceptical at first but I will make it again for sure maybe adding some frozen spinach too.
This is so tasty and comforting!! I made it tonight for dinner and I’ll have several left over for the week. I used gluten free pasta and my noodles cooked very easily while simmering.
Yummy! Great “lazy Sunday” recipe – just throw everything in a Dutch oven and lounge around with a glass of wine while the flavors meld. Minimal clean-up, and definitely doesn’t break the bank either! Thanks for another keeper, Beth
Loved this when I made it recently!
Question, could this be done slower in a crockpot? If so, thoughts on how long on low or high?
I don’t think this one is a good candidate for a slow cooker, unfortunately. Pasta generally doesn’t do too well in a slow cooker because it’s not quite hot enough. It ends up just getting mushy.
Omg YUM! This is going in my regular rotation. I had been craving comfort food and this was perfect. I made the recipe as written except I doubled all the spices (I like lots of spice!).
The wine really did take it to the next level but I’m sure it would be almost as delicious with water or beef broth substituted. I also topped it with some cheddar but it was definitely good without it too.
I was a bit unsure about adding the beef straight on top of the sautéed vegetables because my pot was really full at this point but I trusted the recipe and it worked out perfect. Glad I didn’t use a second pan. Less dishes is always a win!
Simple recipe with common cupboard ingredients. No need to hit the grocery store for this one. I added A little paprika because, I throw it in everything. This tasted great. I poured in about a half cup of pasta water with the pasta for some savory flavor.
This recipe was amazing; very simple to follow for someone whose not a good cook like myself and the flavour was amazing. I missed a few minor ingredients but it still tasted great. I am so happy to have stumbled on it and recommend it to any beginner cooks or anyone who wants a flavourful, hardy stew.
Super recipe! Made this with an added jalapeno. Used Mafalda pasta, it holds sauce better, and cooks faster. Turned out fantastic!. This will only last me for 3 meals. Its that good. Thank you!
My only difference is I add a can of zucchini with tomato sauce it is packed in.
I have had this dish three times now, but I didn’t want to leave a review until I had followed all the steps exactly. The first time, I didn’t have wine. The second time, I didn’t have any bay leaves or crushed red pepper. Today, the stars aligned and my husband actually picked up all the things I put on the grocery list. It was delicious all three times! If you’re hesitating because you’re missing something, don’t. This is too yummy, cheap, and easy to NOT be on your regular menu. Just amazing!
Is there a type of gluten free noodle you think would work in this?
Have you tried Banza noodles yet? They’re made from chickpeas and are really tasty!
I use a Ronzini brand gluten- free elbow noodle – works great and isn’t expensive.
A good recipe that (almost) duplicates a “toss-together” recipe that I’ve been improvising since my sons were little.
I needed a reminder on the liquid:pasta ratio but ended up following it to the letter… probably came out better that the stuff I’ve been making and is now in the dinner rotation for good.
Delicious! Easy! It’s on my TNT (tried-n-true) list
used marshmallows instead of elbow pasta and it was bad. 5 stars!
Unfortunately that can happen when you swap marshmallows for pasta. ;)
I don’t know why, but it took a really long time for the pasta to cook when I was making this. I also had to add a total of at least one cup of water, a bit at a time. Altogether, it took about 40 minutes for the pasta to get cooked enough to be edible. I’m hoping the pasta will absorb a bit more of the liquid from the tomatoes overnight in the fridge. Overall, I liked the flavor, but I think I should have done One Pot Chili Pasta instead. That was what I was originally planning to make (one of our favorites!), but I just didn’t feel like cooking up the beans for it.
This is my favorite American Goulash recipe now. The only substitution I made was coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. The wine and extra peppers make it better.
Have this cooking now and it smells great! Added some rotel to it and used beef broth vs wine. Plan on topping each bowl with some cheddar cheese and serving with a side of garlic bread. Fast and easy recipe
Very good! I made this as written except used Boca crumbles instead of beef to make it vegetarian. I used a small carton of Bota Box since I won’t make it through a bottle before it goes bad. I used whole wheat elbow noodles and cooked per the time on the package directions. It was nice to have some comfort food last night and I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch today!
Can you use ground turkey for this recipe? Like, a 93/7 blend? Or would that be too dry?
Thanks!
You can certainly give it a try! It should be okay.
I always make this with ground turkey – I’m sure it would be richer with beef but it is still really good and comforting.
Do you put pasta in raw? I am always afraid to do this as it comes out pasty
Yes you do! Trust the recipe, it will be great!
I used ground venison and a slow cooker (browned meat and veggies first, then 4 hours on high, added macaroni with 1/2 hour left to go) and it was phenomenal. Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe a handful of times now and it is perfect. Easy, cheap and leftovers are a plus! Just finished a leftover bowl for lunch today!
I’ve made this a few times now for my family of four and we all love it!
Hi – any advice when doubling this recipe? Thanks.
I’d make sure you have a pot big enough to hold it all :)
“It’s forking great” is the exact thing said to me, when I asked what they thought about this recipe, after dinner. Which was followed up by laughter. If you can’t tell, that’s a dad joke, that my father thought was hilarious. But it got his stamp of approval. It’s also, picky five year old, approved. Which is always a plus. I followed the recipe exactly, though I was very tempted to use Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce. It turned out excellent, so I’ll keep using the soy. Topping it with extra sharp cheddar cheese, made it perfect. Definitely adding it to the recipe binder.
I loved this. So comforting. I wanted it to last a little longer and a bit more than 1.5 cups a serving, so I added more pasta (12 oz) and 2 bags of Trader Joe’s sliced mushrooms. I also took your advise, Beth and sprinkled some cheddar cheese over the top of each bowl and also stirred about handful into the pot. When I looked up a few other American Goulash recipes, they all seemed to list Cheddar cheese in their ingredients, so adding cheese didn’t seem to veer off too much from the recipe. Also one evening when I was having it, I decided to throw in a dollop of sour cream since some cooks seem to utilize that ingredient from the Hungarian version. I gotta tell you, it was worth it – an added pleasure to the already amazing flavors.
I didn’t have any dried basil so I used thyme instead. Also I prepped everything in advance, not only the garlic and onion but the bell pepper as well, rather than chopping it up while sauteeing the onion and garlic. I like everything ready before cooking.
BTW, when I looked up all the different Goulash recipes, it was a learning experience for me. Apparently besides the original Hungarian Goulash and the American Goulash, this recipe (with variance) goes by the name of American Chop Suey, popular in New England; Johnny Marzetti (the Italian restaurant in Ohio that introduced this recipe to the mid-west), and Mexican Goulash as well, believe it or not. Another take on this recipe is Beef-a-Roni.
Thanks so much for another wonderful comforting dinner that I will definitely be making again and again. A keeper, for sure.
I love that you learned some history of the dish! And yes a dollop of sour cream is always a good idea.
Weak in the knees good was absolutely correct! Topped it with some fresh grated Parmesan and had some chopped romaine with dressing. Yumm!
Love it! Thanks Erika!
LOVE this dish. It was perfect for the cold rainy october weather we have here in Chicago right now. Ive made goulash before but without wine and the wine is perfect! Also, love the comment someone made about freezing extra wine. I am not a wine drinker so freezing it for future recipes is perfect. Love that you can sneak in other veggies in this dish. Followed this recipe except I also threw in a yellow squash that was in the fridge. Also, Im running off on 4 hours of sleep and put in a can of tomato paste instead of sauce. (I did think it was weird that it was calling for 15oz can of paste but went with it and put in a 6 oz can LOL). I threw in a little more water and all was fine. My 2.5 year old loved it and ate every piece of green pepper and yellow squash in there! Definitely will be in rotation.
Great tip Anna!
Can you recommend a substitute for the wine? I’m unable to have alcohol. Thank you
Hi Marla! You could swap the wine for some beef broth. Let us know how it turns out!
Just use water, and add a beef bouillon cube (the small ones, about 1/2″.) We seldom had wine in the house and never cooked with it, and my mom made this all the time. (I think she might have used rice instead of macaroni, but I could be confusing it with a different one-pan meal)
SO GOOD. I added some cheese before I ate it and it is absolutely incredible!
Nice, I added some habeniero for a tang
Can u freeze this
Yes you can! Just cool down in the refrigerator prior to freezing.
Walking home from school as a kid I loved the aroma of this dish wafting from my friends’ homes. Now at age 77 I relived that memory as I dined on this delish goulash and a glass of the red wine. I substituted 6 ounces campanelle for the elbow pasta. Fantastico!!!
What we in English call a “bell pepper” is in Hungarian (and a lot of other languages) just called “paprika”, so technically we are adding paprika, just not the dried spice kind! c:
Despite that, this is a delicious and simple recipe that everyone should give a go.
Delicious! I made a lot of adaptations, used chicken broth instead of tomato sauce, added kidney beans, and used cumin paprika onion and garlic powder garlic salt and oregano, Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce. Red wine was fantastic in this dish. Thank you!!
Made this tonight with ground turkey and beef broth, and I added half a cup of green lentils. Soooooooo goooood.
This was really good!! Me and my boyfriend both loved it. I used a different type of pasta but it still worked wonderfully.
This recipe is fantastic! I made it for dinner and cooked it for ten minutes in my Tefal Cook4Me which is a pressure cooker…the taste was amazing! I added mushrooms, peppers and zucchini to mine because they were lingering in the crisper and everyone loved it! So easy and tasty. Next time I’ll add a can of brown lentils for added fibre and I doubt the family will notice. Another fabulous recipe, love your work!
PERFECT!!!!Easy and delicioussssssssssssssss.I Wouldn’t change a thing.
Has anyone converted this to an Instant Pot recipe? Curious about the timing! Thank you
Doubled all the ingredients except ground beef. Used one pound of ground beef, and one pound of cooked brown lentils (one cup uncooked equals, one pound of ground beef when cooked). It was delicious, hubby loved it, even after he found out it wasn’t all ground beef! Leftovers froze well, great for lunch! I will definitely make again, but will triple recipe!!
This was the first recipe I tried from this site and it was so good! My husband (super picky eater) even liked it. I will definitely be looking for others!
This was so yummy! Made a few adjustments; no garlic or onions, and I added a bit of cayanne pepper. Delicious!
Okay so I’ve never had American goulash before so I was intrigued when I saw this recipe. I did not, however, expect it to be THIS good. It’s not at all the type of food I would make normally. But it was SO good. And so easy to make!
(When I had already started making it I searched for the wine only to realize that I didn’t have red wine at home! But then in the deepest corner of my freezer I found a small container of frozen red wine from god knows when, literally precisely the amount I needed for this recipe. Fate?)
Anyway instant hit! I will make this recipe again and again. Only thing I did different was replacing the beef with soya mince – it’s similar enough that my meat-eating brothers didn’t even realize that it was vegetarian :)
Haha! I love finding hidden gems in the freezer! Way to go! :)
Great stuff. Boyfriend devoured it all in one day! Can confirm with Aldi wine – only $2! Now… what to do with the other 95% of the bottle? LOL
This is my first recipe from BudgetBytes. I doubled it so that we’d have dinners on hand for the whole week. I was convinced that we’d love it and that it would be foolproof. I followed the recipe exactly, other than doubling it. Would it have been the amount of hot food in my Dutch Oven that caused the pasta to overcook and become more like glue? So disappointed!
This recipe is a definite keeper. It was easy to make it vegan by using 1 & 1/2 Cups of kidney beans (lentils would also work well) and 1 & 1/4 Cups of textured vegetable protein. It makes a generous amount; enough to stash a meal or two in the freezer and yes, it freezes perfectly. What more could one ask?
This looks a lot like a dish I grew up with that my parents called American Chop Suey. (Except for the wine, and bell peppers cause that would be too fancy-pants for ny dad) :)
In any case, I was wondering would this recipe freeze well or could I halve the recipe if not?
Thanks Beth!
You can definitely cut it in half, but I would also consider this one freezer friendly. Some people might be put off by the fact that the pasta gets a little softer, but that wouldn’t stop me from wolfing it down. :)
I made this in an instant pot and it worked perfectly! Some changes: the meat did not have to be cooked through before adding the remaining ingredients, just slightly pink in the middle and broken up into smaller pieces. I actually undercooked everything since it would be cooked fully under pressure. I mixed the macaroni noodles into everything so that they were covered with the other ingredients. Cooked for 4 minutes under pressure and quick released when done. We served it with some shredded cheddar and it was perfect!
I love my Aldis too and this recipe looks good. Have to check on the wine price here.
Hi Beth,
Just discovered your awesome site, and last night I made this Goulash.
I remember something my mom made when I was a kid that she called goulash, but I don’t really remember what all was in it. Seems like it was just some dish she threw together from whatever ingredients she had on hand, and for lack of a better name, called it goulash. So I grew up thinking “goulash” was just a generic term for a dish made from whatever.
I had a couple of problems. Salt – I never know how much is “salt to taste” and I used too much (although my wife didn’t think so). Macaroni size and amount – I debated using the really large size elbows, but finally decided on the small ones. After cooking 2 cups for about five minutes, I could see it wasn’t going to be nearly enough. So I put in 2 more cups and another half a cup of water. Much better, but some of the pasta ended up a bit more al dente than I like.
It was still good, and I’m sure it’ll be better the next time I make it. Thanks, adding this one to my repertoire!
I added more veg (carrots, peas) and used beans instead of meat. I also added a splash of honey flavoured alcohol and a ton of hot sauce. I then topped it with a tiny bit of english cheddar and green onions. Very comforting ! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’m making this currently, and aghhhhh am so mad at myself-I forgot the wine until after I put the tomato sauces in. I’m curious how much that will affect the flavor. So sad. Ah well, I will update to see how it turns out anyways
It was still good, but not weak in the knees good, sigh. I will try again the proper way.
Can you give me a recommendation for a wine that I can purchase for this recipe. Also is it safe for my children just asking?
Yes, it’s safe for your children because so little is used and the alcohol evaporates off during cooking. I used a Cabernet Sauvignon from Aldi. :)
I have this cooking right now! Only thing I had to sub was Worcestershire for Soy sauce. Smells wonderful. Hoping the substitution won’t make too much of a difference
Sounds yummy. A wine tip: I pour leftover wine into a small zipper sandwich bag and throw it in the freezer. Then I can just throw it into a dish like this, and don’t have to open a bottle.
Can ground turkey be substituted for the beef? Or would that throw the taste off too much? I’m trying to cut down on my beef consumption but this looks so good…
It would definitely be different, but would I still eat it? YEP.
I challenge you to make a vegetarian version of this because this looks soooo good. Pretty please :).
I think that would just be macaroni in a red wine tomato sauce! 😅
Hi, I made a vegetarian version tonight. Made a couple changes. I used sliced mushrooms for the ground beef. Added a touch more wine & sprinkle of smoked paprika at the end. I enjoyed as is and boyfriend added grated gouda cheese. We both enjoyed it and will make again!
My mother made goulash frequently when I was a child. Rather, she made a dish that she called goulash. It was similar to this, primarily a macaroni, beef, tomato creation rather than the paprika-infused hungarian dish. But her version was waaaaay more pared down, no peppers, no additional spices, no cooking the macaroni in the sauce.
Oh and instead of proper tomato sauce she used ketchup. Just…. just all ketchup. She’s not the one who created that monstrosity, it was a common quick weeknight dish in my hometown. It was budget dish for sure, but it was still a load of ketchup.
I can hear the cringe from here, and trust me, I get it. But despite the culinary disaster that I can see that dish was in retrospect, like any dish you eat commonly as a child it still triggers the nostalgia centers of my brain something fierce. I’ve given in and made it once or twice as an adult and while it satisfied nostalgia while I ate it, it was something I always regretted after. (gosh, the aftertaste, ketchup is not a sauce people. Especially Heinz, so cloying…)
What I’m getting at with this tangent is that I’m super happy to have a recipe that reminds me of that dish while being improved in nearly every respect. I made it last night and enjoyed it a lot, it’s going on my ‘comfort food’ rotation for sure.
Hi Beth,
Could you please let me/us know what soup pot you used for this recipe? What brand? What capacity? Anything else that’s relevant?
Thanks in advance,
Stuart.
Yep, it’s a 6-quart Dutch Oven made by Amazon Basics. I just got it recently and it’s a great multi-purpose cooking vessel. :)
Great! Thanks Beth.
OK…I tried this in the instant pot. I have no idea what I did or how I did it, but somehow it turned out. Next time I try, I will write it down to share.
Also, whenever we had goulash we always topped it with cheese…yum!
Oh, please do update your comment next time you make it in the instant pot :)
Can this be done in an instant pot or slow cooker?
I wouldn’t suggest it for a slow cooker because pasta doesn’t turn out well with that slow and low heat (it just gets mushy), but it might be possible in an Instant Pot. I don’t have exact instructions for you, though, since I’ve never tried it.
You could probably do the sauce part in the slow cooker, then about 30 minutes before you eat turn it up to high and dump in the macaroni until tender. You wouldn’t want to cook the pasta all day, but everything else in the sauce should hold up (just my opinion).
Could this be made in an Instant Pot?
It’s probably possible, but I’ve never tried it so unfortunately I don’t have specific instructions for you.
I’ve always called this type of dish beefaroni, but I kinda like your name for it.
We had this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! There are only two of us so there’s plenty left to freeze for another meal. I followed the recipe exactly except used one can of stewed tomatoes and one can of diced-(to make the total of 28 oz.) because that’s what I had. I served it with corn off the cob.
This is/was amazing!
However- I messed up my grocery list and got a 29oz of tom sauce and 1 can of diced toms.
Didn’t matter, because I added 1 full cup of red CabSav and everything else as written.
SOOO GOOD!
I did finish it at the end with some Jane’s Crazy Salt.
Beth- you ROCK!
My fav dish with a twist! Thanku!
This was DELICIOUS! I used fire roasted tomatoes and added a bit of salt and pepper, but this would have been good even without those minor changes. The depth of flavor in such an easy meal is a huge plus. Thanks for sharing this!!!
Beth is right once again. The red wine is a *MUST*. I made this on a Sunday and had it for lunch three straight days. I added shredded cauliflower and brussel sprouts to increase the “veggie value” of the recipe. (Old guys need their veggies!)
Sometimes a bit of balsamic vinegar and a small spoon of sugar will come close to the taste of red wine in a dish.
I love that idea, thanks!
Comforting one for Monday ! Thank you !
Hi Beth (or others who have made this recipe), what kind of ground beef do you think is best to use in this recipe? I usually buy 85/15, would that work well here? I’m super excited to make this because I love a good comfort food recipe in the cold weather (and it is FREEZING here in Memphis this weekend), but I can’t eat dairy so I’m always on the lookout for recipes that aren’t cheese or cream based.
Hi Mary, 85/15 should work just fine. I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I do make one similar, and I also use 85/15.
Yes, 85/15 should work great. :) If you have a lot of grease in the pot after browning the beef, you can drain it off before continuing.
I had this in Germany. A soldier friend of mine made it and I fell in love with it. Never heard of it before or since til I saw it again now. Thank you. Can’t wait to try it and see if it is the same as she made.
A real blast from the past! This, in a less sophisticated version, was a standard when I was growing up in rural Iowa–not only on my family’s table, but in the school cafeteria, and church potluck dinners. My MIL’s version, from Michigan, added a chunk of Velveeta to melt in, but no one in my family ever added cheese. A stop at Aldi on Saturday, and at another store on the way home for their ground sirloin, will have this–wine included–on our menu for the weekend. It’s been years since I made any, and this updated recipe sounds yummy.
We loved it!!! The wine made a huge difference. Thanks, Beth–the recipe was brilliant! Updated comfort food–what could be better?
This is one of my favorite recipes of yours, and I make it at least a few times every winter — the ultimate comfort food!!
My grandma used to make something very similiar, minus the wine. We called it goulash too. My granddad didn’t care for macaroni because it was a staple during the Depression, but he would eat it in this dish provided Grandma didn’t serve it up too often. I would never eat it – I wasn’t an adventurous kid back then. She would save out a bowl of plain macaroni for me, and keep it warm over the metal coffee percolator that was always going on the back burner of the stove. Well now that’s a little trip down memory lane….. :)
Curious what Aldi wine you used! I like their Outlander Cabernet, but I feel like it was more than $5 the last time I bought it. I love a good cheap red wine! This looks yummy, and glad to know I can freeze it!
I don’t remember the name of the “brand”, but it was a Cabernet. And it was actually only $4.49! Yay!
So good. I’m looking forward to enjoying leftovers for dinner this week. Thanks, Beth!! :-)
My husband is a huge goulash fan and I was delighted when he said this one was his favorite yet! This is simple to make and affordable too. Thanks so much!!
My husband is from Maine and used to make a very bachelor version of “American Chop Suey.” It was canned tomato soup mixed with ground beef, salsa, and pasta. I love the man, so I just went with it for ~5 years even though the ingredients were totally odd. And then you came to my rescue! We’ve been trying to eat more food with fresh ingredients, and this recipe is perfect. Most importantly, Husband approves and says it tastes better than his old bachelor recipe, so I don’t have to feel bad about taking that thing off the menu! It’s a really nice upgrade to one of his favorite “recipes!”
Thanks so much :)
This looked similar to the Goulash my mother used to make so I tried the recipe out this past weekend. It was delicious! I added a little more wine (3/4 cup), but otherwise stuck to the recipe. I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Ditto that this is similar to Johnny Marzetti! My mom’s version was simplified (no onions or peppers) with a can of baked beans and shredded cheddar cheese added.
Say what they will….this is the only type of goulash there is, the rest are all fakes! I have made goulash for nearly 50 years and this is very close to the recipe I have used. I received the recipe from the lunch ladies at our school, so, of course, the wine wasn’t included in their recipe. I use celery instead of peppers as it is available all year, excellent flavor and reasonably priced (original recipe called for celery). No bay leaf (not in my kitchen….can’t stand the stuff. Was not in the original recipe I received). Lighter on the garlic. Side note: Our lunch ladies were the best!
I NEVER had goulash before. I’ll definitely make this recipe for dinner this week!!!
Wonderful! I put in 1 & 1/2 Tblsps of paprika because, goulash!
can you nix the wine? and would it still taste good? I love to make this but am not a big Wine drinker.
Yep, the wine just adds depth to the sauce, but it will still be good without it.
This maybe a silly question but when you are cooking with bay leaves do you take them out after cooking or leave them in?
Yes, you take them out after cooking because they stay thick and tough. Not a silly question, I get that one a lot. :)
Can leftovers be frozen? How would you reheat it?
Yes, this freezes really well. I just freeze single serving portions in resealable plastic containers, then reheat in the microwave until it’s hot all the way through (you’ll want to stir a few times during reheating).
That’s really smart. I just made this (delicious) and am a bit overwhelmed by the quantity (but also relieved that I’ll have food for days.)
I haven’t had a dish like this since I was a little kid (Okay, okay… maybe the dining hall served something like this in college, but we called it “slop!” It never smelled this good!).
I’m certain whatever my Italian-American family made wasn’t authentic Hungarian goulash, so I’m definitely not judging you on too much tomato, the lack of paprika, or addition of soy sauce. Ha!
This is simmering now and smells great. I’d gotten some free ground venison and this goulash seemed perfect for it. The only changes I made were a little extra soy and wine (cuz, why not?!) and I did end up adding some paprika because I felt like I should.
Can’t wait to eat it. Likely I’ll have to restrain myself from consuming far too much.
Going to make this tonight, excited for a warm dish since it’s -10°F here in Minnesota! Im going to double the recipe so i have lots of leftovers:)
Both the boyfriend and I enjoyed this recipe very much, and enjoyed finishing the rest of the bottle after dinner even more.
A++! The only modifications I made were adding roughly-chopped mushrooms with the onions/garlic (seemed like a recipe that would accept my attempts to sneak in extra veggies at every turn) and finishing with a dollop of sour cream when serving. I love the little kick from the pepper flakes, and the depth from the red wine. So psyched to bring some leftovers to work tomorrow for an envy-inducing lunch.
Just found this recipe the other day and made it last night–a big hit! My husband’s mom, a US Midwest cook, made a dish she called goulash that was like this, but hers didn’t taste as good (sorry, Mom!). My only change was to use a red bell pepper for the green ones. Looking at this post also led to the one about freezing wine…what a terrific idea! I have the remains of last night’s bottle in the freezer now. Love your blog; I’m finding so many recipes I want to try.
Made it tonight, have a ton of leftovers and am happy about it. :) Think next time I’ll add a few additional vegetables, but that’s what’s great about this dish, you can add anything that works for you. Thanks for posting this, I’ve used your site so far for a couple of recipes and each of them have been a hit with me and my friends!
Made this tonight with ground turkey instead of ground beef (it was in the freezer). I’m looking forward to leftovers! Boyfriend liked it too.
So I made this tonight and all five of my children had seconds. It is extremely rare to get majority approval at my house, we didn’t even need to bribe them with seconds on strawberry flavored milk. Will be making again!
Here in the heartland (Ohio) we call this Johnny Marzetti. The name comes from the Italian restaurant where the dish originated in Columbus, Ohio. Stir in cheese – cheddar or Parmesan – and it’s even better. It’s a hearty, cold-weather staple around here. Add a crusty bread and salad or green vegetable and you’re good to go!
I made this last night, was so good………but the leftovers I had for lunch were even better. Thanks f or sharing the recipe. :)
Made this tonight, my son loved it. And he’s as picky as they come!!
Update! I ended up using just water instead of wine and the dish was a complete hit! (imagine what it would be WITH the red wine? :)
Thanks for another great recipe!
Well, the red wine really does give it a unique flavor. In its absence I would say use some beef stock but a half cup of beef stock is hard to come by without having extra… I would say you could also try adding 2 Tbsp of either balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar for that extra zing that wine usually adds. It will still be different but I think it would be nice. You may also need to add a little water (1/4 – 1/2 cup) in the absence of the wine but play it by ear. Add it in at the end if it looks like the macaroni made it too dry. I hope that helps! Good luck!
I’m thinking of making this tonight for my family (I’m a flexitarian but they love their beef and macaroni :P) and I was wondering how essential red wine is to this recipe and are their any suitable substitutes? We have none on hand at the moment and working on a tight budget has its constraints.
…and it makes great left overs because it gets nice and creamy overnight.
I put zucchini (usually sauteed in bacon grease)and kidney beans in my goulash :)
I made this for dinner tonight with the no-kead bread and it was SO delicious! I am a fraction hungarian and have only had a very traditional sort of goulash…but this was a great, unexpected change from the norm. I actually think I like it better! The only this I did differently is use egg noodles instead of elbow mac (it was all I had on hand).
Also, I used Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon wine which, if you haven’t tried yet is amazing, as well as all the other Cupcake varieties. They are my favorites! Reasonable too!
I’ve never heard of this kind of goulash, I’ve only seen/heard/eaten goulash as A soup(with potatoes, not macaroni), but it’s probably because I live in Europe and the Hungarian goulash is the only goulash imaginable – well, no need for other kind of goulashes since the Hungarian one is so damn delicious. But this does sound good, though, and I’ll definitely try it sometime.
Keep on the good work! As a poor student it’s great to have inexpensive but delicious recipes! And it’s funny to notice how much difference there is in prices between USA and Europe…
Honestly, I’ve never used it… I’m not really sure what differentiates the two. If I can get a cheap bottle of red for $7, that’s worth using some in the recipe and enjoying the rest :)
The difference between the two wines is the quality of the drink. Regular wine is finer, more flavorful, and will have a stronger taste in your dishes. Cooking wine is a go-to wine, but will not be enjoyable to drink, as the flavors it will bring won’t be as potent. Also cooking wine has a tremendous amount of sodium in it that drinking wine doesn’t have.
Beth, how do you feel about red cooking wine? Is that an acceptable replacement for red wine? Everytime I buy wine for cooking, I end up drinking the bottle and never saving any for the next time I cook.
This is FANTASTIC! We have had it twice, and it will be in our monthly rotation for quite some time, I expect. Your site is great, and we have enjoyed some of your other recipes as well. Thank you!
Made this last night for my friends. Everyone said it was “THE BEST THING THEY EVER ATE!” Thanks for all the great recipe ideas! :)
Beth,
Second dish I’ve made of yours this week, for the first time, and I’m hooked on your site. This was a big hit as well. My fiancee had 2 helpings and I had one big one and had to practice some self-control to not go back for 2nds. It also made the house smell so good. Even the cats were sniffing the air, and one of them got to my plate after I was done and he approved. I served this with crescent rolls. The only thing I changed was I used a 12 oz bag of macaroni, and my fiancee requested a smaller macaroni. I think I used medium.
Cheers!
Tracy
Just wanted to say this looks really good. Your other recipes look so appetizing. I have been intrigued and will try one for the first time next week. Keep this site going!
This looks really good. I can’t wait to make this.
my mother in laws version of “goulash” was add a can of tomato soup and mix it with the cooked beef and noodles ::shudders:: i still have to make it sometimes for hubby ..i add some paprika to try though to spice it up a bit
In New England, this dish is called American Chop Suey. It also doesn’t have wine or soy sauce in it — usually very very simple seasoned.
Sounds great! I’m going to try it tonight. This sounds like an improved version of my gran’s…except she always puts kidney beans in hers. Most likely because my gramps loves kidney beans in every thing. haha
Thanks for all the great recipes!
Wendy, the goulash name is is just local label. My husband’s family grew up calling a beef/macaroni dish like this as “spaghetti”.
I would assume it’s the wine/soy sauce that add the extra depth to this recipe. It looks yummy. I may have to make this. Looks yummy!
That’s a lot fancier than the one my mom used to make! ;)
I’m not being critical here – I thought Goulash was supposed to heavily feature paprika. I’m probably just thinking Paprikash… But this mix here looks really good, have all the items in my pantry and I will definitely try it.
P.S. Several of your recipes have made it into heavy rotation in my house so 1) Many Thanks and 2) Keep it up!
I make a dish similar to this (typed up on a recipe card by my mother years ago) called ‘Beef Poor Boy,’ but I just call it beef and noodles or homemade hamburger helper.
I use about 2 1/2 cups (roughly equal amounts) of carrots/celery/onions, some garlic, and 4 c. beef broth (or Better than Bouillon, whatever) to 2 c. elbows.
I’ll tell you, it’s saved me a bunch of times when hungry teenage boys want to devour everything in sight, and they all like it.
In my family we have an almost identical recipe (no wine or soy sauce, but you know), and we call it Glop. Doesn’t that make it sound SO yummy?
Hahaha, yeah, I have a feeling that Hungarian Goulash is the “original”… this one is more like “Mid-Century American” Goulash. :P
LOL…I’d never thought that there was any other kind of goulash other than Hungarian Goulash. Goulash is such a great weeknight fall meal!