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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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.
Want more One Pot answers to dinner? Check out our archive of over 50 One Pot Meals!
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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Measuring Cups Spoons
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
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!!
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!! :-)