Easy American Goulash

This easy one pot version of American Goulash cooks the pasta and beef in the same pot with a homemade red wine tomato sauce for extra flavor. The post Easy American Goulash appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Apr 5, 2025 - 14:55

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 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.

Overhead view of a pot of homemade American goulash with a wooden spoon.

“Very easy and tasty. Another ground beef recipe to add to the rotation. Everyone loved it. Will make again.” Kathleen R

Easy American Goulash Recipe

This recipe for American goulash is made from ground beef and macaroni in a delicious red wine and tomato sauce. It’s totally different than Hungarian goulash, which has chunks of beef that has been slowly simmered in a paprika sauce. This one is straight up American comfort food! The beef is browned until it’s perfectly savory, the macaroni soaks up all that rich, tomatoey goodness, and the red wine adds just the right depth of flavor to make it taste like it’s been simmering all day…even though it comes together in MUCH less time. Trust me, once you take that first bite, you’ll wonder where this recipe has been all your life!

Overhead close up view of a pot of American goulash.

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Easy American Goulash

This easy one pot version of American Goulash cooks the pasta and beef in the same pot with a homemade red wine tomato sauce for extra flavor.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Cost $12.30 recipe / $2.05 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings About 1.5 cups each

Calories 467kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Equipment

Dutch Oven
Measuring Cups Spoons

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil $0.22
1 yellow onion $0.70
4 cloves garlic $0.16
2 bell peppers $1.72
1 lb ground beef* $4.98
1/2 cup red wine** $0.72
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes $1.63
1 15oz. can tomato sauce $1.06
2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.05
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.)*** $0.59
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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Notes

*Ground beef is the traditional choice for this recipe, but you could try ground turkey or ground pork instead.

**The type of red wine is flexible; just stay away from very sweet varieties. I used Cabernet Sauvignon. The red wine really makes this sauce the best it can be, but you can use beef broth if preferred.

***I use elbow macaroni, but you can use any small shaped pasta, like small shells or ditalini. Be sure to simmer until the pasta is tender.

Nutrition

How to Make American Goulash Step-By-Step Photos

Gather all of your ingredients.

Onions, garlic, olive oil, and bell peppers in a soup pot.

Sauté the veggies: 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 onions 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.

Ground beef added to sauteed veggies in a soup pot.

Brown the meat: Add one pound of ground beef to the pot and continue to sauté over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink. If the ground beef you use releases a lot of fat, you can drain some away. I personally like a little fat in there to make the sauce richer, but it’s up to you!

Red wine being added to browned ground beef and sauteed veggies in a soup pot.

Make the sauce: Then, add 1/2 cup red wine to the pot and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.

Canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and seasonings added to a soup pot with browned ground beef and vegetables.

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.

A soup pot of homemade American goulash, without the pasta, after simmering.

Simmer: 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.

Dried macaroni being added to a soup pot of american goulash.

Add the pasta: 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.

Serve: Once the macaroni is tender, give it a taste and add salt if needed. Remove the pot from the heat, fish out the bay leaves, then serve that one pot goodness!

Overhead view of a bowl of American goulash.

Do I NEED to use red wine? 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.
Add some cheese. A common twist on this old-fashioned goulash recipe is added 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.
Use a large, heavy-duty soup pot. 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 for this recipe.
Simmer before adding the pasta. I simmer the meat, veggies, and sauce together to intensify the flavors (and cook down the acidity of the tomatoes) before adding the pasta. This stops the pasta from getting too mushy while the sauce continues to simmer and thicken.
Make it your own. This dish is very versatile, so feel free to add in more vegetables, such as mushrooms or spinach. You can also add more or less seasonings to taste!

Serving Suggestions

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 Greek salad on the side for added crunch and extra vegetables.

Can You Freeze Goulash?

Yes! This one pot American goulash recipe is very freezer-friendly. Just make sure to cool it completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer for long term storage. I suggest freezing it for three months maximum. And remember, label and date everything that goes in your freezer!