Southern Style Goulash
A quick, one-pot dish featuring ground beef, pasta, and a tomato-based sauce—perfect for busy weeknights and fully customizable with your favorite veggies.
Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
For the Sauce
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 cups beef broth Use low-sodium if desired
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon salt Or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
To Serve
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- to taste fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the ground beef to the pot. Cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese for a creamy finish, if using. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to thicken.
Notes
Great for leftovers as they taste even better the next day. Adjust the seasoning at the end to suit your taste. Use fresh herbs for added flavor.