What is the difference between American goulash and Hungarian goulash?

They share a name and almost nothing else. Hungarian gulyás is a slow-cooked beef stew built on a great deal of paprika, with no pasta in it at all. American goulash is a one pot ground beef, tomato and macaroni dish that developed separately in the United States. Both are good; they're just unrelated.

Can I make American goulash in a slow cooker?

Brown the beef and bloom the paprika on the stove first, then transfer everything except the macaroni and cheese to the slow cooker for four hours on low. Stir the dry pasta in for the final twenty-five minutes on high, then add the cheese at the end.

Why does my goulash taste flat?

Usually under-seasoning or skipping the bloom. Two tablespoons of paprika sounds like a lot and isn't — it's the defining flavor. Make sure the spices hit hot fat before any liquid, use the bay leaves, and check the salt at the end, since canned tomatoes vary widely.

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Elbow macaroni is traditional and cooks in about the right time. Small shells or ditalini work equally well. Avoid long or thick shapes, which need more liquid and longer cooking and will throw off the ratio that makes this a one pot dish.

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American goulash

By Ami · September 15, 2026 · ★★★★★ 4.8 from 256 reviews · Jump to Recipe · Print

American goulash is the one pot comfort food recipe that turns up in everyone's childhood under a slightly different name — beef, tomatoes and macaroni, simmered together until the pasta drinks up the sauce. Forty minutes, one pot, and it costs about two dollars a serving.

American goulash in a large pot with elbow macaroni in thick tomato beef sauce, melted cheddar and fresh parsley, easy one pot 40-minute comfort food recipe

Everyone grew up with a version of this, and here's mine.

It's the cheapest real dinner I make. Ground beef, canned tomatoes and a box of macaroni feeds six people properly. Two dollars a serving, and it doesn't taste like a budget dinner.
Paprika and bay are what make it taste old-fashioned. Two tablespoons of sweet paprika and a couple of bay leaves are the flavors people are actually nostalgic for. Without them it's just beef and noodles.
One pot, and the pasta cooks in the sauce. Same principle as one pot chili mac — the macaroni absorbs the tomato and thickens the sauce as it goes.

Here's what you'll need.

This is not Hungarian goulash, which is a paprika beef stew with no pasta — American goulash is its own thing and that's fine. Sweet Hungarian paprika is worth seeking out over generic paprika; it's the dominant flavor here. Crushed tomatoes plus tomato sauce gives you both body and smoothness, which one alone won't.

Overhead flat-lay of ingredients for American goulash in small white bowls — ground beef, elbow macaroni, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, green pepper, garlic, paprika, bay leaves and cheddar

Here's how it all comes together.

Step 1 — Brown the beef properly

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high and brown the ground beef 7 to 8 minutes, leaving it undisturbed at first. This is a simple dish, so the browning is carrying more of the flavor than usual.

Close-up process photo of ground beef browning deeply in a large Dutch oven for American goulash, warm window light

Step 2 — Add the onion and pepper

Stir in the diced onion and green bell pepper and cook 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Green pepper is traditional here and contributes a particular slightly bitter note that the dish would miss.

Close-up process photo of diced onion and green bell pepper cooking down with browned ground beef in a Dutch oven

Step 3 — Bloom the paprika and garlic

Add the garlic, sweet paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir 60 seconds until the pot smells sweet and peppery. Paprika burns quickly, so keep it moving and don't let the pan run dry.

Close-up process photo of sweet paprika and minced garlic blooming in hot fat with ground beef in a Dutch oven

Step 4 — Add tomatoes, broth and bay

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth and Worcestershire, tuck in the bay leaves, and bring it to a simmer. Let it go 10 minutes before the pasta so the sauce has its own identity first.

Close-up process photo of crushed tomatoes and beef broth being poured into a Dutch oven of seasoned beef with bay leaves

Step 5 — Simmer the macaroni in the sauce

Stir in the dry elbow macaroni, cover, and cook 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Scrape the bottom each time — thick tomato sauce catches and scorches faster than you'd expect.

Close-up process photo of dry elbow macaroni being stirred into simmering tomato beef sauce in a Dutch oven

Step 6 — Fish out the bay and add cheese

Remove the bay leaves, stir in half the cheddar until it disappears into the sauce, then scatter the rest on top and cover for 2 minutes. Finish with parsley and serve it hot from the pot.

Close-up process photo of shredded cheddar being stirred into American goulash in a Dutch oven with parsley on top

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

Use sweet Hungarian paprika if you can find it. Generic paprika is mostly color. Hungarian sweet paprika has actual fruity depth, and it's the flavor that makes this taste like the version you remember.
Simmer the sauce ten minutes before the pasta. Adding macaroni immediately gives you a sauce that tastes like raw canned tomato. Ten minutes is enough to cook that edge off.
Scrape the bottom every time you stir. Tomato and starch together will weld to the pot. A wooden spoon across the base each stir prevents a scorched batch.
Don't skip the bay leaves. Two leaves across a forty-minute simmer add a background savoriness you'll notice by its absence. Remember to take them out.

Make it ahead, or stretch it.

Better the next day, without question. The paprika and bay keep developing overnight. It thickens considerably, so plan on adding broth when you reheat it.
Freezes three months. Cook the macaroni two minutes short if you know it's going in the freezer, since it softens further on thawing.
Stretch it or lighten it. An extra cup of macaroni plus a cup of broth takes it to eight servings. Ground turkey keeps the protein at 36g with noticeably less fat.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

Buttered crusty bread for the sauce at the bottom of the bowl.
A plain green salad, which is all this needs alongside it.
Fried cabbage if you want a second vegetable on the table.
Creamy tomato basil soup in small cups as a starter.
Greek yogurt banana bread warm with butter after.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will set thick and sliceable when fully chilled, which is entirely normal for a one pot pasta and reverses completely with a little liquid.

Reheating: reheat on the stove over medium-low with a half cup of beef broth or water, stirring until it loosens, about 5 minutes. Microwave single portions at 70% power for 2 minutes, adding liquid before you start rather than after.

More comfort food recipes...

One pot chili mac — pasta cooked right in the chili

Baked Spaghetti (Cheesy Comfort Food That Feeds Eight) — cheesy saucy pasta casserole

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy (40-Minute Comfort Food) — rich onion mushroom gravy, 40 minutes

Baked ziti — golden bubbly cheese top

American goulash

★★★★★ 4.8 from 256 reviews — American goulash with ground beef, crushed tomatoes and elbow macaroni simmered in one pot with sweet paprika and bay, finished with cheddar. 40 minutes, 36g protein.

Prep 10 min · Cook 35 min · Total 45 min · Serves 6 · Category: Comfort Food · Cuisine: American

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
chopped parsley, to serve

Instructions

Brown. Brown the beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high 7-8 minutes. Drain most of the fat.
Vegetables. Add the onion and green pepper and cook 5 minutes until softened.
Bloom. Add the garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir 60 seconds.
Sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Worcestershire and bay leaves. Simmer 10 minutes.
Pasta. Stir in the macaroni, cover and cook 12-14 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every few minutes.
Finish. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in half the cheddar, scatter the rest on top, cover 2 minutes, then add parsley.

Notes: This is American goulash, not Hungarian — the Hungarian dish is a paprika beef stew with no pasta. Sweet Hungarian paprika makes a real difference over generic paprika. Simmer the sauce 10 minutes before the pasta goes in. Scrape the bottom of the pot at every stir; tomato and starch scorch easily. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Freezes 3 months; undercook the pasta 2 minutes first.

Nutrition (per serving, estimated): 540 calories · 36g protein · 54g carbs · 20g fat · 6g fiber

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FAQ

What is the difference between American goulash and Hungarian goulash?: They share a name and almost nothing else. Hungarian gulyás is a slow-cooked beef stew built on a great deal of paprika, with no pasta in it at all. American goulash is a one pot ground beef, tomato and macaroni dish that developed separately in the United States. Both are good; they're just unrelated.
Can I make American goulash in a slow cooker?: Brown the beef and bloom the paprika on the stove first, then transfer everything except the macaroni and cheese to the slow cooker for four hours on low. Stir the dry pasta in for the final twenty-five minutes on high, then add the cheese at the end.
Why does my goulash taste flat?: Usually under-seasoning or skipping the bloom. Two tablespoons of paprika sounds like a lot and isn't — it's the defining flavor. Make sure the spices hit hot fat before any liquid, use the bay leaves, and check the salt at the end, since canned tomatoes vary widely.
Can I use a different pasta shape?: Elbow macaroni is traditional and cooks in about the right time. Small shells or ditalini work equally well. Avoid long or thick shapes, which need more liquid and longer cooking and will throw off the ratio that makes this a one pot dish.