Easy Homemade Goulash
This is the homemade goulash you wish you grew up with. Deep tomato flavor, beef, and elbow noodles, all made in one skillet. It’s nostalgic, cozy, and comes together in an hour.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 485kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 ½ cups tomato juice
- 12 oz macaroni
- 6 oz shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large oven-safe 12-inch skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, and ground beef. Break the beef into small bite-size pieces and cook until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, 8-10 minutes.
- Once the beef is cooked, add the tomato paste. Stir and cook the tomato paste until it is worked into the beef and is darker in color, 6-8 minutes.
- Add the salt, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and paprika. Stir the spices and herbs in and add the tomato juice, tomato sauce, beef stock, and diced tomatoes with their liquid. Pour in the dried macaroni and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the pasta is cooked, 20-30 minutes. Simmering instead of boiling in water will take the pasta longer to cook than the box instructions indicate. While cooking, stir every few minutes to encourage the pasta to cook evenly.
- Once the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese and place in the oven. To prevent any drips in the oven, place the skillet on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the dish until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 10-12 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
Caramelizing the tomato paste adds depth. Don’t skip this step—it’s what gives the goulash a slow-cooked flavor in less time.
Use lean beef or drain the fat. If you are using ground beef that's higher in fat, you may notice extra liquid in the skillet after browning. Just drain it off before continuing so it doesn’t dilute the flavor or texture of the sauce.
Adjust the liquid if needed. Depending on your pasta and skillet size, you might need a splash more tomato juice or stock to keep things from drying out.
Use oven-safe cookware. If you don’t have a skillet that goes from stovetop to oven, just transfer to a baking dish before adding cheese.
No need to bake? It's completely fine to skip the cheese and serve it right from the stovetop if you're short on time. It’s still delicious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 485kcal
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