American Goulash

4.47 from 49 votes

This American Goulash (a.k.a. Chop Suey) is the ultimate one-pot comfort meal made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a rich, tomato based sauce. A nostalgic, budget friendly dinner that feeds a crowd and gets better the next day!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: american goulash, chop suey

Servings:

Calories: 438kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ pounds ground beef lean or extra lean
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 medium yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
28 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
2 cups passata or tomato sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups beef broth low sodium
2 bay leaves
2 cups elbow macaroni dry, uncooked
1½ cups cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. If needed, discard excess grease from the pan, leaving behind 1-2 tablespoons.
Stir in the Italian seasoning, and onion. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until aromatic.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, passata, soy sauce, beef broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the macaroni and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
Stir in the cheese, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Video

Notes

Ground Beef: Use lean or extra lean to avoid excess grease. If using regular, drain off the fat after browning, no one wants goulash soup.
Pasta: Elbow macaroni is classic, but any short pasta works. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t clump or stick, especially toward the end of cooking.
Tomatoes: The combo of diced tomatoes + passata (or tomato sauce) gives the best texture and flavor. Diced adds a bit of bite, passata brings the silky, saucy goodness.
Cheese: Shredded cheddar gets stirred in at the end for creaminess. Want it extra cheesy? Top each bowl with more before serving.
Soy sauce: It’s not a typo. It adds depth without tasting like soy. You won’t even know it’s there, but you’ll miss it if it’s not.
Make Ahead: Even better the next day! Store in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze (see Storage section). Add a splash of broth when reheating.
Reheating: If the goulash thickens up too much in the fridge, loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating.

Nutrition