American Goulash (Beefaroni)

Our delicious American Goulash recipe has ground beef and elbow pasta cooked in a flavorful, cheesy, red sauce. It’s made all in one pan and is picky-eater approved!

Want more pasta dishes? Try Tuscan Chicken Pasta, Manicotti, Boursin Pasta, and Pastalaya!

How to make American Goulash (Beefaroni):

Make Sauce: Sauté onion in pan then add garlic. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, using a meat chopper or spatula to crumble it to small pieces. Add dry spices and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire, and 1 ½ cups beef broth. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Cook Pasta: Add the additional ¾ cup broth and uncooked pasta. Cook until pasta is tender then stir in the cheese, allowing it to melt.

Freezing Instructions:

To Freeze: Allow to cool completely then place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge, then add a splash of broth when reheating, if needed.

Recipe Variations:

• Instant Pot: Push setting on Instant Pot to sauté then cook ground beef and onion. Drain grease, add spices, then cook for 1 minute. Turn off Instant Pot then stir in tomato sauce, paste, sugar, Worcestershire, and 1 ½ cups beef broth (don’t add any extra broth). Dump in macaroni noodles, stir, then close lid and seal and set to high pressure for 4 minutes. Do a quick release, stir, and add cheese.
• Crock Pot: Cook onion and ground beef in a pan on the stove then add spices and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, sugar, Worcestershire, and 1 cup of beef broth. Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours. Cook pasta separately according to package instructions, then stir in the cooked noodles and cheese, stirring until melted.

More One Pot Meals:

• Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Marsala Pasta
• Honey Mustard Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Chow Mein
• Breakfast Skillet
• Taco Soup
• Cottage Pie
• Classic Homemade Chili
• Baked Ziti

Recipe

4.83 from 85 votes

American Goulash (Beefaroni)

Delicious American Goulash made with ground beef and elbow pasta in a flavorful and cheesy red sauce. It's made all in one pan and is picky-eater approved!

Print Pin Review

Author Lauren Allen

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 400

Cost $12

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Total 40 minutes mins

Save Recipe

Equipment

• Meat Chopper

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 large onion , finely diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried basil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, and paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH dried oregano and chili powder
• ▢ pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 6 oz tomato paste
• ▢ 15 oz tomato sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth , divided
• ▢ 1 ½ cups elbow noodles (8 oz) , uncooked
• ▢ 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese

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Instructions

 

• Sauté onions and cook beef: Heat a large skillet with sides, over medium heat. Add oil. Once hot, add onion and saute for several minutes into tender and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Push onion to the side and add ground beef and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, crumbling it into very small pieces as it cooks. Add all dry spices and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Finish sauce: Stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire and 1 ½ cups beef broth. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Taste and add additional seasonings, if needed.
• Add pasta: Stir in additional ¾ cup broth and uncooked pasta. Cook until pasta is tender. Stir in freshly grated cheese and allow to melt. Serve immediately.

Notes

To Freeze: Allow to cool completely then place in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating. Add a splash of additional broth when reheating, if needed.

Instant Pot Beefaroni: Cook onion and ground beef on sauté setting in Instant Pot. Drain grease and add dry spices and cook for 1 minute. Turn off Instant Pot and stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire and 1 ½ cups beef broth (don’t add any additional beef broth). Pour in macaroni noodles, stir, and place lid on seal and set to high pressure for 4 minutes. Do a quick release when finished, stir, and add grated cheese.

Crock Pot Beefaroni: Cook onion and ground beef on stove. Add dry spices and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire and 1 cup beef broth and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours. Cook pasta separately. Add cooked noodles and grated cheese, and stir until cheese has melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 29gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1130mgPotassium: 1010mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 942IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 199mgIron: 5mg

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I originally shared this recipe August 2021. Updated September 2024.

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