This easy, one-pot American Goulash (aka Beefaroni) is the epitome of comfort food and a meal the entire family will love! It starts with a flavorful homemade meat sauce, then macaroni noodles cooked in the sauce, and finished with a sprinkle of cheese.

Looking for more one pot meals? Try my Lemon Chicken Pasta or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas!

A bowl full of American Goulash made with macaroni noodles, sauce and ground beef.

If American Goulash is unfamiliar, you might have called this “beefaroni” as a kid. Either way, if you’ve never made this dish from scratch, get ready to lick the bowl clean! It’s flavorful and hearty, and best of all, you can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes with only one pot to wash afterwards!

How to make American Goulash (Beefaroni):

Saute onion in a pan with oil for several minutes. Add garlic. Add ground beef and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks. Add all dry spices and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Browned ground beef, sautéed onion and spices, in a skillet.

Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire and 1 ½ cups beef broth. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Tomato sauce, tomato paste, and broth added to cooked ground beef, onion and spices to make American Goulash.

Pour in an additional ¾ cup broth and uncooked pasta. Cook until pasta is tender.

Dry elbow macaroni noodles added on top of meat sauce in a skillet.

Stir in cheese that’s been freshly grated, and allow to melt.

American Goulash cooked in a pan, with shredded cheddar cheese added on top.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: This meal is best served immediately, but leftovers may be stored in a container in the fridge for a few days and reheated in the microwave.

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.

Cook beefaroni in a large skillet with a wooden spoon for serving.

Recipe Variations:

  • 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 5 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.

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Recipe

A bowl full of American Goulash made with macaroni noodles, sauce and ground beef.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 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 tsp 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

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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 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 Make Ahead: This meal is best served immediately, but leftovers may be stored in a container in the fridge for a few days and reheated in the microwave.
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 5 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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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 1 star
    I did the 2x version it was not good.WAY TOO MUCH tomatoe paste! I have a whole heck of a lot of food that no one wants. I do like the dry seasoning.
    I usually make this a different way by cooking the pasta separate then combining them. It works better for me this way.

  2. 4 stars
    Really good base recipe! Simple and so tasty! Like others I lessened the tomato paste, maybe 1-2 Tbs. I used one pint of cherry tomatoes I had leftover instead of tomato sauce and water with beef buillon powder for broth. I added about 1/4 cup more water to finish cooking the noodles. Great!

  3. 5 stars
    I really enjoyed this recipe, it was easy to make, very hearty dish. I substituted 3tb ketchup for the tomato paste. Definately going to make this one again.

  4. 3 stars
    The flavor was good, but there was entirely too much tomato paste in this recipe which ruined it for us. I would love to try this again because it looks like something the kids would love, but next time I’ll use 1-2 Tbsp of tomato paste instead of 6.

  5. 5 stars
    This is the second time I’ve made this dish for my family, and it’s been a huge hit both times! All 6 of us approve. An amazing comfort food, packed with flavor! Give this a try when you’re wanting to switch up spaghetti night.

  6. 4 stars
    Instructions are confusing. I doubled this recipe, instructions for the broth does not change when doubled or tripled. I guessed. It shows 1 1/2 then 3/4 no matter what

    1. It’s at the end of step 1. “Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.” We’d love to hear your review of the recipe 🙂

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