Description
Hearty Hungarian Goulash emerges as a comforting classic, blending rich beef, paprika-kissed spices, and tender vegetables into a soul-warming meal. Generations of home cooks have perfected this one-pot wonder that brings warmth and tradition to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds ground beef
Pasta:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Seasonings and Extras:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 milliliters) Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) black pepper
- 1 cup (100 grams) cheddar cheese, shredded
Vegetables:
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato Base:
- 2 (15 ounces/425 grams) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (14.5 ounces/411 grams) cans petit diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, preparing for the final baking stage of the goulash.
- Boil water in a large pot, adding salt. Cook elbow macaroni for 3 minutes less than package instructions to maintain a firm texture. Drain and reserve.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef with chopped onions, breaking meat into small pieces for approximately 6-7 minutes. Drain excess fat thoroughly.
- Add minced garlic to the meat, sautéing for one minute until aromatic. Incorporate Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes, stirring to create a uniform mixture.
- Season the sauce with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to develop and integrate completely.
- Fold cooked macaroni into the meat sauce, ensuring each pasta piece is evenly coated. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and gently mix until cheese begins to melt slightly.
- Transfer the goulash to an oven-safe dish or skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top turns golden, cheese melts completely, and the edges become bubbly and crisp.
Notes
- Prevent pasta overcooking by deliberately undercooking it during initial boiling, ensuring perfect texture when baked in the goulash.
- Drain ground beef thoroughly to reduce excess grease and prevent a soggy final dish, creating a cleaner, more concentrated flavor profile.
- Consider using lean ground beef or turkey for a healthier version without compromising the rich, comforting taste of traditional goulash.
- Enhance meal prep by preparing this goulash ahead of time and refrigerating, as the flavors develop and intensify when allowed to sit overnight.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg