Grandma's One-Pan Goulash Recipe Has Stood the Test of Time (35 Minutes, High-Protein) by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Who didn't grow up eating goulash for dinner? This easy ground beef goulash recipe is ready in about 30 minutes and is a time-tested family pleaser. Plus this ground beef dinner recipe is budget-friendly and is a one-pan recipe. Dinner perfection!

Here is your shopping list for this old-fashioned, high-protein goulash: ground beef, olive oil, onion, bell pepper, fresh garlic, canned tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, dried Italian seasoning, bay leaves, elbow macaroni and cheddar cheese.

Photo credit: all photos under license from BigStock

Grandma's goulash recipe starts with ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Fresh garlic, tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, a bay leaf and elbow macaroni pasta are added into the cooked ground beef. Simmer, then top with cheese (if you like). That's it! The ground beef recipe is a simple dinner the whole family will love. Plus, check out the health benefits of bell pepper and the health benefits of tomatoes.

This budget recipe is a complete high-protein dinner, but you could add a fresh garden salad. Goulash leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 ounces (1 can) tomato sauce
• 15 ounces (1 can) diced canned tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Here's how to make it: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the ground beef, onions and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, to taste Cook until beef is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Drain the fat. (Try this recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef.)
2. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, bay leaf and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes. (To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. You could use any short pasta for this recipe, though it may affect cooking time if pasta is larger.)
3. Top with the cheddar cheese and cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. (If you can, grate your own fresh cheddar cheese. Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded cheese.) Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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