American Goulash: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Hearty Weeknight Goulash with a Protein Punch
A cozy, one-skillet dinner that pairs lean beef and whole‑wheat elbows with a smoky tomato sauce—perfect for busy evenings and make‑ahead meals.
Think of this as the practical cousin of the classic comfort pot: big, tomato‑ey flavor, chewy whole‑wheat elbows, and plenty of lean ground beef so everyone leaves the table satisfied. Red bell pepper and sweet onion soften into the sauce while smoked paprika and a splash of Worcestershire add a low, savory hum—no fussing with fancy techniques, just honest, crowd‑pleasing flavor.
A few small tricks keep the dish bright and saucy. Sauté onion and pepper first until sweet and softened, add garlic only until fragrant, then brown the 93% lean beef and drain off excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon for richness. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, and a little low‑sodium beef broth; finish by folding in al dente whole‑wheat macaroni and a reserved 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to bring everything together into a glossy, clingy sauce.
It’s a natural for meal prep: it stretches to four generous servings, refrigerates well, and reheats without losing texture (add a splash of broth or water if it tightens up). Swap in extra beans for more fiber, top with a sprinkle of cheese or chopped parsley, or portion into containers for quick lunches on busy days.
Bottom line: this American goulash is unfussy, satisfying, and built to handle hungry weeknights—comfort food that plays nicely with a protein‑forward routine.
Ingredients
How to Make American Goulash
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the whole-wheat macaroni according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set the pasta aside.
- While the pasta water heats, heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion and diced red pepper; sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, break it up with a spatula, and cook until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes; if excess fat accumulates, drain off all but about 1 tablespoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper and cook 1–2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, low-sodium beef broth, and the drained kidney beans; bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the skillet and toss to combine, adding up to the reserved 1/2 cup pasta water a little at a time if the mixture seems too thick; cook 1–2 minutes more so the pasta absorbs flavor.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the dish rest 3–5 minutes for the sauce to set; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
- Portion into four meal-prep containers, refrigerate up to 4 days, and reheat covered in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of water until warmed through.
Recipe Card
American Goulash
American Goulash: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the whole-wheat macaroni according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set the pasta aside.
- While the pasta water heats, heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion and diced red pepper; sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, break it up with a spatula, and cook until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes; if excess fat accumulates, drain off all but about 1 tablespoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper and cook 1–2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, low-sodium beef broth, and the drained kidney beans; bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the skillet and toss to combine, adding up to the reserved 1/2 cup pasta water a little at a time if the mixture seems too thick; cook 1–2 minutes more so the pasta absorbs flavor.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the dish rest 3–5 minutes for the sauce to set; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
- Portion into four meal-prep containers, refrigerate up to 4 days, and reheat covered in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of water until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 66
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Sodium
- 620
- Fiber
- 10
- Unsaturated Fat
- 12
- Protein
- 37
- Fat
- 16
- Cholesterol
- 85
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 565
- Sugar
- 7