Name: Grandma's Delicious Goulash Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds ground beef; 1 large onion (diced); 1 green bell pepper (diced); 15 ounces corn (1 can, drained); 29 ounces tomato sauce (1 can); 30 ounces diced tomatoes (2 (15 oz cans), undrained); ½ cup brown sugar; 3 Tablespoons soy sauce; 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups elbow macaroni

Grandma's goulash was a family favorite growing up - ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a sweet tomato sauce make this skillet dish so simple to throw together in no time. Goulash feeds a crowd and is made in just one skillet.

Grandma’s Goulash

Our Grandma’s Easy Ground Beef Goulash has always been one of our favorite meals, even as kids.

When mom was out of town, our dad always whipped up a batch of his mom’s goulash and we would devour the whole pan!

This simple dish is loaded with flavor and comes together in a matter of minutes. I love skillet dinners like this that make clean-up so easy.

What is Goulash?

Goulash originally came from Hungary and it was a soup or stew that consisted of meat and peppers seasoned with paprika and other herbs and seasonings.

In America, goulash is usually made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and tomatoes (either tomato sauce, tomato soup, and/or tomato paste).

I love that this dish is hearty and comforting, but it’s also perfect if you are trying to eat on a budget.

This isn’t your typical Hungarian goulash, but it’s delicious all the same.

If you are looking for more yummy meat and pasta skillet dishes, be sure to check out our Chili Mac Skillet or 20 Minute Skillet Lasagna.

How to make Grandma’s Goulash:

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until it’s no longer pink.
Add in onion and green pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.
Add corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt; let simmer for 5 minutes.
Add uncooked macaroni noodles, stir and cover skillet with lid.
Let simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes and serve.

Some people prefer a thicker goulash, so they let the liquid mixture boil down a little before adding in the noodles, but it’s completely up to you and how you like your goulash.

If there are any leftovers, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge – it makes great leftovers!

The noodles will absorb any extra liquid after a day or two, so if you prefer a soupier goulash, you can add a little bit of water or beef broth before you reheat it.

Related Recipe: Try our Instant Pot Ground Beef Goulash!

Additional toppings for Goulash:

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
sliced green onions
Parmesan cheese

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What to serve with Grandma’s Goulash:

Serves: 8

Grandma’s Delicious Goulash Recipe

Grandma's goulash was a family favorite growing up – ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a sweet tomato sauce make this skillet dish so simple to throw together in no time. Goulash feeds a crowd and is made in just one skillet.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Print Pin

Ingredients

1½ pounds ground beef
1 large onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
15 ounces corn 1 can, drained
29 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
30 ounces diced tomatoes 2 (15 oz cans), undrained
½ cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups elbow macaroni

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef until no longer pink.
Drain grease well and add onion and green pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add uncooked macaroni noodles, stir and cover pot with lid.
Let simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes and serve.

Video

Notes

Additional Toppings for Goulash:

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
sliced green onions
parmesan cheese

Nutrition

Calories: 506 kcal · Carbohydrates: 63 g · Protein: 24 g · Fat: 19 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 60 mg · Sodium: 1302 mg · Potassium: 1059 mg · Fiber: 6 g · Sugar: 25 g · Vitamin A: 766 IU · Vitamin C: 33 mg · Calcium: 90 mg · Iron: 5 mg

Equipment

large pot
Can Opener

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

This post was included in our Best Home Cooked Meals From Grandma Video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!

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Check out all our comfort foods like our Goulash or this Freezer Meal Beef Stew. Watch the video here:

Goulash with hamburger and elbow macaroni

Questions & Reviews

Shawna says:

I'm sure this is a perfectly wonderful dish, but could you do the Hungarians a favor and call it Turkey Surprise or something? Goulash is made with beef shank and it is actually a soup. I don't think soy sauce has ever been in a traditional Hungarian Nagymama's kitchen.

Kris says:

Ha Ha Ha! It is American Goulash! :)

Happy Valley Chow says:

I don't know if I have ever had goulash before, nor have I ever made it. This sounds awesome! Happy Blogging! Happy Valley Chow

michelle gant says:

Could this be cooked in a crock pot?

Cyd says:

You could make it and then keep it heated in a crock pot. You will want to brown the turkey (or hamburger) in a pan, not the crockpot.

Clover says:

We had something very similar to this dish, and my Great Grandmother who was from Russia called it Goulash. Elbow mac with some sort of ground meat, (Many times she would grind leftover beef roast) tomatoes from the can, with lots of paprika and chili powder. Sometimes, there would be onions. When ever I make this it feels like a hug from my Great Grandma, and my Granny.

Miki says:

Shawna I'm 55 years old I have been eating this dish all of my life its GOULASH! I have never heard it called anything else. I think your comment is nitpicky and silly. you could have shared your story without scolding the blogger I've had "Turkish Goulash" and I way perfer the American verison.....just sayin.

Susan says:

I've got 20 years on Miki and this is what we eat as goulash. My favorite was at the school cafeteria and I've just started to make it again. Yum. I'm keeping this one for a taste test, soon. Thanks.

Sarah Thompson says:

This looks like a great meal! I'm trying to figure out the nutritional value and am wondering approximately how many servings this makes. Thanks for all of your great recipes!

Christy says:

Can you use ketchup in the place of tomato sauce?

Catherine P. says:

I've had my nagymama's real Hungarian goulash, and I've had my boyfriend's mom's goulash (which is dang similar to this one) and I have news... I don't care what they're called, and they're both delicious. Grandma wouldn't have minded the name, neither. She was traditional to the core, but every now and again she'd pull a wild card. Her spaghetti sauce with hot dogs in it was met with mixed reviews LOL. ;)

Cyd says:

Ketchup is thicker than tomato sauce. It will alter the taste a little too. Let us know how it turns out. :)

Cyd says:

Just click on the MAGIC button under the picture. Then click on NUTRITION. All of the nutritional information and servings will come up. This is our new sisters site - MyRecipeMagic.com.

Shannon says:

This was sooo good I made it the other day. The family said this is a keeper. It has such a good taste. At first I was not sure about making it in the summer since it looks like a fall or winter food. But this is something I will make year round for sure... Also I do have a question can you freeze this? Thanks so much !!!

Shannon says:

I've had goulash both ways and think both are wonderful. When we moved back to the US the first time we had it at a friends house I thought...this looks like spaghetti sauce with elbow macaroni! :-)

Nancy says:

Can you use gluten free noodles and get the same results? Our do you recommend cooking the gluten free noodles first and then adding them?

Cyd says:

We have not used gluten free noodles when making this. If they hold up as well as macaroni, it should be fine.

Smalls says:

I made this last night for the first time but instead of green pepper I used a zuccini because that is what I had. I was wonderful! I used gluten free elbow noodles and they turned out great. Thank you for the recipe.

Smalls says:

I used the gluten free noodles but cook them first but still a little bit crunch so when they simmered for 10 minutes they wouldn't be mush. They turned out fine.

JulieE says:

This IS just like Grammie's... It is simple and delish!! I love the sweetness the brown sugar adds.

Amanda Chabaud says:

Exactly...I just made it, it's awesome. I'm from Alabama and we love it love this.

Stephanie says:

I made this for freezer meals for my elderly parents. They said it was too sweet. My mom refused to eat it. There is a lot left. Do you have any suggestions on how to cut the sweetness after the fact? Other than that, it is good.

Cyd says:

The only ingredient that really adds sweetness is the brown sugar. You could try leaving it out if this is too sweet. But we have never left it out. We make it as is because it's our Grandma's recipe that we grew up with.

Debbie says:

Can this goulash be done in the insta pot?

Cyd Adamson says:

Yes. We have this recipe already for the Instant Pot. Here is the Youtube video. https://youtu.be/CD3kE-77Ihk

katharine says:

I saw this recipe on the list of freezer meals, but there are no instructions for freezing/heating.

Momma Cyd says:

You can easily make this into a freezer meal. Brown the hamburger and cook with the green pepper and onion. Drain the grease. Then add everything into the freezer bag and freeze. Then you can thaw and place in the instant pot when ready to cook. Cook for time indicated on recipe.

Join The Discussion

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Shawna says:

I'm sure this is a perfectly wonderful dish, but could you do the Hungarians a favor and call it Turkey Surprise or something? Goulash is made with beef shank and it is actually a soup. I don't think soy sauce has ever been in a traditional Hungarian Nagymama's kitchen.
Kris says:

Ha Ha Ha! It is American Goulash! :)
Happy Valley Chow says:

I don't know if I have ever had goulash before, nor have I ever made it. This sounds awesome! Happy Blogging! Happy Valley Chow
michelle gant says:

Could this be cooked in a crock pot?
Cyd says:

You could make it and then keep it heated in a crock pot. You will want to brown the turkey (or hamburger) in a pan, not the crockpot.
Clover says:

We had something very similar to this dish, and my Great Grandmother who was from Russia called it Goulash. Elbow mac with some sort of ground meat, (Many times she would grind leftover beef roast) tomatoes from the can, with lots of paprika and chili powder. Sometimes, there would be onions. When ever I make this it feels like a hug from my Great Grandma, and my Granny.
Miki says:

Shawna I'm 55 years old I have been eating this dish all of my life its GOULASH! I have never heard it called anything else. I think your comment is nitpicky and silly. you could have shared your story without scolding the blogger I've had "Turkish Goulash" and I way perfer the American verison.....just sayin.
Susan says:

I've got 20 years on Miki and this is what we eat as goulash. My favorite was at the school cafeteria and I've just started to make it again. Yum. I'm keeping this one for a taste test, soon. Thanks.
Sarah Thompson says:

This looks like a great meal! I'm trying to figure out the nutritional value and am wondering approximately how many servings this makes. Thanks for all of your great recipes!
Christy says:

Can you use ketchup in the place of tomato sauce?
Catherine P. says:

I've had my nagymama's real Hungarian goulash, and I've had my boyfriend's mom's goulash (which is dang similar to this one) and I have news... I don't care what they're called, and they're both delicious. Grandma wouldn't have minded the name, neither. She was traditional to the core, but every now and again she'd pull a wild card. Her spaghetti sauce with hot dogs in it was met with mixed reviews LOL. ;)
Cyd says:

Ketchup is thicker than tomato sauce. It will alter the taste a little too. Let us know how it turns out. :)
Cyd says:

Just click on the MAGIC button under the picture. Then click on NUTRITION. All of the nutritional information and servings will come up. This is our new sisters site - MyRecipeMagic.com.
Shannon says:

This was sooo good I made it the other day. The family said this is a keeper. It has such a good taste. At first I was not sure about making it in the summer since it looks like a fall or winter food. But this is something I will make year round for sure... Also I do have a question can you freeze this? Thanks so much !!!
Shannon says:

I've had goulash both ways and think both are wonderful. When we moved back to the US the first time we had it at a friends house I thought...this looks like spaghetti sauce with elbow macaroni! :-)
Nancy says:

Can you use gluten free noodles and get the same results? Our do you recommend cooking the gluten free noodles first and then adding them?
Cyd says:

We have not used gluten free noodles when making this. If they hold up as well as macaroni, it should be fine.
Smalls says:

I made this last night for the first time but instead of green pepper I used a zuccini because that is what I had. I was wonderful! I used gluten free elbow noodles and they turned out great. Thank you for the recipe.
Smalls says:

I used the gluten free noodles but cook them first but still a little bit crunch so when they simmered for 10 minutes they wouldn't be mush. They turned out fine.
JulieE says:

This IS just like Grammie's... It is simple and delish!! I love the sweetness the brown sugar adds.
Amanda Chabaud says:

Exactly...I just made it, it's awesome. I'm from Alabama and we love it love this.
Stephanie says:

I made this for freezer meals for my elderly parents. They said it was too sweet. My mom refused to eat it. There is a lot left. Do you have any suggestions on how to cut the sweetness after the fact? Other than that, it is good.
Cyd says:

The only ingredient that really adds sweetness is the brown sugar. You could try leaving it out if this is too sweet. But we have never left it out. We make it as is because it's our Grandma's recipe that we grew up with.
Debbie says:

Can this goulash be done in the insta pot?
Cyd Adamson says:

Yes. We have this recipe already for the Instant Pot. Here is the Youtube video. https://youtu.be/CD3kE-77Ihk
katharine says:

I saw this recipe on the list of freezer meals, but there are no instructions for freezing/heating.
Momma Cyd says:

You can easily make this into a freezer meal. Brown the hamburger and cook with the green pepper and onion. Drain the grease. Then add everything into the freezer bag and freeze. Then you can thaw and place in the instant pot when ready to cook. Cook for time indicated on recipe.

Grandma’s Delicious Goulash Recipe

Grandma’s Goulash

What is Goulash?

How to make Grandma’s Goulash:

Additional toppings for Goulash: