Ground Beef Goulash

Just in time for the Fall season, I give you an incredibly comforting recipe that is easy to make and like chili, it’s better the next day. The flavors really marry and meld overnight.

I give you … goulash with ground beef and elbow macaroni. A dish that takes me back to my childhood because it’s one of those dishes that my mom made that really sticks out in my mind. And I remember her making it often over the Fall and Winter seasons which is appropriate to roll out on the first day of Fall 2013. It’s something that warms you from the inside out and keeps you wanting more … seconds and thirds please.

That all said, I made an adult version that really has some depth. The basic recipe calls for 1 tbsp of paprika but I decided to kick it up with three different kinds to blow up the flavor profile. The end result was that we ate every … single … bit … of … it. That is a very rare occurrence in this house but one we are working on resolving with each dish. Lately we’ve been eating more and more of everything I make … YAY US!!!

Take a trip down memory lane with this one, or take a new trip that you will visit often. Goulash … it’s a good thing.

goulash

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Ground Beef Goulash
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Hungarian
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, vegetable oil, or bacon drippings
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup chopped, cooked bacon
  • 1 tbsp regular paprika – or 1 tsp each of smoked paprika, sweet paprika, and hot paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 – 15 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 2 – 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 (15¼ ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • OPTIONAL/HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream
Instructions
  1. Put oil in a large dutch oven and sauté onions over medium high heat until soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the onions, stir to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Crumble in ground beef and brown until no longer pink, stirring to combine everything well.
  3. Add in bacon, paprika, salt and pepper, stir to combine and coat everything. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat to medium, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Stir in uncooked macaroni and corn, simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the macaroni is done.
  6. OPTIONAL: Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream.