This slow cooker goulash is a flavorful and delicious meal packed with macaroni noodles, ground beef, and seasonings. Using a crockpot for this American goulash is incredibly simple, allowing you to just throw the ingredients in and let the magic happen while you go about your day! It's a simple comfort food that the entire family will love!
Serve this hearty beef goulash by itself or alongside some Instant Pot white rice, Cheesecake Factory brown bread, or a Caesar salad!
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Goulash is a simple, easy, and delicious meal perfect for family dinners any night of the week! It's hearty, kid-approved, and it takes practically no effort.
If you want the stovetop version, check out my goulash recipe here. However, I love the convenience of prepping everything in the morning and having dinner ready when I return!
Make sure you look at more of my delicious, easy family dinners that are perfect for busy weeknights!
🥘 Ingredients
If you've never had goulash, it's a tasty combination of ground beef, macaroni noodles, and a tomato-based sauce. Feel free to add some cheese, too, if you like!
- Ground Beef - 1 pound of ground beef. I used 80/20, but you can use your preferred kind.
- Onion - ½ cup of diced yellow onion.
- Beef Broth - 2 cups of beef broth.
- Diced Tomatoes - One 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Don't drain it; you'll want to use the juices, too.
- Marinara Sauce - 1½ cups of marinara sauce. You can use store-bought sauce or check out my recipe.
- Tomato Paste - 3 tablespoons of tomato paste (or use a tomato paste substitute).
- Bay Leaf - 1 bay leaf.
- Soy Sauce - 2 teaspoons of soy sauce (or a soy sauce substitute).
- Seasonings - 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon each of paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Macaroni - 1 cup of uncooked elbow macaroni.
- Cheese (optional) - ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Colby jack, or mozzarella.
- Parsley (optional) - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Slow Cooker Goulash
All you need to do for this dish is brown the beef before mixing it all together in your crockpot! Grab a slow cooker, a large skillet, a wooden spoon, and your measuring utensils to begin.
This slow cooker goulash will make about 6 servings, but you can stretch it even further if you want to mix in some beans or bell peppers.
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the 1 pound (340 grams) of ground beef and ½ cup (80 grams) of yellow onion until no pink remains, about 3-5 minutes. Then drain the grease and place the mixture into your slow cooker.
- Combine. Stir in 2 cups (473 milliliters) of beef broth, 14.5 ounces (417 grams) of diced tomatoes, 1½ cups (245 grams) of marinara sauce, 3 tablespoons (48 grams) of tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon (3 grams) of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon (1 gram) each of paprika, salt, & pepper.
- Cook. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or low heat for 4-6 hours.
- Add pasta. Add the uncooked 1 cup (140 grams) of elbow macaroni during the last 45 minutes of cooking.
- Serve. Remove and discard the bay leaf and stir in the optional ½ cup (56 grams) of sharp cheddar cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
🥗 Sides
Check out my collection of summer side dishes and vegetable side dishes for some more ideas! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Pasta Varieties: While macaroni noodles are traditional, use other small pasta types like orecchiette, ditalini, or orzo. Each variety brings a unique texture and shape to the dish, allowing you to customize it according to your preference.
- Adjusting Consistency: If you find the goulash too thick, adding some beef broth can help thin it out. Remember, the mixture thickens as it cools, so adjust accordingly while cooking.
- Meat Substitutions: Ground beef is commonly used, but you can easily swap it with other ground meats like turkey. This substitution can cater to different dietary preferences or simply offer a variation in flavor.
- Extending the Dish: To make the goulash go further, add chopped red bell pepper or canned beans. These ingredients not only stretch the meal but also add extra nutrition and flavor.
- Time-Saving Tip: If you're short on time, add uncooked pasta directly to the goulash with the other ingredients and cook on high heat for just one hour. This method saves time without compromising the taste.
- Avoiding Overcooked Pasta: Be cautious not to cook the goulash for more than an hour after adding the pasta. Overcooking can result in a mushy texture, so it's important to time it right for the perfect consistency.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let your leftovers cool completely, and then keep them stored in the fridge using an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing - You can portion the goulash into freezer-safe bags and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you reheat it.
- Reheating - Reheat your leftovers in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
You can cook your goulash for 2-3 hours on high heat or 4-6 hours on low heat. Alternatively, you can add the pasta at the beginning and just cook everything together for 1 hour on high heat if you are pressed for time.
Yes, this is a completely freezer-friendly, make-ahead meal! Let your goulash cool completely and then portion it into separate freezer-safe bags or containers (if needed). It can then be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stovetop.
Sure! As-is, this dish is not spicy at all. However, you can easily adjust the heat to your liking by adding a pinch (or more) of some cayenne pepper. Make sure you start with only a small amount, taste, and then adjust as needed.
😋 More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole - A family-friendly meal packed with chicken, tortillas, cheese, beans, and enchilada sauce.
- Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken - A one-pot meal that only uses 5 ingredients.
- Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs - This easy appetizer is always a hit at any party, event, or barbecue.
- Crockpot Applesauce - Homemade applesauce is easy to make and much tastier than the kind from the store.
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken - The classic combination of chicken, bacon, and ranch makes this dish a winner every time you serve it.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Season and sear your pork before leaving it in the slow cooker until it is fall-apart tender.
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📖 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (I used 80/20 ground chuck)
- ½ cup yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1½ cups marinara sauce
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese (or colby, colby-jack, or mozzarella, shredded - optional)
- fresh parsley (chopped for garnish - optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the 1 lb ground beef and ½ cup yellow onion until no pink remains, about 3-5 minutes. Then drain the grease and place the mixture into your slow cooker.
- Stir in 2 cups beef broth, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 1½ cups marinara sauce, 3 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
- Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or low heat for 4-6 hours.
- Add the uncooked 1 cup elbow macaroni during the last 45 minutes of cooking.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf and stir in the optional ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Macaroni noodles are the traditional pasta choice. However, you can use any of your favorite small pasta varieties, such as orecchiette, ditalini, or orzo.
- Feel free to add some additional beef broth to thin out the goulash, if desired. Don't forget that the mixture will thicken as it cools off.
- You can swap ground beef for your preferred variety of ground meat, such as ground turkey.
- Add some chopped red bell pepper or canned beans to stretch this goulash even further.
- Alternatively, if you don't have as much time, you can add the uncooked pasta at the same time as the other ingredients and only cook on high heat for one hour.
- Don't let your goulash continue cooking past an hour after you have added the pasta, as it can overcook and become mushy.
- To store: Let your leftovers cool completely and then keep them stored in the fridge using an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: You can portion the goulash into freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you reheat it.
- To reheat: Reheat your leftovers in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
Tiffany says
Can I use something else other than beef broth?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, definitely. You can use whatever broth you have on hand, it will just be a bit more mild than the robust flavor of beef broth. If you have bouillon cubes, you can use them (dissolved in hot water) too.