Baked American Goulash

 

Craving a quick and comforting dinner? Our Baked American Goulash delivers with tender pasta, savory ground beef, and a rich tomato sauce, all baked to perfection under a blanket of melted cheese – a simple, satisfying, and budget-friendly dish that's a guaranteed hit with the whole family.

Time Table

    • 10 minutes: Food prep (chopping onion, garlic, bell pepper)

    • 5 minutes: Cooking beef

    • 3-5 minutes: Cooking onion and bell pepper

    • 1/2 minutes: Cooking garlic

    • 5 minutes: Assembling dish

    • 35-40 minutes: Baking dish to develop flavor

    • 5-10 minutes: Baking dish with cheese topping

    • 10-15 minutes: Resting

This dish takes at most 1 hour and 30 minutes from start to serve.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper (optional)
  • 1 can (15 oz diced tomatoes, undrained)
  • 1 can (15 oz tomato sauce)
  • 1 1/4 cups beef broth (or water with bouillon)
  • 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)
  • 1 1/4 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite melting cheese)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 6 tsp fresh Parsley (chopped (for garnish))

Preheat the Oven

  1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Prepare the Meat Sauce

  1. Cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat and set in heat safe bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup onion and 1 cup diced green bell pepper. If needed, add up to 3 tsp of oil to prevent sticking and enhance flavor. Sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  4. Add beef back into pan.
  5. Stir in 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups beef broth, 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 3 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Assemble in a Baking Dish

  1. Pour the sauce mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Bake to Develop Flavor

  1. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to retain moisture and bake for 25 Minutes.

Bake Pasta

  1. Add pasta making sure to stir well. Return to the oven covered and bake for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the Cheese Topping
  3. Remove the foil and sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
  4. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.

Rest and Serve

  1. Let the goulash rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.