Servings (adjustable): Calories: 354
Ingredients
- ▢2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni (gluten-free if desired) (uncooked)
- ▢2 teaspoons olive oil
- ▢1 pound extra-lean ground beef
- ▢1 medium onion, chopped
- ▢1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ▢2 cans (10-¾ ounces each) tomato soup
- ▢2 cans (14-ounces each) diced tomatoes
- ▢Pinch of cinnamon
- ▢Pinch of sugar
- ▢Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a large skillet, or dutch oven, over medium heat. Stir the ground beef, onion, and pepper into the skillet, breaking up the beef into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring often, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion and pepper are soft (5-8 minutes).
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato soup, cinnamon, and sugar. Simmer until heated thoroughly.
- Stir in the drained macaroni and combine well. (Alternatively, if your skillet isn’t quite big enough, stir everything together in the pasta pan.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
Hamburger Goulash Recipe Substitutions & Variations
Meat: Though ground beef is traditional, any ground meat— ground turkey, chicken, pork, lamb—may be substituted. It could also be made vegetarian with the addition of meatless veggie crumbles. If you are watching WW Points opt for extra lean ground beef.
Pasta shape: Elbow macaroni noodles are traditional in this easy recipe but any small cut of pasta will work. Gluten-free pasta and whole grain / whole wheat pasta are also good choices.
Bulkier: To add more volume to your goulash for minimal calories, add more vegetables such as mushrooms, corn, zucchini, etc. or drained canned beans.
Thicker: I like to make this old-fashioned Goulash saucy. If you don’t, use one can of diced tomatoes instead of two. It also thickens up a lot as it sits to make it ahead of time. Many like it better as leftovers the day after when it has thickened and the flavors have melded.
Spicier: There are lots of way to add extra flavor to suit your tastes. Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, etc.
Southwestern/Chile Mac: For a spicy southwest/chili mac variation, add 1 cup of drained corn and 1-2 tablespoons chili powder when adding the tomatoes.
Cheesy: Stir in or top with your favorite grated or shredded cheese. (A cup of cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese would be yummy.)
Italian American Goulash: Substitute marinara sauce or another tomato-based sauce for the tomato soup and Italian sausage for the ground beef.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Substitute your favorite ground plant based crumbles for the ground beef.
Points – 9
Nutrition Facts
Easy American Hamburger Goulash
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 354Calories from Fat 68
% Daily Value*
Fat 7.5g12%
Saturated Fat 2.3g12%
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Carbohydrates 42.5g14%
Fiber 4.4g18%
Sugar 13.8g15%
Protein 29.8g
