Chef John's American Goulash

Name: Chef John's American Goulash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large onion, diced; 2 pounds ground beef; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste; 2 tablespoons paprika; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 2 bay leaves; 1 quart chicken broth; 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes; 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce; 1 cup water; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 cups elbow macaroni; 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley; 1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese (Optional)

⏱️ Ready in 1h 10m 🥄 Prep 10 min 🔥 Cook 1h 👥 12 servings 👁️ 1 views

One of my all-time favorite comfort food meals growing up was the beef goulash they served in my school cafeteria alongside a slice of buttered white bread and a carton of milk. Little did I know that it wasn't really goulash, but an Americanized version, invented to stretch a small amount of beef into enough food for a not-so-small family. This is one of those very simple dishes that does not taste simple--perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation.

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🔗 Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

#Stew

📊 At a Glance

Prep 10 min

Cook 1h

Serves 12

Difficulty Hard

Nutrition Facts

Servings per recipe 12

Serving size 1 serving

Amount per serving

Calories 336

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17.3g 22%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1169mg 51%

Total Carbohydrate 25.1g 9%

Dietary Fiber 3.2g 11%

Total Sugars 7.4g

Protein 18.9g 38%

Vitamin D 0mcg 0%

Calcium 0mg 0%

Iron 0mg 0%

Potassium 0mg 0%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

👨‍🍳 Instructions

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat.

Add onion and ground beef.

Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.

Cook and stir until flavors come together, about 3 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and marinara sauce.

Rinse out the jar with 1 cup water and pour into the pot.

Add soy sauce, stir, and bring soup to a simmer.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer to let flavors intensify, about 30 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer.