Beef and Bean Goulash Recipe (2024)

If you've been a reader of my blog The Kitchen Wife you'll know that I've been working really hard at trying to clean up my eating. HOWEVER, I'm married to the King of Carnivores who feels that there should be nothing but meat and potatoes on the table at every meal. So I've been trying to take many of our family favorites and make them a little healthier. Take my Beef and Bean Goulash for Example.

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By making few tweaks, I will still have all of the great beef flavor without all of the excess fat. It was delicious and I can't wait to share it with you so....

Let's Get Started!

Beef and Bean Goulash:
*Prep Time: 5 min. *Cook Time: 30 min. *Difficulty: Easy *Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

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  • 1/2 lb of Ground Beef
  • 1 15 oz can of Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 lb of Elbow Pasta
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 1 28 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
  • 3 c Water
  • 1/2 c Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Harissa Seasoning
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

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To begin you will need to place a deep pan over a MEDIUM/HIGH heat.
Once the pan is hot add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic.
Cook 3-4 minutes until the everything is tender.

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Next you can add the ground beef.

I will be honest with you here. If it were just for me, I would omit the meat all together, but again, King of Carnivores husband, so in the meat goes.

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Now it's time to scoop in the Italian seasoning,

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Harissa,

The harrisa is a spice used in the traditional Hungarian version of this dish, and it just gives everything a little kick.

Of course, if you don't have harrisa you can leave it out. it doesn't affect the recipe all that much.

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Salt,

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And pepper.

Cook until the meat is fully cooked and no longer pink.

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The next step in this Beef and Bean Goulash adventure is to add the can of crushed tomatoes,

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The Beans,

*If you are not a fan of pinto beans, lentils would be great in this as well.*

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the Worcestershire sauce,

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Water,

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and bay leaf.

Stir everything together and bring to a boil.

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Once everything is at a boil you can pour in your pasta.

That's right! We are going to cook the pasta right in the sauce! Don't you just love a good one pot meal!?!

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Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.

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Cover and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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This is what it will look like after 30 minutes.

Now you can obviously stop here and it will be delicious, BUT if you wanted to be a LITTLE naughty....

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You can add a little shredded cheese to the top, cover and give it time to melt.

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And this is what it looks like with the melted cheese!

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Now its time to scoop it out and you are ready to go!

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I love to serve this up with some steam broccoli or a nice salad. I know you and your entire family will love it! The best part of this dish is that you can make it vegan by omitting the meat and cheese, make it vegetarian by omitting the meat, and gluten free by using gluten free pasta. It is so versatile! So no matter what your dietary needs this meal is perfect so get in the kitchen and try it TONIGHT! And if you like this recipe you will definitely want to check out my Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake or my mouthwatering Shepherd's Pie. And as always...

Happy Reading, Happy Eating, and Happy Living,
~The Kitchen Wife~

Beef and Bean Goulash:
*Prep Time: 5 min. *Cook Time: 30 min. *Difficulty: Easy *Servings: 4-6

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb of Ground Beef
  • 1 15 oz can of Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 lb of Elbow Pasta
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 1 28 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
  • 3 c Water
  • 1/2 c Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Harissa Seasoning
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place a deep pan over medium/high heat and add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Let cook for 3-4 minutes until everything is tender.
  2. Now add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, harissa, salt and pepper. Cook everything until the ground beef is fully cooked and no longer pink.
  3. Now add the tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf.
  4. Taste for seasoning and make any adjustments you feel it needs.
  5. Bring to a boil and add the pasta.
  6. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. After 30 minutes top with shredded cheese, cover and let the cheese melt.
  8. Serve and Enjoy!
Beef and Bean Goulash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between American Goulash and Hungarian goulash? ›

Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat and vegetable stew with a broth that's heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles. It also goes by the name of American Chop Suey.

What to serve with beef goulash? ›

Searching for the perfect accompaniment? Try mashed potato, dumplings or your favourite veg.

Does goulash contain beans? ›

A traditional American goulash has macaroni noodles, ground beef, a tomato and beef based broth with herbs and dark red kidney beans, along with paprika, onion and other spices.

How do you thicken goulash? ›

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

What side dish goes with goulash? ›

For a savory hearty meal like goulash I go lighter sides like applesauce, pickled beets or apples cooked with red cabbage. These are traditional fare. I always serve fat egg noodles for that yummy gravy, topping it with sour cream or plain yogurt.

What is goulash called in the South? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, American Chop Suey, or even Beef-a-Roni, is an American comfort-food dish popular in the Midwest and South.

What are the two types of goulash? ›

There are two kinds of goulash: Hungarian goulash, which calls for the slow-simmered beef to be served alongside egg noodles, and American goulash, which pulls in ground beef and cooks the noodles in the pot alongside the sauce.

What to eat with goulash for dinner? ›

European-style goulash is commonly served alongside buttery noodles, dumplings, or just simply with bread and potatoes.

Do you eat the bread in goulash? ›

Real goulash has no tomato paste or beans. Eat with a slice of rustic bread. Dip bread in sauce and clean the plate with the bread at the end.

Do you eat goulash in a bowl? ›

Also, it's not typically served over mash like stews, it's served in bowls like soup.

What does meat and beans include? ›

All foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are included in this group. Dry beans and peas are part of this group and the vegetable group.

What is found in meat and beans? ›

Nutrients. Meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, lentils, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy products give the body many nutrients. These include protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Do you put broth in beans? ›

Consider cooking your beans in stock instead of water. Vegetable, chicken or beef stock will add a rich depth of flavor; consider chicken stock for cannellini beans, or vegetable stock for lentils. If you use stock, you may want to adjust the amount of salt you add to your beans.

Why is American Goulash so different? ›

American goulash is more of a pasta and ground beef dish

Owing more influence to Italian-American cuisine than Hungarian, paprika isn't even a consistent addition, per Syracruse.com. The nostalgic family meal is synonymous with American chop suey, another macaroni-based one-pot dish.

What is goulash called in America? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, American Chop Suey, or even Beef-a-Roni, is an American comfort-food dish popular in the Midwest and South.

What does Hungarian goulash taste like? ›

As for flavour, I describe it as a beef stew with a sauce that reminds me of chorizo flavours thanks to a big hit of paprika and savouriness from a good amount of garlic, capsicum (bell peppers) and onion. It's really, really good. Bolder than typical beef stew!

What's the difference between stroganoff and goulash? ›

Traditional goulash is a stew/soup, usually using a cheaper cut of meat suited to slow cooking. It usually contains potatoes and other vegetables, as well as noodles. A true stroganoff consists of paprika-dusted fillet steak quickly pan fried with mushrooms and onions in a sour cream and brandy sauce.

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