Old-school comfort food alert 🧡 Baked goulash is cozy, cheesy, and feeds a crowd with zero fuss. This is the classic American-style version (not the Hungarian stew).
Baked Goulash
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional, for richer flavor)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups water or beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheddar-jack blend)
Instructions
- Preheat oven
- 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the beef
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion until fully cooked.
- Drain excess grease.
- Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Make the sauce
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 5 minutes.
- Assemble
- Stir in uncooked macaroni and water/broth.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Bake
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Add cheese
- Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Rest & serve
- Let sit 5–10 minutes before serving.
Make it even better
- Add corn or peas for a throwback cafeteria vibe
- Swap beef for ground turkey
- Mix in a splash of Worcestershire sauce for depth
- Top with extra cheese and broil for 2 minutes 😏
If you want, I can share a one-pan stovetop version, a slow-baked extra-cheesy version, or a Hungarian-style baked goulash that’s totally different but amazing.
