Crockpot American Goulash
This Crockpot American Goulash is the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights. Packed with ground beef, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and a rich tomato-based sauce, it’s a hearty one-pot meal that’s easy to throw together. The slow cooker does all the work, leaving you with tender pasta, cheesy goodness, and a family-friendly dinner everyone will love.
Try my crockpot garlic butter steak bites and slow cooker Mississippi chicken next!
Whether you’re serving it for a cozy weeknight dinner, meal prep for the week, or a casual gathering, this American Goulash hits all the right notes. Customize it with your favorite pasta shapes, swap in ground turkey or pork, and top it with extra cheese or fresh parsley. It’s simple, flavorful, and comes together with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups beef broth, more as needed
32 oz jar pasta sauce
28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
2 ½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Step By Step Instructions
STEP ONE – In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the ground beef. Drain any excess grease and then transfer to the crockpot.
STEP TWO – To the crockpot, add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, beef broth, petite diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
STEP THREE – Cover and cook on for 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
STEP FOUR – During the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the bay leaf, then add in the dried macaroni noodles and stir into the sauce. Continue cooking until the pasta is tender.
STEP FIVE – Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and top with chopped parsley.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3 or 4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through.
Crockpot American Goulash
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
This Crockpot American Goulash is the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights. Packed with ground beef, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and a rich tomato-based sauce, it’s a hearty one-pot meal that’s easy to throw together. The slow cooker does all the work, leaving you with tender pasta, cheesy goodness, and a family-friendly dinner everyone will love.
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups beef broth, more as needed
32 oz jar pasta sauce
28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the ground beef. Drain any excess grease and then transfer to the crockpot.
- To the crockpot, add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, beef broth, petite diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on for 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the bay leaf, then add in the dried macaroni noodles and stir into the sauce. Continue cooking until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and top with chopped parsley.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3 or 4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through.
Substitutions & Additions:
You can use other ground meat like ground turkey or ground pork.
You can use other small to medium pasta like penne, cavatappi, shells, fusilli, ditalini, or farfalle.
The pasta cooks very quickly so add it in at the end. You may want to check it after 15-20 minutes, give it a stir, and check for tenderness.
Cheese is optional and helps to make a creamier sauce. You can also choose to use a little heavy cream instead.
If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add more broth to thin it out.
If the sauce is too thin, you can add more cheese or add a little more pasta to help soak up the extra sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
