An easy, family-friendly dinner made with ground beef, pasta, crushed tomatoes, and a handful of pantry staples.

Some dinners have a way of bringing back memories. My mom made goulash for years when I was growing up, and recently I’ve brought my own version into our regular dinner rotation. I’ve made a few adaptations along the way, but it’s still the same kind of simple, hearty meal I remember.

When our kids were little, my husband had his own version of an easy dinner: Hamburger Helper. If I wasn’t home for dinner, there was a pretty good chance that’s what he was making, usually with bread and butter on the side.

I think this homemade goulash brings back a little of that nostalgia for our kids. Our youngest son especially loves it and requests it often. It’s just as easy to put together, made with simple ingredients, and a homemade and more healthy alternative to the boxed version.

Easy Weeknight Goulash Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Servings: Approximately 6

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz.) short-cut pasta (penne, rotini, cavatappi, or shells)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 can (14–15 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. Slap Ya Mama seasoning
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Reserved pasta water, 1-2 cups
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
2. Brown the beef. While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season with a little salt and pepper as the beef cooks. Drain excess grease if necessary.
3. Add the garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Make the sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and Slap Ya Mama seasoning. Stir everything together and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Combine. Add the drained pasta to the meat sauce and stir until well coated. Pour in a little reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.
6. Finish and serve. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.

What We Serve With Goulash

At our house, we usually serve this with roasted broccoli and either garlic bread or good old-fashioned bread and butter.

The bread and butter is a little nod to those Hamburger Helper dinners my husband made for the kids years ago. Sometimes the simplest things become the traditions everyone remembers.

A Few Notes

Use whatever pasta you have. Penne, rotini, cavatappi, and shells all work well. This is a great recipe for using whatever is already in the pantry.

Add more vegetables. Carrots, celery, cabbage, bell or jalepeno peppers- whatever fits your fancy.

Adjust the consistency. The reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce without making it watery. Start with a small splash and add more as needed.

Season to your family’s taste. Slap Ya Mama adds a little kick, so you can adjust the amount depending on how much heat your family enjoys. Taste before adding extra salt, since the seasoning blend already contains salt.

Don’t forget the Parmesan. A generous sprinkle on top is our favorite way to finish it.

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