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Crock Pot American Goulash Recipe

Crock Pot American Goulash Recipe
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★★★★★

4.8 from 21 reviews

This Crock Pot American Goulash is a comforting and easy-to-make slow cooker meal featuring ground beef, sweet onion, bell pepper, and a rich tomato-based sauce simmered to perfection with Italian seasoning and tender elbow macaroni. Perfect for busy days, it delivers hearty, flavorful goodness with minimal prep and hands-off cooking.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Vegetables

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
  • 1 green pepper, finely diced (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Tomato and Sauce Components

  • 24 ounce jar pasta sauce (such as Rao’s Roasted Garlic Sauce)
  • 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

Other Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef and sauté vegetables: In a large skillet, cook 1 pound ground beef along with 1 small finely diced sweet onion and 1 finely diced green pepper (if using) until the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess grease to keep the dish from becoming too oily.
  2. Transfer to slow cooker: Place the browned ground beef mixture into a 4-6 quart slow cooker, creating the base for the goulash.
  3. Add sauce ingredients: Stir in 2 teaspoons minced garlic, a 24 ounce jar of pasta sauce, an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce, a 15 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Do not add the macaroni noodles yet.
  4. Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 2 to 4 hours. Since all components except the noodles are cooked, this is mainly to let flavors meld and develop.
  5. Add macaroni noodles: During the last hour of cooking, stir in 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and continue cooking until the noodles are al dente or reach your preferred tenderness.
  6. Serve and enjoy: Once the noodles are cooked, serve the goulash hot. It pairs wonderfully with fresh garlic bread and a crisp salad for a complete meal.

Notes

  • You can omit the green pepper if you prefer a milder flavor or are catering to picky eaters.
  • Using high-quality pasta sauce like Rao’s Roasted Garlic enhances the depth of flavor but any good quality pasta sauce will work.
  • For a lower-fat version, use lean ground beef or substitute with ground turkey or chicken.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit the beef and use plant-based ground meat or extra vegetables.
  • If you prefer your noodles softer, cook them longer in the slow cooker, but monitor to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Nutrition

Keywords: American Goulash, Crock Pot Goulash, Slow Cooker Dinner, Ground Beef Recipes, Easy Weeknight Meals

Find it online: https://cookcrisis.com/crock-pot-american-goulash-recipe/