Finely chop the onion, chop the ginger and finely chop the red pepper.
Place a large cast iron pot on the stovetop and heat over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add 1 cup finely diced onion, 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper and 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5-7 minutes. If something is browning too quickly or burning, lower the heat. Meanwhile, add another pot of water to the stovetop. Set the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Increase the heat to high and move the vegetables to the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the beef to the middle of the pan and let stand 30 seconds. Flip and stir, letting the other side sit for 30 seconds. Continue to cook the beef, using the wooden spoon to separate it, crumbling into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink. Drain the accumulated fat. Lower the heat to medium. Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 / 4 teaspoon of onion powder and pepper to taste. Stir until the spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and scrape all the golden pieces from the bottom of the pot. Add the 2 cans of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and mix. Crumble the 2 beef stock cubes, add the 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir gently. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover partially with a lid, leaving some of the pan uncovered. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and tender. (If you have more time, simmer 30 to 45 minutes for an extra thick, tender and flavorful meat sauce; otherwise, simmer until the pasta is done). Meanwhile, grate the sharp cheddar.
At this point, the water should boil; season it with salt; I add about 3/4 tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the 3 cups of macaroni and cook according to package directions. Once cooked, drain.
Remove the meat mixture from the heat and add the cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. If the goulash will be completely consumed the same day it is prepared, stir in the cooked macaroni noodles. If you plan on leftovers, add macaroni in individual bowls and stir the meat mixture in the bowls. This keeps the macaroni noodles from puffing up when refrigerated and stored (I like to store macaroni separately from the meat sauce).