Easy Cheesy Beef Goulash Recipe ?
goulash is an old-fashioned pasta and ground beef dish. Beef, peppers and onions are simmered in a tomato-based sauce, then mixed with pasta and cheese to create an unbeatably tasty dish you need about 40 minutes to prepare!
Ingrédients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (~ 3-4 cloves)
- 1 pound (450 g) of lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion
- pinch Salt
- pinch pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 2 large cubes of beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 cups uncooked macaroni
Instructions
- 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).
Notes
- Lower quality canned tomatoes tend to be a bit sour; so if needed, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to counter this.
- Pre-grated cheese is coated with cellulose to keep it from sticking together and does not melt as well or smoothly. You can easily grate the cheese with a good salt your pasta water here.)
- Before adding the tomatoes and tomato sauce, the seasonings are sautéed with the meat and vegetables. It helps to intensify their flavors, so don't rush or skip this step.
- If you have extra time, simmer the meat sauce for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Although completely optional, it intensifies the flavors and results in a richer, deeply salty sauce.
- To add freshness and color, add finely diced flat leaf Italian parsley to the finished dish.
- To freeze, let the meat sauce cool completely, then place it in an airtight, freezer-resistant container. Date and label the package and freeze. When you're ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently reheat on the stovetop before eating. You may need to add an extra touch of water or tomato sauce when reheating.
- Pair this goulash with vegetables! These roasted sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli or Italian salad all make great sides.