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Crockpot Goulash Recipe

Crockpot Goulash

A rich, saucy slow cooker goulash with ground beef, sweet peppers and tomatoes, with tender elbow macaroni stirred in at the end so it never turns mushy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Beef and Vegetables

  • 2 lb ground beef 85/15 recommended
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced

Tomato Base

  • 2 cans diced tomatoes 14.5 oz each, undrained
  • 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
  • 1 can tomato paste 6 oz
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Seasoning

  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika sweet Hungarian paprika also works
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar balances the tomatoes
  • 2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 bay leaves

Stirred In At The End

  • 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked, about 8 oz
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, optional

Instructions
 

  • Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and both bell peppers and cook 4 minutes more, then stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds. Drain off the excess fat.
  • Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, sugar, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Stir until the tomato paste is fully worked in.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the sauce is deep red and slightly thickened. Do not add the pasta yet.
  • Discard the bay leaves. Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, cover, and cook on HIGH for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is just tender. Start checking at 20 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar if using. Let the goulash sit uncovered for 10 minutes so the sauce clings to the pasta, then taste and adjust salt before serving.

Notes

Do not add the pasta at the start. Macaroni cooked for six hours breaks down into paste and soaks up all the sauce. The last 25 minutes is all it needs.
If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pasta at 20 minutes. It should be just past al dente, since it keeps softening in the residual heat.
Keyword american goulash, crockpot goulash, ground beef pasta, slow cooker goulash
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