Scott’s Simple Goulash Recipe: A Family Favorite 

Scott’s Simple Goulash Recipe: A Family Favorite

Meet Scott – my husband, the culinary explorer with a penchant for simplicity and comfort food. One day, he was searching for a simple goulash recipe online, found one that looked good to him, and decided to give it a shot. As it turns out, sticking to the original recipe wasn’t in the cards. He tweaked it to his liking, but mainly because some ingredients were absent from our pantry. The result? The birth of Scott’s Simple Goulash.

This hearty, one-pot dish has now become a staple at our dinner table. I learned just how important his exact recipe was to Scott the last time I cooked it. He insisted I “stick to the script,” assuring me that his version of goulash was simply the best.

So, let’s dive into Scott’s treasured recipe. I’ve included some great variations, too!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

This collection of ingredients brings together the savory goodness of beef, the robustness of tomatoes, the aromatic allure of Italian seasonings, and the comforting carbs of macaroni – all simmered in a rich, hearty broth.

How to Cook Scott’s Goulash:

1. Begin by heating up your Dutch oven. Once hot, add your ground beef and diced yellow onion. The idea is to cook these together until the beef loses its pink hue and the onion turns translucent. This method infuses the beef with the onion’s flavor, providing a delightful base for the goulash.
2. Once you’ve achieved this, be sure to drain any excess fat. Not only does this keep the dish leaner, but it also prevents the final product from being too greasy.
3. Now, it’s time to bring on the liquid goodness. Add in your beef broth, along with the tomato sauce and the can of diced tomatoes. These ingredients combine to create a robust and savory broth that’s going to soak into everything else we add.
4. Next up, seasonings! Add your Italian seasoning, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Don’t be shy about taste-testing here. Remember, the seasoning is what gives this goulash its distinctive, hearty flavor.
5. Bring your pot of flavorful goodness to a boil. Once it’s bubbling away, it’s time for the final ingredient – the elbow macaroni.
6. After adding the macaroni, turn down the heat to medium-low. Cover your Dutch oven and let it all cook together until the noodles are al dente, which means they’re cooked to be firm to the bite.

For those who wish to experiment (discreetly, of course), here are some variations to Scott’s Goulash:

1. Spice It Up: For heat seekers, adding a dash of Tabasco sauce can introduce a fiery edge to the goulash.
2. Cheesy Bliss: If you’re a cheese lover, incorporate some cheddar into the goulash, transforming it into a deliciously cheesy delight.
3. Pasta Variety: While elbow macaroni is Scott’s choice, feel free to experiment with other pasta types like rigatoni, penne, or rotini.