American Goulash

Goulash comes from the Hungarian word gulyáshús which means “meat prepared by cattleman” and it’s a dish that dates back to the 9th century. Hungarian Goulash is a thick meat stew made with beef, onions, tomatoes, red peppers, and a broth that’s heavily seasoned with paprika, while American Goulash is a quick dish made from ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and elbow macaroni noodles.

American Goulash is a casserole or hot dish that is characteristic of American school hot lunch programs of the 20th century. As a descendant, of sorts, of Hungarian Goulash, the only real connection seems to be the name, and the inclusion of beef, onions and tomatoes. The beef cubes used in Hungarian Goulash are replaced with ground beef and the Spaetzle, traditionally served with Hungarian Goulash, is replaced with elbow macaroni.

Also known as American schoolash and American Chop Suey in New England, American goulash exists in a number of variant recipes. The essentials are elbow macaroni, ground beef or hamburger, and tomatoes in some form, whether canned whole, as tomato sauce, tomato soup, and/or tomato paste. Other ingredients that might be added by regional tastes include corn, bell peppers, celery, kidney beans, or chile peppers in the southwest U.S. See Variations below.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tsp. rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound dried elbow macaroni
Sour cream, for serving (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, rosemary, bay leaf, garlic, and salt and pepper. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook the elbow macaroni until it is only half cooked [just shy of al dente]. (Some recipes make this a one-pot meal and add the macaroni without cooking it first. You would definitely need to add some liquid.) Add to the pot, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes, adding water if needed (chicken or beef broth would also be good and would add more flavor). Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf and allow the mixture to sit about 20 minutes more before serving. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with a dollap of sour cream, if desired.

4 - 6 servings

Variations