Crock Pot American Goulash

Crock Pot American Goulash is the ultimate family comfort meal that’s hearty, simple, and oh-so satisfying. Packed with tender pasta, seasoned ground beef, and a rich tomato-based sauce, every bite delivers cozy, homemade flavor. With minimal prep and the slow cooker doing all the work, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner that will leave everyone full and happy.

Love More Pasta Recipes? Try Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta or this Tomato Zucchini Pasta next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, making it both affordable and convenient. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, so it’s perfect for busy nights or when you need an easy dish for potlucks and family gatherings. While it shares the name “goulash,” this American-style version is its own delicious comfort food classic.

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Ingredient List

The Foundation:

• 1 pound ground beef (I buy the 80/20 – leaner gets dry)
• 1 small sweet onion, diced small
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (skip if your kids hate peppers like mine do)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic from the jar

The Saucy Goodness:

• 24 oz jar pasta sauce (Prego’s my go-to, but whatever’s on sale works)
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water

The Flavor Magic:

• 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning (the cheap McCormick stuff is fine)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

The Star:

• 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked

Ground turkey works if beef’s too pricey. Celery instead of peppers if that’s what you’ve got. This recipe’s forgiving like that.

My Shopping Tips: Buy ground beef when it’s on sale and freeze it. I stock up during those manager’s special deals. The pasta sauce doesn’t have to be fancy – I’ve used everything from Ragu to the store brand stuff and it all works. Just avoid anything too chunky or it gets weird in the slow cooker.

Why These Ingredients Work

That tablespoon of sugar is my secret weapon – learned it from my Italian neighbor who swears it cuts the acid from canned tomatoes. She’s been making sauce for 60 years, so I trust her completely. Sweet onions get all caramelized and amazing during the long cook, while the bell pepper adds this fresh crunch that keeps things interesting. I use petite diced tomatoes because regular chunks are too big and get weird after hours in the crockpot.

The Italian seasoning blend saves me from measuring out oregano, basil, and thyme separately – ain’t nobody got time for that on a busy morning. The water might seem weird to add, but it helps everything come together and gives the pasta enough liquid to cook properly. I learned this the hard way when my first batch came out thick as cement because I skipped it.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Big skillet for browning meat

• 4-6 quart crockpot (mine’s ancient but still works)
• Sharp knife
• Wooden spoon
• Can opener

Nothing fancy needed here. I’ve made this with my beat-up old equipment for years. My crockpot’s probably from 2005 and has a chip in the lid, but it still cooks perfectly. Don’t let fancy kitchen gadget envy stop you from making good food.

How To Make Crock Pot American Goulash

Brown the Meat and Vegetables

Brown that ground beef with the onions and peppers in your skillet – don’t rush this part! Takes about 8 minutes but adds serious flavor. You want the beef actually browned, not just gray. Drain the grease well or your goulash gets greasy. I learned this lesson when my first batch was swimming in oil.

Transfer to Slow Cooker

Dump everything into your slow cooker. I use a 6-quart because my family’s huge, but a 4-quart works for smaller crowds. Don’t worry about making it look pretty – it all gets mixed up anyway.

Add Remaining Ingredients

Toss in garlic, both sauces, tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, and that magic sugar. Stir it up good so nothing’s hiding at the bottom. I use my wooden spoon and really get in there.

Set Your Cooking Time

Set it and forget it:

• Low: 6-8 hours (my usual choice when I start it before work)
• High: 2-4 hours (when I’m impatient or forgot to start it early)

The low setting gives better flavor, but high works when you’re in a pinch. I’ve done both plenty of times.

Add the Pasta

This part’s crucial – add pasta with exactly 1 hour left. I learned this the hard way when I made pasta soup instead of goulash. Mushy noodles are the worst! Set a timer because I’ve definitely forgotten and ended up with mush.

Serve and Enjoy

Serve hot with whatever bread you’ve got. My kids fight over who gets the crustiest piece of garlic bread to soak up that sauce. Sometimes I just give them regular bread with butter and garlic powder if I forgot to buy the fancy stuff.

Personal Secret: I taste-test 30 minutes before serving and usually add more Italian seasoning. My jar’s probably weaker than yours, so adjust to your taste buds.

The Big Mistake: Never, ever add pasta at the beginning. Made that error once and my family still brings it up. Soggy noodle disaster!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Get a good sear on that meat – pale beef equals bland goulash

• Keep your ingredients at room temp if possible, heats faster
• Stop peeking! Every lid lift adds 20 minutes to cook time
• Prep the meat mixture Sunday night, dump it in Monday morning for zero-effort dinners
• If your crockpot runs hot like mine does, check it after 5 hours on low instead of 6
• Always taste before serving – every brand of sauce is different, so adjust seasonings
• Keep extra Italian seasoning handy because I always end up adding more

Ingredient Prep Shortcuts: I dice all my veggies when I get home from grocery shopping and store them in containers. Makes weeknight cooking so much faster. Also, those pre-minced garlic jars are a lifesaver – fresh is better but who has time?

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

• Cheese Lovers: Stir in sharp cheddar the last 15 minutes – my husband’s favorite version
• Spice It Up: Red pepper flakes turn this into something my teenage son actually requests
• Veggie Boost: Zucchini, mushrooms, or corn make it feel healthier (my guilty mom trick)
• Tex-Mex Style: Swap seasonings for taco mix, add black beans, serve with tortilla chips
• Pizza Style: Add pepperoni slices and mozzarella – kids go crazy for this one
• Mushroom Lovers: Sautéed mushrooms with the beef add amazing flavor
• Garden Fresh: Whatever vegetables are dying in your crisper drawer probably work here

I’ve tried probably 20 different variations of this recipe. The pizza version happened by accident when I had leftover pepperoni, but now it’s requested at least twice a month. The Tex-Mex style is great for taco Tuesday when you want something different.

Make-Ahead Options

Perfect for busy families like mine:

• Sunday prep: Brown meat, chop veggies, store in fridge
• Leftovers: Actually taste better the next day – flavors meld more
• Freezer portions: I make double batches, freeze half for crazy weeks

Real Talk About Meal Prep: I usually make this on Sunday and we eat it Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday, the kids are sick of it, but I pack it for my work lunches. It reheats perfectly in the microwave, unlike some pasta dishes that get all dried out.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

My husband likes extra sauce, so I add another can of tomato sauce. My daughter prefers it thicker, so I use less water. That’s the beauty of comfort food – make it work for your crew!

Troubleshooting Common Issues: If it’s too thick, add hot water a little at a time. Too thin? Take the lid off for the last 30 minutes to let some liquid evaporate. Pasta getting mushy? You waited too long to add it – happens to the best of us.

Serving Suggestions

We always serve this with:

• Crusty Italian bread for sauce-sopping
• Caesar salad (the bagged kind, let’s be honest)
• Steamed broccoli for the veggie requirement
• Fresh parmesan if I remembered to buy it

What Actually Happens At Dinner: The bread disappears first because everyone’s dunking it in the sauce. The salad gets picked at. The broccoli is a battle with my youngest. But everyone cleans their bowl of goulash, so I call it a win. Sometimes I just serve it with crackers if I forgot bread – still tastes great.

How to Store Your Crock Pot American Goulash

Refrigerator: Keeps 4 days in a container with a good lid Freezer: 3 months max, but the pasta gets weird Reheating: Add some water or it’ll be thick as paste. Microwave works fine.

Allergy Information

Contains: Gluten from the pasta, check your sauce labels Gluten-Free: Use rice pasta or corn pasta Dairy-Free: Most pasta sauces are fine, just read the label Less Salt: Buy low-sodium everything, but it tastes kinda bland

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use different pasta?

Yeah, rotini or shells work great. Just don’t use anything tiny like ditalini – gets mushy. My sister tried bow ties once and they held up fine. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti because it’s impossible to stir in the crockpot.

My goulash was watery. What went wrong?

You probably didn’t drain the meat good enough. Also, some tomato cans have more juice than others. Use less water next time, maybe 3/4 cup instead of a full cup. I’ve had this happen with certain brands of diced tomatoes.

Can I double this?

Sure, but get a big crockpot. Mine’s 6 quarts and barely fits a double batch. Might take longer to cook too. I usually just make two separate batches if I’m feeding a crowd.

What’s the difference between this and Hungarian goulash?

Hungarian’s more like a soup with paprika and chunks of beef. This American version’s basically pasta casserole. My Hungarian neighbor laughs when I call this goulash, but she still eats it.

Can I make this on the stove?

Brown the meat, add everything except pasta, simmer 20 minutes, then add pasta till it’s done. Takes about 45 minutes total. I do this when my crockpot’s already being used for something else.

Why does mine taste bland?

Probably need more Italian seasoning or salt. Every brand’s different. Also, make sure you’re browning the meat well – that’s where a lot of flavor comes from.

Can I add vegetables?

Absolutely. Zucchini, mushrooms, corn, whatever. Add harder veggies like carrots with the meat. Softer stuff like zucchini goes in the last hour with the pasta.

💬 Made this recipe? Tell me how it turned out! Did your family love it as much as mine does?