Goulash in the Crockpot

This goulash in the crockpot recipe is a hearty ultra-rich beef goulash with macaroni – perfect for a weeknight dinner when you’re craving comfort food.

Making goulash in the slow cooker is so much easier than how older generations had to make it, so I don’t see why we shouldn’t be taking advantage of that. Simply add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and let it do the heavy lifting.

Even better, load it up in the morning and set the timer so by the time you’re back home from work a dinner for the whole family is ready to be served. See my tips below on how to make thick and hearty goulash for dinner tonight, spoiler, I pre-cook my ground beef!

What Is The Difference Between Hungarian Goulash And Regular Goulash?

American goulash aka American chop suey is a sort of hearty mix between stew and pasta dish with ground meat and macaroni. It often comes with petite diced tomatoes, unlike traditional Hungarian goulash, and can use other ground meat options.

Traditional Hungarian goulash traditionally uses Hungarian paprika, beef, and onions, and can contain carrots or potatoes, but never has pasta in it. The original recipe uses beef stew meat, not ground beef.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy one-pot meal – the dream of every busy mom!
• Just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep – dump-and-go type of slow cooker recipes
• Makes amazing leftovers that taste even better the next day.
• Kids favorite, it will easily seduce even a picky eater, well, clearly, because it looks like pasta, and if add some shredded Cheddar cheese – an easy win for you!

Ingredients Notes

• Ground beef. Use ground turkey or lean ground beef for a leaner meal or pre-cook the ground beef and drain all the excess fats.
• Beef broth adds tons of rich flavor. You can swap it with chicken broth.
• Diced tomatoes. To save some prep time, you can also simply crush small tomatoes.
• Tomato paste or tomato sauce.
• Bell pepper – a classic ingredient in American goulash, adds crunch, juices, and colors. Green, red, yellow – whichever you want.
• Onion. You can use white or yellow onion or onion powder. Sweeter onions work really nicely. I prefer using fresh onion and garlic in the crock pot as they just add so many aromas and flavors.
• Minced garlic or garlic powder.
• Worcestershire sauce. An unusual substitute would be rice vinegar. Both have tangy deep flavors.
• Herbs: dried basil and dried oregano. For even more flavors, add some bay leaves.
• Kosher salt and black pepper. Be careful with salt since beef broth can have quite a lot of added salt already.
• Elbow macaroni (uncooked pasta). American goulash always comes with elbow macaroni, but you don’t have to pre-cook it separately. The slow cooker will do all the work and the macaroni will soak up all the goulash flavors. You can change macaroni with other small-shaped pasta, like penne or bowtie.

Kitchen Equipment

• 6 qt Slow cooker
• Optional, slow cooker liner for easier clean-up.

How To Make Slow Cooker Goulash Recipe

Making goulash in a crockpot is as easy as 1,2,3. You brown the ground beef, add it and all of the ingredients into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 4 hours. Then add uncooked pasta and cook for 2 more hours.

1: Cook The Ground Beef

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain the fat and transfer the cooked beef to the cooker insert.

2: Load The Ingredients In The Crockpot

1. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chopped bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper on top of the cooked ground beef. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 4 hours.

3: Add Macaroni

1. Stir in the uncooked macaroni. Cover and cook for an additional 2 hours or until the pasta is tender.
2. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. I love to have a piece of garlic bread to get all the sauce.

What To Serve With Crockpot Goulash?

This crockpot goulash is a full meal on its own, but if you want some sides you can serve goulash with green salad, steamed or glazed veggies, and crusty bread.

It is an amazing dish for potluck too.

Storage

Store leftover crockpot goulash in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave at 50% power. If the goulash is too thick, add a bit of broth.

You can freeze the goulash once it is cooled in a bag or a container for 3 months. Thaw frozen goulash overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot.

To make ahead, cook the ground beef and store it in a bag with all the remaining ingredients, except macaroni. You can store the mixture in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw and cook as instructed.

Substitutions & Variations

• Meat. You can use any ground meat (ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork), chuck roast, or pork shoulder to make more Hungarian-style goulash.
• You can use Italian seasoning and fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish.
• Add shredded cheese. Cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese work amazingly for bubbly topping.
• Vegetarian goulash. Swap meat with beans, lentils, or chickpeas, and use vegetable broth.
• Make it spicy: add in the mix or serve with some hot sauce, and add some cayenne pepper, paprika, or even diced jalapenos.
• Bulk it up with more veggies. Add celery, carrots, potatoes, green beans, or mushrooms – something simple works best.

Popular Questions

How To Thicken Goulash In A Slow Cooker?

Goulash in the slow cooker is naturally thick as the sauce thickens the longer it is cooked. However, if you want it even thicker, you can whisk in cornstarch slurry 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time or dust the meat chunks with flour and sear them before slow cooking (for Hungarian goulash).

Adding starchy potatoes also helps to naturally thicken the goulash.

Can You Put Raw Ground Beef In A Slow Cooker?

Yes, a slow cooker can cook raw meat, ground or chopped, and make it juicy and tender. For beginners cooking meat in a slow cooker is much easier since this cooking method is more forgiving and rarely dries out the meat mixture.

At the same time, you can brown the ground beef in a large skillet before transferring it to the slow cooker. It will speed up the process and will allow you to drain any excess fat from the beef mixture. Using pre-cooked meat you can cook on high for only 1 hour.

What Is A Substitute For Tomato Paste In Goulash?

Tomato sauce or tomato puree are the closest substitutes for tomato paste in a goulash recipe. You can use pasta sauce in a pinch too.

If you love this easy dinner recipe, you’re going to love these other simple meal ideas too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Slow Cooker Pasta Dinners

Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta

Chicken and Tortellini (Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

Beef and Noodles Recipe

Slow Cooker Stuffed Shells

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