Classic American Goulash (a.k.a. American Chop Suey!)

You know that one dish from your childhood that brings back instant comfort? For me, it’s this one – American Goulash. Or, as we called it in our New England kitchen growing up, American Chop Suey. My mom made it almost weekly, and now I totally understand why. One pot. Super easy. Total crowd-pleaser. And bonus: minimal cleanup.

The version I grew up with was a little more straightforward – ground beef, elbow macaroni, canned tomatoes. That’s it. But as with all things in life (and cooking), I’ve zhuzhed it up a bit over the years. My favorite twist? Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. (Thank you, Bobby Flay, for inspiring my household’s obsession with green chilies!) They’re not spicy, just flavorful. Promise.

Let’s get into it…

Classic American Goulash (One-Pot Pasta)

1 hour / Easy / Serves 8
Nutrition (per serving): 462 calories, 27g protein, 35g carbs, 23g fat, 9g sugar

🛒 Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups broth (chicken or beef – your choice)*

• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

• 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies

• 2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce*

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni*

• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)

👩🏻‍🍳 Directions

1. Brown the beef. In a large stockpot, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned. Remove and drain, leaving 1–2 tablespoons of grease in the pot.

2. Sauté the veggies. Add diced onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft. Toss in the green pepper and cook until tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Bring on the flavor. Add the beef back to the pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes (both kinds), tomato sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.

4. Simmer it down. Bring everything to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add the pasta. Stir in elbow macaroni. Cover and simmer another 15–20 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom. Don’t overcook!

6. Finish and serve. Remove bay leaves, give it a final stir, and serve hot. Sprinkle with Parmesan if you’re feeling fancy.

📝 Notes

• Broth: Chicken, beef, veggie – whatever you’ve got on hand. Bouillon and water works too. I use whatever makes my life easier.

• Tomato sauce: Totally customizable. Use canned, jarred marinara (I love Rao’s), or even your own homemade red sauce. This dish is super forgiving.

• Pasta: Elbow macaroni is classic, but any small pasta shape will work. Don’t stress.

• Cheese: I like it with a sprinkle of Parmesan, but it’s optional. Try it both ways and see what you like best.

💬 Let’s Talk Chop Suey…

I’d love to hear how you make this! Do you go classic or spice it up with chilies like we do? What kind of pasta do you use? Any special touches from your own family recipe? Drop a comment, share your photos, and let’s swap stories – because the best kind of comfort food is the one we make our own.