After three scorching months of summer heat, I consider September to be a sort of gray seasonal area. It’s a transitional month; the summer season is winding down, but Autumn hasn’t arrived just yet. No one really knows quite what to do with themselves or what to wear, but you can bet flip flops and white shorts are being paired up with pumpkin spice-themed t-shirts all over the nation… but especially in Texas. Just ask me how I know… 😉
For weeks, I’ve served as many no-cook meals, no-bake desserts, and cold cut sandwiches as I can, just trying to keep the house (and myself) cool. Even though it’s still pretty warm outside, the first day of September means all the cozy comfort foods are trickling back on the weekly menu. We’re all pretty excited about that!
This easy Old-Fashioned Skillet Goulash is one of our all-time favorite, easy skillet meals. It’s simple, flavorful and always welcome at our table.
How to make American Goulash
American goulash is one of those classic dishes that anyone you ask will know the dish by name, but no two family recipes are just alike. My favorite version of this simple meal uses ground beef or turkey, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, a bay leaf and elbow macaroni.
The list of pantry-staple ingredients is part the charm of this particular vintage recipe; goulash is super budget-friendly and quick to get on the table. I also believe it’s most common for this dish to be cooked in a Dutch oven on the stove top, but many years ago I began making this recipe as a one-pot meal and using a large skillet.
I love skillet meals, y’all.
Cooking goulash in a skillet seems easier to me, and it works perfectly with the ingredient amounts listed this recipe for six servings. However, if you need to double this recipe to serve a larger crowd than I have here, you’ll need more room to cook. A deep Dutch oven will be pot of choice to make larger batch of goulash, of course.
This old-fashioned goulash is fantastic when paired up with the warm, buttery bread of your preference. We love to serve this with corn bread, garlic bread, biscuit bread, or bread sticks!
I sure hope you’re as excited about about fall as we are, do you have your decorations out yet??! Celebrating the seasons and holidays is definitely different now that my kids are so much bigger, but I still love it all.
My kids may not be bundled up and jumping into piles of leaves anymore, but the magic of watching all the colorful leaves float on a chilly breeze will always be there to look forward to. I love to sit on the porch with a beverage (could be coffee, might be wine 😊) on chilly nights and enjoy the cool weather. It’s just bliss.
My family and I have many, many memories of coming inside with muddy shoes after playing in the yard on a blustery, cold day to the aroma of warm, delicious homecooked meal waiting for us. We’re still making those kinds of simple memories, and I just know they will last a lifetime.
Happy (almost) Fall, y’all! 🍂🌻🎃
🍁🎃 This week I’m celebrating all the Fall Flavors with several of my food blogging friends! We’ll be showcasing much-loved autumn ingredients such as squash, apples, maple, pecans, and many more in our recipes. New Fall Flavors recipes will be posted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of this week, be sure to check out all the recipes below!! ⬇️
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Friday Fall Flavors Recipes!
Old-Fashioned Skillet Goulash
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes25
minutesThis Old-Fashioned Skillet Goulash is simple, flavorful and always comforting. This likely is just like the goulash your granny used to make! I prefer to make this recipe in a large skillet as a one-pot meal, but if you double the recipe a Dutch oven will have room for a larger batch. Don’t forget the cornbread or butter bread sticks on the side!
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2 -3 cloves of garlic, minced (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons paprika
1 large bay leaf
2 cups beef broth or 2 cups water with appropriate amount of beef-flavored bouillion
1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup of uncooked macaroni, or another short pasta of your choice
2 – 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese, for serving if desired
Directions
- Using a large, deep skillet, brown the ground meat over medium high heat. Drain off excessive drippings, if necessary. Turn the heat down to medium and add in the chopped onions and garlic. Cook the ingredients for two more minutes, stirring often.
- Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and paprika to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Next, add the broth or water with bouillon, tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
- Stir uncooked pasta into the liquid, add a bay leaf and allow the pot to simmer, uncovered, on medium heat for 15 – 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Remove bay leaf and discard.
- Remove skillet from the heat. Any excessive liquid in the goulash will continue to thicken as it sits and cools. Serve Skillet American Goulash warm, and garnish individual servings with shredded cheese, if desired.
- Serve with a garlic bread, biscuit bread, corn bread, or buttery bread sticks!!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe from A Little Fish in the Kitchen blog at www.alittlefishinthekitchen.com. All content is owned by Marcelle G. Bolton. Please contact the author for permission to republish
This reminds me so much of my mom’s “Hungarian Goulash.” (The quotes because I don’t think anyone in Hungary makes this!) Saving the recipe for cooler weather.
This looks like a great weeknight meal and a real family pleaser!
Haha, excellent point on gray seasonal area! I agree. September isn’t the month when I’m craving apples and pumpkins too much yet, but it’s also the time when I don’t enjoy cold salads and melons as much, either! Some warm elements but not overly heavy/ comfort are needed, and I think this goulash perfectly fits the bill!
Growing up I didn’t know there was any other kind of goulash! This one was all I know. It’s a total comfort food for me. That other European goulash is good, too.
Yum! This is my kind of weeknight meal!
Hi Heather, thanks so much!!
This sounds like a comforting meal for any day!
Thank you, Radha!!
This sounds so good! I grew up eating American Goulash and still love it.
I don’t see the amount of pasta listed in your ingredient list. I am just missing it?
Hi Liz, it was a typo!! 😊 It’s fixed now. One cup of uncooked macaroni is what you’ll use for this recipe. Thank you for the comment and I hope you enjoy the goulash! 🌻
Our summer seems to start in September and it goes on to Halloween! That still doesn’t stop us from going for the comfort food like this dish!
Hi Karen, same here. We are usually still swimming in our pool up until the second week of October lol Thanks so much!!
Welcome to the it’s almost fall days (smile). Here in the southeast we have a couple of more months before we really start feeling the difference.
I like goulash. My best friend makes this often when the temps finally make their way down. What I love about goulash is it has basic ingredients but still versatile. Your recipe is delightful.
Yes, it’s a very versatile dish!! Thank you, Velva 🙂
Goulash is a staple around here too. Our recipes are very similar. I’m going to start adding cheese to mine.
We add cheese to everything we can lol Thank you, Wendy!!
We call that American Chop Suey here in New England and it was one of my husband’s favorites growing up. Yours looks awesome!
Hi Jolene, thank you so much! 🌻
I have never heard this called Chop Suey, that makes me think of Asian inspiration 🙂 It’s such comfort food no matter what. Thank you, Jolene!