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Goulash is a traditional Hungarian beef stew dish that mixes in vegetables. But, the American version is a bit different. It uses ground meat with tomato based flavors and adds in pasta instead of vegetables. My version of quick and easy goulash recipe uses ground turkey instead of beef and I opt for a low-carb elbow macaroni. This is a family dinner idea that your kids will devour!
My husband loves pasta. I mean, he could literally eat pasta every day of the week. I’m really not kidding. But, I don’t make pasta everyday. It is, however, a regular part of our meals. I do get tired of traditional pasta dishes and sometimes I like to mix it up.
The paprika in this dish changes up the flavors found in more traditional pasta dishes. It’s full of yummy goodness and is filling for the men in my family.
That’s why this American style Goulash recipe is so simple you can get it on the table in about half an hour. It reminds me of a dish that was created and well-known back in Columbus, Ohio where we used to live. The famous Johnny Marzetti Casserole. The textures are similar however it is a baked casserole and uses Italian sausage for the meat.
What you’ll Need for this Goulash Recipe
For this recipe you’ll need just a few indredients which are considered to be staples for most kitchens. You can make this with ground beef if that’s what you have on-hand. However, this recipe calls for ground turkey which is both lower fat, and more affordable these days.
You’ll also need.
- ground turkey, or beef
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- tomato paste
- chicken or beef broth
- tomato sauce
- a can diced tomatoes
- Italian seasoning
- paprika
- salt & pepper
- elbow macaroni, I prefer Dreamfield’s pasta.
- Colby jack cheese (or use mild cheddar)
- parsley, dry or fresh for garnish
How to Make this Goulash Dish
I like to use a large cast-iron skillet to cook the entire dish, but you can use a stainless skillet or a stock pot if you prefer.
To make this goulash dish, start by drizzling olive oil into a large skillet and add chopped onion. Cook onion the onion over medium heat stirring frequently until tender. You want the onion to be translucent.
Don’t brown or burn the onion. Burnt onions become bitter and will ruin your dish, so if your onions get over cooked, you’ll want to start over. Just keep an eye on them, and stir often to prevent this from happening.
As the onion begins to turn translucent add the minced garlic to the pan and continue cooking for about 1 minute, softening the garlic.
Add the meat and season with salt & pepper. Then, cook until browned. Drain any excess oil from the pan.
Stir in tomato paste, sauce, diced tomatoes, broth and all the seasonings, stir to combine.
Finally, add in the uncooked macaroni. Simmer for about 20 minutes until pasta is tender.
Remove from pan and place into a serving dish. Then, sprinkle cheese over the top and stir into the mixture. Garnish the top with parsley or sprinkle more cheese on top like I did.
Recipe for Easy 30 Minute Turkey Goulash
Yield: 4
Easy 30 Minute Goulash Recipe
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Total Time:30 minutes
All the classic flavors of American Style Goulash is made healthier when using ground turkey breast in place of the beef.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground turkey, or beef
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ cup chicken, or beef broth
- 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cup elbow macaroni, I prefer Dreamfield's pasta.
- 1 cup Colby jack cheese, shredded (or use mild cheddar)
- parsley, dry or fresh for garnish
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil into large skillet and and chopped onion. Over medium heat cook onion stirring frequently until tender. You want the onion to be translucent. Don't brown or burn the onion. As the onion begins to turn translucent add the minced garlic to the pan and continue cooking for about 1 minute, softening the garlic.
- Add ground turkey (or beef), season with salt & pepper, and cook until browned. Drain any excess oil from the pan. Stir in tomato paste and sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and paprika until well combined. Add in the macaroni uncooked. Cook for about 20 minutes until pasta is tender..
- Allow the pan to come to a simmer and continue cooking on medium heat until pasta is tender.
- Remove from pan and place in a large serving dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top and stir into the mixture. Garnish the top with parsley (optional), and serve hot.
Notes
This one dish is a complete meal. Or, serve with a simple side salad on the side especially if you want to increase your leafy green intake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 656Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 887mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 48g
Nutritional values are estimates only intended for informational purposes actual results may vary.
If you aren’t familiar with the flavors of this one-dish dinner, I think it reminds me of chili, except without beans and adding in macaroni.
What do you think? Is this a dish you might want to try for dinner? If you do, hit comment below and let me know how it turns out.
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