Beefy American Goulash

Beefy American Goulash

This one-pot Beefy American Goulash is a dish that goes by many names. I’ve seen people make similar dishes that went by many names (American Chop Suey is another popular title), but whatever you call it, there’s no denying that this is classic comfort food. Meaty, saucy and full of juicy tomatoes and hearty macaroni, this savory dish comes together simply and all in one pot (yay, less dishes!). This Beefy American Goulash makes a little over 15 cups total, so each satisfying serving is almost 2 cups! That’s a lot of comfort for just 379 calories or 8 Green, 8 Blue or 3 Purple Weight Watchers SmartPoints. To view your current Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, click here!

Beefy American Goulash

I definitely recommend making this recipe as written (don’t omit the soy sauce, paprika or seasoned salt – they’re necessary for the flavor!), but you can add to it if you wish. Some people add bell peppers or cheese, and you can definitely add other veggies or mix-ins. I am usually of the mindset that anything can be improved by cheese, but I honestly found this dish doesn’t even need it. I know, who the heck am I? I do sometimes sprinkle some Parmesan on top if I’m feeling cheesy.

Beefy American Goulash

Looking for more lightened up comfort food pasta dishes? Check out the pasta section of my recipe index for favorites like Slow Cooker Kickin’ Chicken Pasta, Beef and Sausage Manicotti, Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini Skillet, Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna Roll Ups, Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake, Tomato Soup Mac & Cheese, Spaghetti Pie, Sausage Tortellini Skillet, Buffalo Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells, Spicy Sausage Pasta and many more!

Beefy American Goulash
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes
Rate this Recipe

Beefy American Goulash

Meaty, saucy and full of juicy tomatoes and hearty macaroni, this savory dish comes together simply and all in one pot!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs uncooked 95% lean ground beef
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 oz uncooked elbow macaroni, use whole wheat pasta if following the WW Purple plan

Instructions

  • Place the ground beef in a large dutch oven and bring over medium heat. Cook, breaking up with a spoon or spatula, until the meat is browned and in small pieces. Drain the grease from the pan. Add the onions and garlic and stir together. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, seasoned salt, paprika and black pepper and stir together. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Add the macaroni and stir until well combined. Re-cover the pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the macaroni is cooked through. Remove from heat, stir and remove the bay leaves. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

To view your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, click here!
Nutrition Information per (scant 2 cups) serving:
379 calories, 49 g carbs, 10 g sugars, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 33 g protein, 5 g fiber (from myfitnesspal.com)
MyWW SmartPoints per (scant 2 cups) serving: (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Green: 8 SmartPoints/ Blue: 8 SmartPoints/ Purple: 3 SmartPoints (if using wheat pasta, if not then use the Blue points)
Weight Watchers Points Plus:
10 per (scant 2 cups) serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Adapted from Paula Deen