Looking for an easy yet tasty meal that you can throw in the slow cooker with ingredients you likely already have? How about this simple yet tasty Slow Cooker Goulash?
You know it’s a good recipe when every last bite of leftovers gets eaten at my house! I test so many recipes that there’s always a lot of leftovers to chose from, but this was a new favorite for my family.
And to be clear, this is American Goulash, which is essentially a meaty, tomato based macaroni. I wanted to create a simple version of what is likely a classic favorite in many of your homes growing up, using up some fresh peppers if you have them on hand.
I love making this in the slow cooker. Even the pasta cooks in there! That saves time because you don’t need to boil water and hassle with extra work. See my tips below for making sure you pasta turns out just right.
Ingredient Notes
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Use a lean ground beef or drain any excess grease
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You can use almost any combination of tomatoes and tomato sauce you have on hand
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If you use less pasta sauce, add a little more seasoning as pasta sauce has more flavor than regular tomatoes
- I used elbow noodles, which is the most classic for this dish, but you could try out other variations like penne pasta.
Preparation Notes
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Brown ground beef and add to slow cooker
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Stir in all remaining ingredients except pasta which we will add toward the end
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Cover and let simmer all day
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Add the pasta in the last 30-45 minutes and be prepared to eat right away when it’s done so it doesn’t get too soft from overcooking
Equipment Notes
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I used my multi cooker to brown the meat then cook everything in the same pot. You can also cook the meat in a skillet and transfer to the slow cooker.
Recipe Notes
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I used macaroni noodles but I you could also substitute penne or another kind of pasta. Cooking times may vary.
How To Prep Ahead
How To Prep Ahead-
Cook and cool ground beef and add to a freezer safe container or zipper bag
- Add all remaining ingredients except pasta
- Store in fridge up to 3 days or freezer up to 3 months
- Thaw fully before cooking
Related Recipes
- I have so many other popular pasta recipes on my site if you like making pasta in your slow cooker. Buffalo Chicken Pasta is always a reader favorite.
How To Store Leftovers
- Let cool completely, then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Slow Cooker Goulash
Looking for an easy but tasty meal that you can throw in the slow cooker with ingredients you likely already have? How about this simple yet tasty Slow Cooker Goulash?
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Servings: 6
Calories: 294kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pounds ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- 1 green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
- 2 cups tomato basil pasta sauce
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon herb and garlic seasoning
- 6 oz pasta noodles
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and add to slow cooker
- Stir in all remaining ingredients except pasta which we will add toward the end
- Cover and let simmer all day
- Add the pasta in the last 30-45 minutes and be prepared to eat right away when it’s done so it doesn’t get too soft from overcooking
Notes
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I used macaroni noodles but I imagine you could also substitute penne or another kind of pasta. Cooking times may vary.
-
Cook & cool ground beef, add to freezer safe container or bag
-
Add all remaining ingredients except pasta
- Store in fridge up to 3 days / freezer up to 3 months
-
Thaw fully before cooking
-
Let cool, store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 688mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 688IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg
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When I’m ready to add pasta do I just dump on top or mix it in with sauce then wait? Or does it matter?
You’ll want to mix it in so that it combines with the rest of the ingredients before serving.
Am I supposed to cook the pasta before adding it?
Nope!
How long does this cook for?
6-8 hours on low or 3-4 on high.
6 oz of pasta is going to feed 6? I’m confused on how many cups of the noodles to use
6 oz is correct. With the meat and additional ingredients you will need less pasta. But if you have heartier appetites you can plan for less servings or double the recipe.
How many does your recipe serve?
This recipe serves 6
What’s tomato basil pasta sauce and how is that different from regular tomato sauce with basil in it???
Pasta sauce has additional ingredients like spices, onion, garlic, etc. and tomato sauce is just plain tomato sauce. You’ll typically find the tomato sauce in a can and the pasta sauce in a jar near the dried pasta.
Nice recipe… thank you for sharing!
Deek
Thank you and especially for the daily value nutrients at the end.