Crockpot Goulash
A comforting, hearty slow cooker goulash with beef, tomatoes, vegetables, and pasta — easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal.
Equipment
- Slow cooker / Crock Pot
- Skillet
- Wooden spoon / spatula
Ingredients
Meat & Base
- 1½ lb ground beef lean
Vegetables & Seasonings
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- ½ white or yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato & Sauce Components
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 5 cups beef broth
Seasoning & Extras
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta & Cheese
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded) optional, to stir in at end
Instructions
- In a skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef. Drain excess fat, then transfer beef to the slow cooker. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Add to the slow cooker the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, tomato paste, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and beef broth. Stir to combine. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- Remove the bay leaf. If using, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Serve immediately so the pasta doesn’t become mushy. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Notes
To avoid soggy pasta, add the macaroni late in the cooking time. You can adjust the types and amounts of vegetables and seasonings as desired. Leftovers reheat best with a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}