Southern Goulash is a beloved staple of Southern comfort-food tradition, a hearty one-pot wonder that has warmed family tables across the South for generations. Tender ground beef simmers with sweet onions and vibrant bell peppers in a rich, tangy tomato-based sauce, all mingled with elbow macaroni that soaks up every bit of that savory goodness. This simple, budget-friendly meal is pure down-home satisfaction—easy to whip up on busy weeknights yet deeply nourishing, wrapping you in nostalgia with every spoonful. It’s especially soul-soothing on a cool evening, and pairs beautifully with slices of toasted focaccia bread for sopping up the delicious sauce.
Southern Goulash Recipe
Southern Goulash
Equipment
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- glass bowl
- large skillet
- slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef – 80/20 works best
- 1 small yellow onion – chopped
- ¼ green bell pepper – chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 24 oz Whole stewed tomatoes – such as San Marzano
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried basil flakes
- ½ tsp dried oregano flakes
- 2 cup beef stock
- 1 cup macaroni pasta – large macaroni pasta works best
- 2 cups cheddar cheese – shredded
Instructions
- Empty tomatoes into a glass bowl, and crush with clean hands. Remove any tomato leaves that were included in the can.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet, and bring up to medium heat. Add the ground beef, and cook until browned.
- Add chopped onion and bell pepper, and cook until soft. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the minced garlic and cook until aromatic (about 1 minute). Stir to incorporate.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to incorporate, and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.
- Add the beef stock.
- Add the pasta. Stir well to incorporate, then bring back to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and has soaked up most of the liquid. Stir the contents every few minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the shredded cheddar to the top. Allow the cheese to melt while the goulash slightly cools (about 5 minutes).
- Serve topped with a pinch of freshly chopped Italian parsley.
PRIVATE NOTES
Nutrition
More Information
Hungarian Roots
While our beloved Southern Goulash has evolved into a pasta-packed family favorite, its origins trace back to the windswept plains of Hungary, where it began as gulyásleves—a rustic herdsman’s soup. Dating to the 9th or 10th century, this hearty dish was first crafted by Magyar shepherds, known as gulyás (meaning “herdsman” in Hungarian), who slow-cooked chunks of beef with vegetables, potatoes, and generous amounts of paprika over open fires while tending cattle in the Great Hungarian Plain.
Unlike the thick, macaroni-laden version we know today, traditional gulyásleves is a brothy soup, flavored with caraway seeds and root vegetables, designed for portability—herdsmen would even sun-dry the cooked meat for long journeys. When Hungarian immigrants brought their culinary traditions to America in the late 19th century, the recipe adapted to local ingredients and tastes, morphing into the comforting, one-pot meal that graces Southern kitchens now.
It’s a testament to how a simple shepherd’s stew became a global comfort icon, blending Old World flavors with New World ingenuity.
Its place in Southern Comfort Foods
In the heart of Southern cuisine, where meals are as much about warmth and togetherness as they are about flavor, Southern Goulash holds a cherished spot among classic comfort foods. This American adaptation—featuring ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a tangy tomato sauce simmered with onions and bell peppers—embodies the region’s love for hearty, one-pot dishes that feed a crowd without fuss or fanfare.
Popular in the South and Midwest, it’s a go-to for chilly evenings, evoking the same soul-soothing satisfaction as biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, or shrimp and grits, but with the added appeal of being budget-friendly and quick to prepare.
Born from Hungarian immigrant influences in the late 19th century, it fits seamlessly into Southern traditions of resourceful cooking, using pantry staples to create something nourishing and nostalgic. Whether served at family gatherings, potlucks, or weeknight dinners, Southern Goulash represents the essence of down-home hospitality—simple, satisfying, and always ready to wrap you in a blanket of familiar flavors.
A Dish with Many Monikers
One of the most fascinating aspects of this versatile dish is its array of regional nicknames, reflecting how it has been adapted and beloved across America under different guises. Commonly known as American Goulash to distinguish it from its Hungarian soup ancestor, it’s also called Johnny Marzetti (or Marzettie), a nod to an early 20th-century Ohio restaurateur who popularized a similar baked casserole version.
In other parts of the country, especially the Midwest and Northeast, it goes by Beefaroni, evoking the canned pasta classic, or Slumgullion—a whimsical term from the 19th century meaning a watery stew, now applied to this ground beef and macaroni mix.
You might hear it as American Chop Suey in New England, Hot Dish in the Upper Midwest, or simply Goulash in Southern households. No matter the name, the core remains the same: a comforting blend of pasta, beef, and tomato sauce that’s easy to customize and impossible to resist. These variations highlight the dish’s widespread appeal and how it has woven itself into the fabric of American home cooking.
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