A Quick Easy Cheesy Beef Goulash Recipe That Works Beautifully As Comfort Food

Hamburger goulash has been around for generations, and it seems families all have their own way of making the best easy cheesy beef goulash recipe. This recipe is for easy easy cheesy beef goulash for beginners and is one to make when you want the whole family to love dinner.

We suggest trying this simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal as a great weeknight meal that is so easy to make and only takes one hour from the beginning to the dinner table.

Our quick easy cheesy beef goulash recipe is comfort food to help you relax and feel full for the evening. It’s easily on par with our cheesy picante beef macaroni, but it offers a more family friendly easy cheesy beef goulash that your kids are more likely to enjoy. 

In fact, this dish is one that everyone seems to love, and rightfully so. Elbow macaroni, ground beef, tomatoes, and tomato sauce loaded with cheese? Is there even a better meal than this? Serving this meal (including our healthy easy cheesy beef goulash version) will bring everyone running for dinner.

Since this dish is savory and loaded with tons of flavor, go ahead, gather the ingredients, and get this started for dinner tonight! With our help, you can make this incredible meal with no difficulty and make your kids happy for dinner.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The best easy cheesy beef goulash recipe is super easy to make –  it’s a great starter easy easy cheesy beef goulash for beginners 
• This simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal it tastes great and everyone loves it – it’s truly a family friendly easy cheesy beef goulash
• Your quick easy cheesy beef goulash recipe won’t take much time – there are just a few ingredients that combine very easily
• It’s adaptable to many homemade easy cheesy beef goulash ideas – try it loaded with Beef, pasta tomato sauce, and cheese for a perfect weeknight meal
• It only requires a few tweaks to make a healthy easy cheesy beef goulash version – for example, cutting back on the amount of cheese you use works well

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Ground Beef: The best easy cheesy beef goulash recipe needs ground beef to truly stand out, though vegetarians and those who want a healthy easy cheesy beef goulash version can try lentils, tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms.
• Elbow Macaroni: You’ll need some kind of macaroni for your easy easy cheesy beef goulash for beginners, and elbow pasta works perfectly! You can serve it on a bed of couscous if you want a healthier option.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Topping your goulash with some shredded cheddar cheese helps bring out the flavor of the meat and the rest of the ingredients even more. You can also try cashew cheese or even tofu if you want a dairy-free alternative. 
• Tomatoes: A blend of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes makes your quick easy cheesy beef goulash recipe nice and rich. A more family friendly easy cheesy beef goulash for kids could use ketchup instead.
• Seasonings: You’ll season your simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal with minced garlic, bay leaves, soy sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning. Healthier homemade easy cheesy beef goulash ideas include cutting out the soy sauce and salt or adding a touch of oregano.

How to Make It

Start the best easy cheesy beef goulash recipe by warming a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat and sauteing the beef until browned completely before draining any excess fat. Don’t turn the heat up too high, or you’ll burn your meat and ruin your easy easy cheesy beef goulash for beginners. 

At this point, you’ll start flavoring your simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal by adding the garlic and cooking for about 30 seconds. That’s the best part of this quick easy cheesy beef goulash recipe: none of the steps last too long or require a lot of difficult thinking.

Now, reduce the heat to medium and pour in the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, soy sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, cover, and bring to a boil. That bubbling meat will smell so good right now! Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Adding the tomato sauce.

Adding the diced tomatoes.

Adding the soy sauce.

Adding the bay leaves, salt, and Italian seasoning.

Adding the water.

Okay, so what’s next for your family friendly easy cheesy beef goulash? You’re close to done and only need to stir in the macaroni noodles and cover to simmer for another 30 minutes. Other homemade easy cheesy beef goulash ideas to try include adding some other seasonings at this point.

Now, you can either mix in the shredded cheddar and serve, or make a healthy easy cheesy beef goulash version by cutting out the cheese. It’s hard for us to imagine this dish without cheddar, but it’s your meal, so make it however you want.

Voila! This beef goulash recipe was a hit!

Tips for Success

Drain the beef very well before trying to cook 

• Use lean beef to eliminate unnecessary fat in your meat
• Taste-test the pasta for firmness to ensure it’s not too tough 
• Avoid over-cheesing the meal, as this can become hard to handle 
• Sprinkl a little oregano on top after you’re done and stir it in for flavor

Storage & Reheating

Once your goulash has cooled to room temperature, it can be transferred to an airtight container. Place the container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Even better, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. 

Be aware that the elbow pasta may have a texture issue upon thawing, so make sure that you put it in a deep pot on the stovetop and heat it over medium heat. This should take 5 to 10 minutes, and you may need to add a small amount of beef bouillon.

Serving Suggestions

• Improve your best easy cheesy beef goulash recipe by adding veggies such as corn, zucchini, cauliflower, or beans for a healthy easy cheesy beef goulash version
• Try ground sausage or kielbasa iif you enjoy their flavors more in your easy easy cheesy beef goulash for beginners – this simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal is adaptable 
• Serve your simple easy cheesy beef goulash meal with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, brown rice, or crusty bread – they all blend well with this quick easy cheesy beef goulash recipe
• Make a family friendly easy cheesy beef goulash by using homemade easy cheesy beef goulash ideas, like pairing it with French fries or even tater tots
• A crockpot goulash is a great way to reuse these ingredients or cook them in a slightly different way

Notes

Comfort food supreme, this cheesy beef goulash is something my grandma served to my mother, who then served it to me. It’s been passed down over the generations, time and time again!

Now, my daughter makes it for her kids, and the amazing thing is that we all love it! I can’t think of another meal in my repertoire that is as loved as this one. I think that your family will love its mix of rich beefy texture and cheesy taste!

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