Grandma's Easy Northern-Style Goulash
A cozy, budget-friendly Northern goulash made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, and a sweet and savory tomato soup base. A special cooling trick keeps the noodles perfectly tender!
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Large skillet
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20 preferred
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 10.75 oz cans condensed tomato soup (do not dilute)
- 1 to 2 tbsp granulated sugar to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 16 oz 1 lb dry elbow macaroni noodles
- Optional Toppings: Parmesan cheese shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced green onions
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the condensed tomato soup, sugar, and black pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow it to heat slowly, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate skillet, cook the ground beef and diced onion over medium-high heat until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. Drain the excess grease thoroughly.
- Stir the drained beef and onion mixture into the large pot with the tomato soup. Let it continue to heat until bubbling and hot.
- Once hot, turn the heat off completely. Let the meat sauce sit on the stove to begin cooling down.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni to al dente according to package directions.
- Drain the noodles and let them sit in the colander for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Once the soup mixture is warm (but not boiling hot), gently stir the semi-cooled noodles into the large pot.
- Let the goulash sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes so the noodles can soak up the flavor without becoming soggy or dry.
- Serve warm in bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, sour cream, or green onions if desired.
Notes
The Cooling Step: Do not skip letting the sauce and noodles cool before mixing! This prevents the pasta from overcooking and turning into mush, leaving the dish perfectly "slightly soupy."