This Instant Pot Beef American Goulash recipe is a great one-pot family-friendly meal for busy nights. Everyone loves a good pasta dish, especially with minimal prep work and almost no cleanup! Use whatever type of pasta you like (gluten free, keto, etc.) to suit your family’s needs.
This is the Goulash I grew up with. It was one of those dishes that mom would whip up on busy nights when we had soccer practice or music lessons or some other after-school activity.
She always made homemade meals a priority, and it was the one time every day that we sat down together as a family. Looking back, family dinners are one of the things about my childhood that meant the most to me.
The Instant Pot wasn’t a thing back then, but it makes this meal even quicker and easier! This recipe requires less than 20 minutes of hands-on prep time, and then the Instant Pot handles the rest.
If you’re not familiar with it, American Goulash is made of browned ground beef and elbow macaroni in a tomato-based sauce flavored with garlic and herbs. It’s one of those dishes that varies by region and even family, so feel free to put your own spin on it!
You can make it a balanced meal with a side salad. Additionally, stretch it out to feed 6 or 7 people by adding fresh crusty bread or garlic bread.
Why You’ll Love This Goulash Recipe
- This is a full meal in one pot! I love a good one-pot recipe for busy nights.
- It’s the ultimate in easy cooking with minimal cleanup, especially since we use the Instant Pot.
- Even though we use the Instant Pot, it’s just as easy to make this dish on the stovetop!
- You can use any type of pasta you like (such as gluten free, keto friendly, etc.).
The Best Instant Pot Beef American Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 90% lean ground beef
- Onion
- Green bell pepper
- Garlic
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- Sugar
- Dried Italian herb seasoning
- Salt
- Sweet paprika
- Black pepper
- Bay leaf
- Elbow noodles
- Water
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Once hot, add the oil and beef.
- Cook until the beef is mostly browned (it doesn’t have to be fully browned at this point), about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried Italian herb seasoning, salt, sweet paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, and noodles.
- Give it a stir.
- Add the water and stir once. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure to set the lid to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 3 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, let the pot naturally release its pressure for 10 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure and open the pot. Stir.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cooks Tips
- To add depth of flavor, use chicken stock instead of water. Reduce the amount of salt to 1 teaspoon.
- For cheesy flavor and texture, stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese once this is done cooking.
- Leftovers will thicken quite a bit, so feel free to add more tomato or marinara sauce when you reheat it.
Goulash Recipe FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Hungarian Goulash and American Goulash?
Hungarian Goulash is a rich soup or stew with tender pieces of beef in a savory tomato-based broth flavored with onion and garlic and seasoned with a generous amount of paprika. It’s typically slow-cooked, which results in a rich and flavorful broth or gravy and fall-apart-tender meat.
On the other hand, American Goulash is a quick and easy meal consisting of ground beef, tomato sauce, and elbow macaroni that’s flavored with onion, garlic, and herbs. It sometimes contains bell peppers, paprika, and/or shredded cheese.
What is American Goulash Called?
American Goulash is also known as American Chop Suey, Johnny Marzetti, and sometimes just “Goulash”.
What Does American Goulash Taste Like?
If you’ve ever browned ground beef and added marinara sauce and some type of pasta, that’s what this tastes like! You can compare it to the flavor of lasagna but without the cheesiness.
What Should I Serve with Goulash?
The beauty of this dish is that it’s essentially a full meal in itself! However, if you want to stretch it, adding side dishes is the perfect way to do that. Here are a few things that pair well:
- Side salad
- Steamed vegetables, such as broccoli or green beans
- Fresh crusty bread
- Garlic bread
More Easy Instant Pot Dinners
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xoxo, Faith
Instant Pot Beef American Goulash Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 8 cloves garlic crushed
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni noodles or any small pasta shape you like
- 2 1/2 cups water
Garnish Ideas:
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Minced fresh parsley
Serving Suggestions:
- Salad
- Fresh bread or garlic bread
Instructions
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Once hot, add the oil and beef. Cook until the beef is mostly browned (it doesn’t have to be fully browned at this point), about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried Italian herb seasoning, salt, sweet paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, and noodles. Add the water and stir once. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure to set the lid to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 3 minutes.
- Once it’s done cooking, let the pot naturally release its pressure for 10 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure and open the pot. Stir.
- If you want a thicker sauce, turn on the “Sauté” function and cook until the sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. (This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes; it will also thicken more as it cools.)
- Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley.
Faith’s Tips
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional garnish ideas or serving suggestions.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will thicken quite a bit, so feel free to add more tomato or marinara sauce when you reheat it.
- Chicken Stock Substitute for Water: To add depth of flavor, use chicken stock instead of water. Reduce the amount of salt to 1 teaspoon.
- If You Like Cheese: For cheesy flavor and texture, stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese once this is done cooking.
Nutrition
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
It’s still my favorite quick fix meal! 🥰❤️