Yet Another Hamburger Goulash Recipe

"Goulash" comes from the Hungarian word that means "cattlemen" or "herdsmen." In Slovakia it means "mishmash." Either meaning gives people an accurate description of what this meal is comprised of.

This is a recipe is yet another variation on goulash. If one were to search the term "beef goulash recipes" on the Internet, literally dozens of different recipes will come up. This recipe is not necessarily the best one out there, but it is quite good for many reasons.

First of all, it is a meal in and of itself - maybe add a slice of French bread or garlic bread on the side if one chooses to go that route. However, this meal is already high in carbohydrates, so a low carb side dish may be in order.

Second, this meal takes little time to prepare, as it can be ready in less than half an hour. This is a great meal to prepare on a weeknight when time is a bit of a crunch after work, school or soccer practice.

Finally, this meal is a money saver. It is inexpensive to make, allowing money-conscious cooks a great way to feed their families for the tough economic times we live in today.

Ingredients For Hamburger Goulash

• 1½ pounds of ground beef


• one medium yellow onion, diced


• 2½ cups of elbow macaroni


• 1 - 28 ounce can of stewed tomatoes (do not drain)


• 1 - 14½ ounce can of diced tomatoes (do not drain)


• one 14½ ounce can of tomato sauce


• salt, pepper, garlic powder


• Worcestershire sauce to taste

Instructions

1. Put macaroni into a pot of boiling water - let boil until macaroni is tender and then drain in a colander.


2. While macaroni is cooking, cook the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet until onion is tender and hamburger is no longer pink (garlic powder to season). Drain the mixture.


3. Put the meat and the remaining ingredients into the pot that held the macaroni. Heat the mixture until it is just to boiling.


4. Remove pot from heat and add the macaroni. Stir all of the ingredients together until all is mixed together well. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Hamburger Goulash

• To make spicy, add a small can of green chili peppers to the mix when adding the tomatoes.


• Potatoes can be used instead of macaroni. This will make the goulash in more traditional Hungarian variety.


• Another Hungarian variation would be to add paprika along with the other spices and/or ground lamb instead of hamburger.


• A large green or red bell pepper can also enhance the flavor. Cook the pepper with the meat and onion mixture.


• A favorite cheese can be added as a topping.


• In Step #3, mixing in a can of beans (black, pinto, or another favorite) will add to the flavor.


• For a vegetarian dish, use beans instead of hamburger. In Step #2 above, omit the hamburger and saute the onions in butter, margarine or oil. Proceed to step #3.

As mentioned earlier, this isn't the only goulash recipe out there and may not be the best one available. But people cannot go wrong with this recipe if time is an issue or if money is tight. Enjoy!