Sometimes you just need an easy, quick meal that checks off the “comfort food” box after a long day. This is that meal. Honestly, American beef goulash reminds me of a hamburger helper type meal. The truth is that you don’t need a box to help with this recipe. The ingredients are simple and you likely already have them in your pantry. So let’s look at how to make Gluten Free American Beef Goulash.
THE INGREDIENTS
This recipe uses what I call “pantry staples.” I think that most people keep these items around regularly. Maybe you already have these ingredients ready to go. To make Gluten Free American Beef Goulash, you’ll need:
- ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- sweet pepper or bell pepper
- canned tomato sauce
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned pumpkin
- beef stock
- soy sauce alternative
- sea salt
- black pepper
- Italian seasoning
- bay leaves
- gluten free noodles (I like elbow noodles for this recipe)
- dress it up with fresh oregano, basil, and/or parsley, if available
Most traditional American goulash recipes call for some type of cheese. This sort of thickens the sauce and provides a salty complexity to the flavor. I wrote this recipe to achieve the same creamy texture by using canned pumpkin in the sauce. This is generally what I do at home. If you’d prefer to use cheese, you can omit the canned pumpkin and stir in a cup of cheddar cheese after the noodles have cooked.
THE ORIGINS OF GOULASH
Traditional goulash originates from the country of Hungary. It’s sort of a thick meat stew that relies heavily on paprika and caraway. It’s generally made with beef stew meat or even a cubed roast. It requires more cooking time since the meat needs to stew slowly to become fall-apart tender. (Maybe I’ll write up a Hungarian goulash recipe next.)
American goulash is generally made from ground beef. It includes noodles, which are not always found in Hungarian goulash. A traditional American goulash also relies heavily on tomatoes, where the original Hungarian inspiration is more of a brown beef gravy. Many recipes for American goulash also include cheese, which you don’t find in a Hungarian goulash. I feel like American goulash is the cheaper, simpler, more modest cousin to Hungarian goulash.
THE ADDITION OF FRESH HERBS
Most American goulash recipes do not call for fresh herbs, however I think fresh herbs make every recipe taste better. I highly encourage you to grow a simple herb garden at home. Even if you start with plants from the garden center (over seeds), an herb garden at home will save you so much money as compared to buying fresh herbs for each recipe.
If you’re just starting out with an herb garden, I recommend that you begin with 3-4 herbs that you know you’ll use regularly. For me, that’s cilantro, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. In the summer, I also grow basil, which can become quite large if grown in a garden as opposed to a small container. Oregano is one herb I have not yet grown, but should. I think I would use it regularly enough….like in this American goulash recipe.
If you do have access to fresh herbs, I encourage you to add fresh parsley, basil, and/or oregano to this recipe. They are not at all required, but dress it up. I think that the addition of fresh herbs always make a recipe zing!
CHOOSE A LARGE POT
As pictured, I used a 5 qt. braiser. I wanted the dish to photograph well, but honestly, it barely fit. I suggest that you use a large (deep) pot for this recipe. I cook a lot of food at once as my family regularly eats leftovers for lunch. This recipe has 8-10 servings as written.
American Beef Goulash (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
– 2 tbsp. olive oil
– 1 lb. ground beef
– 1 tsp. sea salt
– black pepper
– 1 onion, diced
– 1 sweet pepper, diced
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
– 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
– 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
– 2 tbsp. “No Soy” Sauce or other soy sauce alternative
– 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
– 1 12 oz. package gluten free elbow noodles
– 1 1/2 c. beef stock
– 3 bay leaves
– optional fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano)
Directions
1. Choose a large pot or pan (5 quarts at minimum). Heat the pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add one pound of thawed ground beef. Begin to brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces.
2. While the beef is browning, dice the onion and sweet pepper, and mince the garlic. Add them to the pan with the beef. Stir to combine and cook well.
3. When the beef is browned and the vegetables have softened, reduce the heat to low. Stir in 1/4 c. of canned pumpkin. Then add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce alternative, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine everything well.
4. Add the package of noodles, the beef stock, and the bay leaves. Stir to combine. Adjust the heat to achieve a slow bubbling simmer, not a boil. Put a lid on the pan and allow the noodles to cook. Come back every five minutes or so to stir the mixture so the noodles do not stick to the bottom of the pan. In total, it should take around 20 minutes to soften the noodles. If you need more liquid, add a small amount of water or beef stock.
5. It’s not necessary to use fresh herbs, but they do add to the flavor and presentation. If you choose to add herbs, do so after everything has cooked. Chop the herbs small and stir them into the goulash right before serving. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, check out Jennifer’s new book, “The Grass-Fed Guide.” In this book, you will learn how to: find a local farmer, understand the labels and lingo, identify the cuts, and calculate the best deals. You will also learn how to cook with each of the varied cuts that come when buying beef in bulk.
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. She also offers recipes and nourishment for body, mind, and soul at RealFoodRealHealing.com.
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