A whopping seven Grandparents.com readers recently submitted recipes for the easy, rib-sticking dinner known alternately as Hungarian Goulash and American Chop Suey. Of course, each recipe was slightly different. Almost all used the basic elements of a good goulash – ground beef, macaroni, onion, and tomato – but each home chef added special ingredients of his or her own, ranging from potatoes to paprika.
To solve the dilemma of whose goulash to publish, we combined the best elements of each (along with a few of our own favorite ingredients), and tested and tweaked the dish until we got it right. The result? The ultimate Hungarian Goulash – hearty, delicious, and good to go for hungry grandkids.
Of course, you can feel free to fine-tune the recipe even further. Some possible variations include: substituting ground turkey for ground beef; altering the amount of Worcestershire sauce; swapping in your preferred vegetables for the celery and bell pepper; and adding as many additional herbs and spices as you like. Topping the final product with Parmesan or cheddar cheese might not be bad, either.
Ingredients:
1 lb. 85-percent ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet, sauté beef, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery over medium-high heat until beef is browned and onion is softened, 8-12 minutes. Drain as much fat as possible.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, Worcestershire sauce, macaroni, and broth. Drop heat to medium or medium-low and simmer 20-30 minutes, until macaroni is cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add water if necessary, and take care to stir more frequently as time goes on.
3. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Serves 4 to 6
Hungry for more beefy recipes? The Grandparents.com Recipe Section is a stellar resource, full of meaty ideas like Better Beef Lasagna.
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