CHEF JOHN'S AMERICAN GOULASH

Chef John's American Goulash image

One of my all-time favorite comfort food meals growing up was the beef goulash they served in my school cafeteria alongside a slice of buttered white bread and a carton of milk. Little did I know that it wasn't really goulash, but an Americanized version, invented to stretch a small amount of beef into enough food for a not-so-small family. This is one of those very simple dishes that does not taste simple--perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Stews Goulash Recipes

Time 1h15m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 pounds ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups elbow macaroni
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese

Steps:

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and ground beef. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes. Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.
Cook and stir until flavors come together, about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and marinara sauce. Rinse out the jar with 1 cup water and pour into the pot. Add soy sauce, stir, and bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer to let flavors intensify, about 30 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer. Add macaroni; simmer, stirring occasionally, until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Check for doneness after 10 minutes.
Remove goulash from heat. Discard bay leaves; stir in parsley and Cheddar cheese. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Taste and season as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 336.3 calories, Carbohydrate 25.1 g, Cholesterol 58.1 mg, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 18.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 1168.9 mg, Sugar 7.4 g