GOULASH

Making this American goulash in the crockpot is super easy. Just follow these steps to make it:

Sauté the ground beef in a skillet until cooked.
Drain excess fat and add garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
Put the sautéed meat in the crock pot along with the remaining ingredients.
Cook on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours or on LOW heat for 7-8 hours.

VARIATIONS
Whether you need to substitute an ingredient or you wish to add a little extra, my best goulash recipe is easy to adjust:

Ground beef. You can use lean ground beef or one with higher fat content. Drain any excess grease that is produced. Replace half the ground beef with 1 pound of Italian sausage or completely substitute the beef for ground turkey or chicken.
Macaroni noodles are a classic, but any similarly sized pasta will work such as shell pasta, penne, ditalini, or fusilli
Cheese. I love cheddar in our recipe, but shredded mozzarella or even Parmesan will work.
Beef broth can be used instead of water for extra flavor. Increase the amount of broth to make this dish more “soupy” like the Hungarian goulash.
Vegetables. Another way to make this more like the Hungarian version is to add extra veggies such as peas, red bell peppers, spinach, onion, and carrots. Add more tender vegetables toward the end so they don’t get mushy.

STORING INFO
Make it ahead of time. Make this hamburger goulash ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe directions, cover, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

STORE. Goulash can reheat well, but it needs to be stored properly. Be sure to place it in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat by using the microwave.