Budget Beef Goulash with Noodles
Warm beefy paprika noodles in one pot, ready before you talk yourself out of cooking.
When you want something comforting but do not have the energy for a fussy dinner, this budget beef goulash is a good move. It uses simple pantry staples, turns a modest amount of beef into a filling pot, and tastes like the kind of meal that gets better with a spoonful of sour cream on top. The sauce is savory, lightly smoky, and thick enough to coat the noodles without feeling heavy. It is not an all-day stew, so expect weeknight comfort rather than deep Sunday-simmer flavor. Still, it scratches the cozy-food itch fast and leaves you with leftovers that reheat well.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 unit yellow onion — chopped
- 2 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cup beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 0.5 cup sour cream — for serving
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley — optional, for serving
Method
- 1 Set a large pot over medium heat and cook the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef, until the meat is browned and the onion is softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off excess fat if needed.
- 2 Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, marjoram, salt, black pepper, and flour. Cook for 1 minute so the spices smell fragrant and the flour loses its raw taste.
- 3 Pour in the beef broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the egg noodles.
- 4 Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and the sauce thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- 5 Stir in the peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed, then serve hot with sour cream and parsley on top.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Use a plant-based ground or 2 cups cooked lentils instead of beef, and swap in vegetable broth.
- Faster swap — Use wide egg noodles that cook quickly and brown the beef in a very large skillet instead of a pot to shave a few minutes off cleanup.
- Substitutions — No sour cream? Use plain Greek yogurt. No peas? Stir in frozen corn or chopped spinach near the end.
Notes
If the sauce gets thicker than you like, add a splash of water or broth at the end. For a little more depth, let the browned beef sit undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot — It gives the noodles enough room to cook evenly in the sauce without sticking together.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — It helps break up the beef and scrape the flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
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