Get ready to indulge in the most epic comfort food extravaganza of your life – One Pot American Goulash is here to satisfy your cravings.

Imagine a rich, flavorful red sauce, loaded with tender beef, macaroni, and a hint of magic that will leave you weak in the knees. Sounds too good to be true? Trust us, it’s not.

Let’s start with the basics. You’ll need a large, heavy-duty soup pot – think thick and heavy, so the contents heat evenly. Thin cookware will create hot spots and cold spots, and cause the pasta to cook unevenly. We’re going for perfection here.

Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing four cloves of garlic. Add them to your trusty pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice two bell peppers, then add them to the pot and continue to sauté for about two minutes more.

Now it’s time to add the star of the show – one pound ground beef. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink, then add 1/2 cup red wine to the pot and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. If you can’t use red wine, beef broth is a great substitute.

Add one 28oz. can diced tomatoes (with the juices), one 15oz. can tomato sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Stir everything to combine, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come up to a boil.

Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Keep the lid on as it simmers, lifting it only occasionally to stir. After 30 minutes, add 2 cups macaroni (that’s about 1/2 lb.). Stir to combine the macaroni with the sauce, place the lid back on top, and let it continue to simmer to cook the noodles for about 10-12 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender.

Once the macaroni is tender, give the American Goulash a taste and add salt if needed. Remove the pot from the heat, fish out the bay leaves, then serve that one pot goodness.

This recipe is a game-changer for meal prep – it’s freezer-friendly, so feel free to cool it completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer for long term storage. Just remember to label and date everything that goes in your freezer.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of One Pot American Goulash and indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience.