This one-pot goulash is the easiest comfort food you can serve at dinner time! This is the perfect recipe for these days when life gets busy but you still want to put a homemade meal on the table.
It’s made with simple ingredients in an Instant pot and the whole process is almost hands-off.
This American goulash is ready to be served in 45 minutes with only 10 minutes of prep time.
Great to make ahead as part of the meal prep for the week.
Works great with picky eaters.
Key Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Turn the instant pot to “saute” settings. Add ground beef and diced onions and cook until browned but still slightly red. Break large chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Turn the “saute” mode off.
Step 2. Add water, salt, and Italian seasoning, stir.
Step 3. Add uncooked raw pasta, add a layer of diced tomatoes, and passata. Using a spatula slightly press pasta down so it’s covered with sauce but avoid stirring.
Step 4. Cover the pot and seal the lid. Set the setting for 4 minutes on high. It will take time for pressure to build up. Once it beeps, turn the pot off, release the air following the instant pot instructions. Open, stir, taste to make sure it has enough salt.
Step 5. Add grated cheese and serve.
Recipe Tips
Amount of meat and pasta. I like to make this recipe using two pounds of meat. Feel free to adjust based on your preferences.
Pasta choice. I used orecchiette pasta shape, feel free to use macaroni or fusilli.
For best texture make sure that meat is still slightly red and not completely cooked when adding pasta.
Amount of liquid is important since pasta will absorb a lot of it.
To avoid mushy pasta, do a manual release after the timer is up, avoid letting pasta sit in the sealed pot longer.
For firmer pasta, set the Instant Pot to cook for 3 minutes instead.
Since beef has plenty of flavorful fat that we are not draining, we are not using additional oil and using water instead of broth.
This recipe makes enough food to feed 8-10 people, adjust it accordingly. The Instant pot pressure time will still be the same.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s the difference between Hungarian goulash and American goulash?
The Hungarian goulash recipe is a completely different recipe. It is more of a stew and includes paprika, more spices, and vegetables.
Is goulash good to reheat?
Yes, reheat on the stovetop in the skillet over medium-low heat. Since the pasta will absorb the sauce you’ll want to add a splash of water or stock and cover the skillet with the lid to create the steaming effect.
What is Passata?
Passata is an Italian tomato sauce made with ripe, peeled, and strained tomatoes. It has a pleasant slightly sweet flavor compared to regular tomato sauce.
This one-pot goulash is the easiest comfort food you can serve at the dinner time! This is the perfect recipe for these days when life gets busy but you still want to put a homemade meal on the table.
Cooking meat. Turn the instant pot to "saute" settings. Add ground beef and diced onions and cook until browned but still slightly red. Break large chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Turn the "saute" mode off. Add water, salt, and Italian seasoning, stir.
Adding pasta. Add uncooked raw pasta, add a layer of diced tomatoes, and passata. Using a spatula slightly press pasta down so it's covered with sauce but avoid stirring.
Pressure time. Cover the pot and seal the lid. Set the setting for 4 minutes on high. It will take time for pressure to build up. Once it beeps, turn the pot off, release the air following the instant pot instructions. Open, stir, taste to make sure it has enough salt.
Serve. Add grated cheese and serve.
Notes
Amount of meat and pasta. I like to make this recipe using two pounds of meat. Feel free to adjust based on your preferences. Pasta choice. I used an orecchiette pasta shape; feel free to use macaroni or fusilli. For best texture, make sure that meat is still slightly red and not completely cooked when adding pasta.The amount of liquid is important since pasta will absorb a lot of it.To avoid mushy pasta, do a manual release after the timer is up: avoid letting pasta sit in the sealed pot longer.For firmer pasta, set the Instant Pot to cook for 3 minutes instead. Since beef has plenty of flavorful fat that we are not draining, we are not using additional oil and using water instead of broth.This recipe makes enough food to feed 8-10 people; adjust it accordingly. The Instant pot pressure time will still be the same.
Natalia is a recipe developer, food photographer, and home cook. She started Flavorful Home to document her recipes and share home cooking tips. She loves creating flavorful and nutritious meals while keeping the cooking process simple and joyful!
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Welcome!
Hi there, I’m Natalia. I’m so glad you stopped by! Here you’ll find the most useful cooking tips and answers to food questions. I focus on creating simple recipes and making sure they are extra flavorful and worthy of your time! Browse our step-by-step recipes and explore new flavors!
