Mama's Old-Fashioned Texas Goulash
Rediscover Mama's Old-Fashioned Texas Goulash—a simple, hearty ground beef and macaroni recipe made with pantry staples. A comforting family favorite from the 1960s.
There are recipes you make for company, and then there are recipes you make because they remind you of home. This old-fashioned Texas goulash falls into the second category.
Growing up in Texas in the 1960s, my mama made this hearty supper often. Ground beef, onions, tomatoes, macaroni, and a handful of simple pantry staples came together to make a meal that filled hungry bellies without stretching the grocery budget. Looking back, I realize it was her homemade version of Hamburger Helper years before boxed dinners became a weeknight staple.
Our Family's Story
I can still picture my dad coming home from work after a long day. He would walk through the front door and call out, "Ice me down a Pepsi, Shirley Ann!" My mama would happily fix him an ice-cold Pepsi, and before long we'd all be gathered around the kitchen table enjoying a hot meal. Some nights it was roast. Some nights it was fried minute steaks (her version of chicken fried steak). And some nights it was this simple, comforting goulash.
Mama wasn't one for fancy seasonings or complicated recipes. She believed in good, hearty food that would satisfy a hungry family. That's exactly what this recipe does. Every bite takes me right back to our family table, where a bowl of goulash and a couple slices of buttered white bread were all we needed.
You'll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
At a Glance
- Flavor: Simple, hearty, and comforting
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a quick glance at what you're going to need. These are simple ingredients you might already have in your kitchen.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (or other short pasta), cooked according to package directions
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ½ cup water (more if needed)
- 1 cup frozen or canned whole-kernel corn
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
How to Make Mama's Old-Fashioned Texas Goulash
Cook the macaroni until tender. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft. Drain excess grease if necessary.
Place the diced tomatoes and tomato paste in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. If you prefer, you can just use tomato sauce in place of both of these.
Add the cooked macaroni to the meat and onion mixture.
Pour the tomato mixture on top. Stir in ½ cup water along with salt, pepper, and onion powder, if using.
Fold in the corn and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. If the mixture seems too thick, add another splash of water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Serve hot with slices of buttered white bread. This isn't a rule, but it's definitely how we ate it!
Variations
- Use large elbow macaroni for a more traditional look, or substitute bow tie pasta, shells, or rotini.
- Frozen or canned corn both work beautifully.
- If you have tomato sauce on hand instead of diced tomatoes and tomato paste, you can certainly use it.
- Like a little more seasoning? Add extra black pepper or garlic powder to suit your family's tastes.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Because the pasta continues to absorb liquid, you may want to stir in a splash of water when reheating.
This recipe also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This is an old-fashioned American-style goulash that has been passed down through my family. It's a simple combination of ground beef, tomatoes, macaroni, and pantry staples.
Absolutely. Mama preferred larger elbow macaroni, but regular elbows, bow ties, shells, or rotini all work well.
You certainly can, but Mama always cooked the pasta separately and stirred it into the meat mixture at the end. That's the way I still make it today.
For our family, yes! It adds a little sweetness, stretches the meal, and has always been part of the recipe. If your family prefers it without corn, simply leave it out.
For the full nostalgic experience, serve it with soft white sandwich bread spread with butter. Garlic bread or dinner rolls are also delicious.
About the Cook
This recipe reminds me that the best family recipes aren't always the fanciest ones. Sometimes they're the meals that quietly nourished a family year after year. Mama never wrote this recipe down, so recreating it today felt like putting together pieces of my childhood one ingredient at a time.
As soon as I browned the onions, the memories started coming back. By the first bite, I knew I'd found it again.
If you grew up eating a simple goulash like this, I'd love to hear about it. Did your family add corn? Did you call it something different? And most importantly...what kind of bread did you serve alongside it?
More Hearty Family Meals
If you enjoy simple, satisfying meals like this one, be sure to check out these family favorites from Backyard Texas Grill:
- Cast-Iron Cowboy Casserole
- Creamy Italian Bow Tie Pasta
- Hearty Dutch Oven Beef Stew
- King Ranch Chicken
- Slow-Cooker Swamp Potatoes
- Sweet and Savory Southwest Beans
Thanks for Stopping By
If you make my mama's old-fashioned goulash and enjoy it, please leave a comment or review. And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?
About the Cook
Hi, I'm Janice! I love sharing the recipes that shaped my childhood alongside the cakes, cookies, and desserts I'm known for today. Some of my favorite recipes are the simplest ones—meals that remind me of family dinners around the kitchen table.
This old-fashioned Texas goulash is one of those treasured recipes. Recreating it brought back sweet memories of my mama standing at the stove, my dad coming home from work, and our family gathering for supper. My hope is that this recipe helps you create those same kinds of memories around your own table.
Mama's Old-Fashioned Goulash
This old-fashioned Texas goulash is a hearty, budget-friendly family favorite made with ground beef, macaroni, tomatoes, onions, and corn. Simple pantry ingredients come together to create the comforting homemade meal my mama served throughout my childhood in the 1960s.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ½ cup water (plus more if needed)
- 1 cup frozen or canned whole-kernel corn
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions until tender. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is soft. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Place the diced tomatoes and tomato paste in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and beef. Stir in ½ cup water, along with salt, pepper, and onion powder, if using.
- Fold in the corn.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through and the flavors have blended. If the mixture becomes too thick, stir in an extra splash of water.
- Serve hot with buttered white sandwich bread, dinner rolls, or garlic bread.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 25g
