There are certain dishes that transcend their humble origins to become beloved classics. Poor Man’s Goulash is one of them. It is not the rich, paprika-laden Hungarian stew that shares its name. Instead, it is an American comfort food creation—a simple, hearty, one-pot meal of ground beef, tomatoes, pasta, and Italian seasonings that has been feeding families on a budget for generations. It goes by many names: American Goulash, Johnny Marzetti, Slumgullion. But whatever you call it, it is delicious.
This slow cooker version makes an already easy dish almost effortless. Raw ground beef goes into the slow cooker with canned diced tomatoes and a jar of pasta sauce. It cooks low and slow until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded. Uncooked elbow macaroni is stirred in at the end, absorbing the rich tomato sauce as it cooks. The result is a hearty, satisfying, deeply flavorful meal that costs very little to make.
This is the kind of recipe you turn to when the grocery budget is tight, when you need to feed a hungry family, or when you simply want something warm, comforting, and no-fuss. Serve it with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and a side of crusty bread. Dinner is done.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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Only 5 simple ingredients
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Set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker convenience
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Extremely budget-friendly
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No pre-cooking the beef or pasta
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Rich, tomato-forward flavor
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A complete one-pot meal
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Great for meal prep and leftovers
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Poor Man’s Goulash
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 3-3.5 hours on HIGH or 5-6 hours on LOW (plus 25-35 minutes for pasta) | Total Time:Approximately 3.5-4.5 hours
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
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1½ pounds raw ground beef (80-90% lean)
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2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with juices
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1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce (any basic tomato or marinara)
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2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
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1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or mixed dried herbs), plus salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Slow Cooker:
Set your slow cooker on a stable surface and lightly grease the inside with a bit of oil or cooking spray for easier cleanup.
2. Add the Ground Beef:
Break the raw ground beef into small chunks and spread them evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker. Do not pack it down too tightly; leaving it a little loose helps it cook more evenly.
3. Add the Tomatoes:
Pour both cans of diced tomatoes, with all their juices, evenly over the raw ground beef. This helps keep the meat moist and gives the dish its tomato base.
4. Add the Pasta Sauce:
Pour the jar of pasta sauce over the tomatoes and beef. If desired, use a little water to rinse out the jar (about ¼ cup), swirling and adding it to the slow cooker for a saucier goulash.
5. Add the Seasonings:
Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper over the top. Do not stir yet; keeping the meat mostly on the bottom helps it cook through safely and break down into crumbles.
6. Cook the Beef and Sauce:
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 3½ hours, or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, until the ground beef is fully cooked through and no pink remains. During the last hour, use a spoon or spatula to break the beef into smaller crumbles and gently stir everything together once or twice so the flavors blend.
7. Add the Pasta:
About 30 to 40 minutes before you want to eat, stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, making sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the sauce so it cooks evenly. If the mixture seems too thick or dry to cover the pasta, add ½ to 1 cup of hot water or broth and stir again.
8. Cook the Pasta:
Cover and cook on HIGH for another 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender but not mushy. Slow cookers vary, so start checking at the 20-minute mark.
9. Adjust Seasoning and Serve:
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning if needed. If the goulash is thicker than desired, stir in a splash of water or broth. If it is thinner, leave the lid off for the last 5 to 10 minutes to let some liquid cook off. Spoon into bowls and serve hot.
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
The Name “Poor Man’s Goulash”: This dish earned its name because it was created during tough economic times when families needed to stretch inexpensive ingredients into filling meals. Ground beef (often the cheapest meat option), canned tomatoes, and pasta were affordable staples that could feed a crowd. The name is not an insult—it is a badge of honor, representing resourcefulness and the ability to create something delicious from almost nothing.
Do Not Stir Before Cooking: Keeping the ground beef on the bottom and the tomatoes and sauce on top allows the beef to cook through properly. The beef needs direct contact with the bottom of the slow cooker to reach a safe temperature. Stirring before cooking would mix the raw beef into the liquid, potentially leaving some pieces undercooked.
Breaking Up the Beef: The raw ground beef will cook into a large clump if left undisturbed. Breaking it up during the last hour of the initial cooking time ensures it crumbles into small, bite-sized pieces throughout the goulash.
Pasta Cooking Time: Adding uncooked pasta directly to the slow cooker allows it to absorb the flavorful sauce as it cooks. Start checking for doneness at 20 minutes to avoid overcooking. Overcooked pasta becomes mushy and unappetizing.
Add Liquid if Needed: Different slow cookers lose moisture at different rates. If the sauce seems too thick when you add the pasta, stir in ½ to 1 cup of hot water or broth. The pasta needs to be mostly submerged to cook evenly.
Pasta Choices: Elbow macaroni is traditional, but any small pasta shape works. Try shells, rotini, cavatappi, or ditalini. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine.
Variations
Cheesy Goulash: Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese along with the pasta, or sprinkle cheese over individual servings before serving.
Spicy Goulash: Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or 2 tablespoons of sriracha to the sauce. Use spicy Italian sausage instead of ground beef for even more heat.
Garlic Goulash: Add 6 cloves of fresh minced garlic or 1 tablespoon of garlic powder to the sauce along with the other seasonings.
Vegetable Goulash: Add 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 cup of corn, 1 diced bell pepper, or 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms along with the pasta. The vegetables add color, texture, and nutrition.
Beef and Sausage Goulash: Substitute ½ pound of the ground beef with ½ pound of Italian sausage (removed from casings). The sausage adds additional seasoning and richness.
Herbed Goulash: Add 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano along with the Italian seasoning. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This goulash is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs beautifully with:
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Crusty bread or garlic bread (for sopping up the sauce)
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A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette
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A sprinkle of shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese
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A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
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A pinch of fresh parsley or basil for color
For a true old-school meal, serve with buttered bread and a glass of milk.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the goulash will become thicker and more casserole-like over time.
To reheat, add a splash of water or broth and warm gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave in 60-second bursts.
This goulash freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Why This Recipe Works
The slow cooker is the perfect vessel for this goulash because it allows the flavors to meld slowly and deeply without any active effort. The ground beef cooks in the tomato-based sauce, absorbing the Italian seasonings and becoming tender. The diced tomatoes and pasta sauce provide acidity, sweetness, and body, creating a rich, flavorful base.
Adding the pasta at the end rather than at the beginning is key. The pasta cooks in the sauce, absorbing its flavor while releasing starch that helps thicken the goulash. Adding it too early would result in overcooked, mushy pasta.
This recipe is proof that you do not need expensive ingredients or complicated techniques to make a meal that is deeply satisfying. Ground beef, canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, pasta, and Italian seasoning—these are humble staples that come together to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. It is the kind of cooking that has sustained families for generations, and it is just as delicious today as it ever was.