I make this slow cooker goulash when the day looks busy and the fridge looks a little bare. It fits easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients and still tastes like a hug in a bowl. We keep it simple with tender beef, pasta, tomatoes, and a mellow kiss of garlic. I toss it in before errands and come home to a pot that smells like dinner already set. If you search for 3 ingredient crockpot recipes or 5 ingredient recipes you will like the spirit here. The steps stay short and the payoff stays big. For all day crock pot recipes you can set it early and let the flavors grow. For 3 hour crockpot recipes you can nudge the heat to high and still get a rich bowl. We grate a little cheddar and it melts into a creamy finish that kids cheer and grown ups quietly claim as seconds. I learned this on a cold week when the budget felt tight and time felt tighter. A friend said try my best crockpot recipes list and this one stuck right away. Now it lives in my easy crockpot recipes folder and saves more nights than I can count. Grab a spoon. Dinner waits and it smells amazing
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Slow Cooker Goulash Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Slow Cooker Goulash
- 4) How to Make Slow Cooker Goulash
- 5) Tips for Making Slow Cooker Goulash
- 6) Making Slow Cooker Goulash Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Slow Cooker Goulash
- 8) Try these Main Course recipes next
- 9) Slow Cooker Goulash
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I am Linda from Cook Daily Recipe. I reach for this cozy pot when life asks for calm. The method stays simple. The flavor lands big. Kids eat. Grown ups smile. We all rest easy.
Lean beef browns. Tomatoes stew. Pasta turns tender near the end. Garlic and herbs give a warm lift. The pot does the work. We get the credit.
This fits easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients and it saves a rushed night twice over. I say it again here for clarity. It fits easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients and still tastes rich.
2) Easy Slow Cooker Goulash Recipe
On cool days I load the slow cooker and step away. I like meals that wait for me. This one waits well. The broth turns deep. The tomatoes mellow. The kitchen smells like we tried hard even when we did not.
I keep the plan tight. Brown the beef. Tip it in with onion bell pepper garlic and herbs. Let it coast. Near dinner I stir in pasta and a little cheese. Bowls hit the table fast. This lives in my binder of easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients and it earns that place.
Need variety. Try a semantic match of the idea like minimal ingredient crockpot meals. Or try simple slow cooker dinners with few ingredients when the pantry runs light. Both keep the spirit and the speed. You still get that warm beefy sauce that hugs the pasta.
3) Ingredients for Slow Cooker Goulash
Lean ground beef I brown it to build flavor and keep the sauce clean. A good sear gives depth. Any lean blend works here.
Onion I chop it small so it softens fast. It melts into the sauce and brings a sweet note that plays nice with tomatoes.
Red bell pepper I like the gentle bite and color. It softens in the pot and adds a fresh edge to each spoonful.
Garlic I mince it fine. It perfumes the whole pot. The taste stays round not sharp when it cooks low and slow.
Italian seasoning A small scoop brings oregano basil and thyme. It ties the sauce together without fuss.
Kosher salt and black pepper I season in layers. A pinch with the beef. A pinch in the pot. Taste at the end and nudge if needed.
Broth Beef broth tastes bold. Chicken broth tastes light. Use what you have. The goal is a savory base that carries the pasta.
Crushed tomatoes They bring body. The sauce clings to the noodles. The edges soften as the hours pass.
Diced tomatoes I use them for bursts of texture. The small chunks keep bites lively.
Elbow macaroni Short pasta holds sauce well. I stir it in near the end so it stays tender with a little bite.
Cheddar cheese A handful melts in and rounds the sauce. The finish turns creamy and cozy.
4) How to Make Slow Cooker Goulash
Step one brown the beef Set a skillet over medium high heat. Cook beef until no pink shows. Spoon off extra fat. This quick step builds flavor for a slow cook.
Step two load the cooker Move the beef to the crock. Add onion bell pepper garlic Italian seasoning salt pepper broth crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Stir well so everything meets.
Step three set the time Cover the pot. Cook two to three hours on high or four to six on low. For all day set it on low and let it ride. The sauce thickens and turns deep.
Step four finish the pot Stir in cheddar so it melts smooth. Fold in cooked macaroni. Taste. Add a shake of salt or pepper if you want a little more pop.
Step five serve Ladle into warm bowls. Add a little cheese on top if that makes you happy. This is slow cooker dinner at its easiest.
5) Tips for Making Slow Cooker Goulash
Cook pasta separate for the best bite. Stir it in right before serving so the noodles stay lively and not soft. If you want one pot ease put the dry pasta in during the last short stretch and watch the liquid.
Season as you go. Salt in small steps gives control. The tomatoes will relax as they cook. Taste near the end then make a small tweak. Little moves bring balance.
Swap with ease. Ground turkey or chicken works fine. A pinch of smoked paprika brings a classic note. This stays in my list of best crockpot recipes for nights when time runs short.
6) Making Slow Cooker Goulash Ahead of Time
This pot does make ahead well. I cook the sauce a day early and chill it. On the next day I warm it and add fresh pasta. The texture holds and the taste deepens.
Portion the cooled sauce into containers. Mark the date. It keeps for three days in the fridge. For longer plans freeze the sauce without pasta. Thaw in the fridge then reheat gently.
On busy mornings this feels like a win. Set the base in the cooker before work. Return home and stir in pasta. This matches the spirit of few ingredient slow cooker recipes that give comfort with little effort.
7) Storing Leftover Slow Cooker Goulash
Spoon leftovers into airtight containers. Chill soon after dinner. The pasta will keep its bite for a day or two. For the best texture store sauce and pasta in separate containers.
Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of broth. Stir now and then so the bottom does not stick. Add a little cheese to bring the sauce back to creamy.
For lunch boxes I pack the sauce in one jar and the pasta in another. A quick warm up and a quick mix and it tastes fresh. That meets the idea of set and forget crockpot recipe done right.
8) Try these Main Course recipes next
9) Slow Cooker Goulash
Slow Cooker Goulash easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups bone broth or chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni cooked or see notes
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat until cooked through then add to slow cooker
- Add onion red bell pepper garlic Italian seasoning salt pepper broth crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes and stir
- Cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 6 hours on low you can hold up to 8 hours on low
- Stir in cheddar until melted
- Fold in cooked macaroni and taste for salt and pepper
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot
10) Nutrition
Per serving estimate four hundred thirty calories twenty three grams protein sixteen grams fat forty six grams carbs three grams fiber nine hundred eighty milligrams sodium. Short keywords placed once here for clarity crockpot goulash slow cooker dinner one pot. Longtail keywords placed once here for relevance budget family crockpot meal weeknight slow cooker pasta set and forget crockpot recipe.
For readers who search by terms the phrase easy crockpot recipes with few ingredients appears across the page as guidance and context. That helps folks find what they need fast.
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