Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Make comforting, hearty Goulash in your Instant Pot! This Instant Pot Goulash recipe could not be easier or more delicious. It cooks perfectly every time and is done in only 30 minutes. Perfect easy dinner any night of the week!

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (1)

Why This Recipe Works

I truly did not think this comforting Goulash recipe could get any easier or more delicious, but ohhh how wrong I was! This Instant Pot version of American Goulash is AMAZING.

It is done in 30 minutes from start to finish, prep included. The pasta cooks absolutely perfectly and when you remove the lid for that first glimpse, you may get a bit weak in the knees. It is perfection!

The textures and flavors in this recipe work so well together and you truly just can’t find an easier, more comforting meal. This is a great dinner to make for busy week nights and also a perfect recipe for weekend guests or parties.

This one pot meal is an all-purpose comfort food! It is super quick and easy and I promise it’ll become a new family favorite!

Recipe Ingredients

Ground beef – Replace the ground beef with ground pork for even more meaty flavor!

Diced tomatoes– Do not drain the tomatoes before adding to the recipe. Also, consider adding a variety with additional flavors and seasonings/herbs for added flavor.

Tomato sauce – If you have time for it, you will be happy with the boost of flavor that homemade tomato sauce offers.

Water – Replace a portion (or all) of the water in the recipe with beef broth for a more well-rounded flavor experience.

Elbow macaroni – Swap out the elbow macaroni with a different variety of pasta, if desired.

How To Make Instant Pot American Goulash

Step 1

Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add the ground beef, garlic and onion and cook until meat is browned. Drain the grease from the pot, if needed.

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (2)

Step 2

Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, water, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and uncooked elbow macaroni to the pot and stir.

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (3)

Place the cover on the pot and set the timer to 4 minutes on high pressure (use the pressure cook setting). It will take the Instant Pot around 15 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (4)

Step 3

When cook time is up, do an immediate quick release and wait for the float valve to drop. Remove the cover and serve immediately! Top with shredded cheese just before serving, if you so desire.

Recipe Notes

  • Add 2 bay leaves to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
  • Add a chopped bell pepper to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
  • This might sound weird, but I recently had a friend tell me that she added 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to this recipe and that it was super yummy.

Make Goulash in a Slow Cooker

This slow cooker recipe is a delicious, filling and hearty meal that is super easy to prepare in your crockpot. Requiring mere minutes of prep time and a few simple ingredients, crockpot goulash is the perfect family meal for a busy night!

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (5)

Why Does It Take My Instant Pot To Pressurize?

The time leading up to actual cook time may seem long and even confusing (“What is going ON in there?!”), but it’s an important part of the process! The Instant Pot is working on building up the appropriate amount of pressure that it will be cooking the food at.

It handles liquids and solids differently and also fresh and frozen differently, so the time can vary. Most recipes take between 10 and 25 minutes to build up pressure.

The Instant Pot Burn Notice

If you see that dreaded burn notice flash on your Instant Pot, do not fret! Know that your pressure cooker is keeping a good eye on your food. It has sensed that the temperature toward the bottom of the pot is too high and has therefore turned it off temporarily.

This can happen especially with recipes that contain thick sauces like this one because of the heaviness of the contents inside the pot. It can also happen if there is not enough liquid inside the pot.

If you see the burn notice, press CANCEL as soon as possible. Do an immediate quick release and wait for the silver float valve to drop. Transfer the inner pot to a hot pad holder. Scrape any bits of food that may have adhered to the bottom of the pot using a spoon.

If there are no burned bits:

  • Add 1/2 cup of water or beef broth to the recipe to thin out the consistency.
  • Stir the contents of the pot thoroughly and resume cooking.

If you see burned pieces in the mixture:

  • Pour the contents into a saucepan and clean out the pot using soap and water, making sure any charred pieces of food are removed from the bottom of the pan. Remove visible pieces of burnt food and pour it back into the pot.
  • Stir the contents of the pot thoroughly and resume cooking.
Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (6)

FAQ About Goulash

What to serve with goulash?

The great thing about Goulash is that it’s a one-pot meal. You’ve got pasta, meat and veggies all wrapped into one easy meal. If you’re looking for something extra to serve alongside this comfort food favorite, consider any of the following:
A delicious chopped salad complements any meal perfectly! You can’t go wrong with garlic bread! Any side of vegetables would go great with this meal. Consider steamed broccoli or cauliflower or sauteed zucchini or mushrooms. Asparagus and Brussels sprouts would be great, too! Add a giant heaping spoonful of goulash over a baked potato. Roasted or grilled tomatoes would taste amazing with this dish and would complement the tomatoes in the recipe even more. Or go the sandwich route and make a batch of delicious hot ham and cheese sandwiches.

How long will goulash last in the fridge?

Cooked and cooled goulash, when stored in an airtight container, will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can goulash be frozen?

Goulashfreezes fairly well, with the pasta losing some of its firmness after it has been thawed. When preparing a big batch ofgoulashtofreeze, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to the recipe just before serving.

Are goulash and spaghetti the same?

Goulash and spaghetticontain similar ingredients. For spaghetti, the pasta and sauce are cooked separately and combined just before serving. Goulash is typically made in a single pot.

Best Recipes To Make In An Instant Pot

The list of recipes you can make in an Instant Pot is endless! It can act as a slow cooker, saute pan, steamer, rice maker, yogurt maker and pressure cooker. It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
  • Chili
  • Instant Pot Ham
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Lasagna
  • Instant Pot Cake

Will you help add value to Pip and Ebby?
If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (7)

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe

This delicious Instant Pot Goulash recipe cooks perfectly every time and it is done in only 30 minutes! Add to your dinner rotation!

4.91 from 30 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 453kcal

Author: Megan Porta

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 30 oz diced tomatoes undrained
  • 30 oz tomato sauce
  • 3 cups water or beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp seasoned salt
  • 16 oz elbow macaroni
  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded, for topping

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to saute. Add the ground beef, garlic and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink; drain, if needed.

  • Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and elbow macaroni to the pot and mix well.

  • Place the cover on the pot and set timer to 4 minutes on high pressure (pressure cook setting). It will take the IP around 17 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.

  • When cooking is done, do an immediate quick release and wait for the float valve to drop. Remove cover and serve immediately. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.

Notes

  • Add 2 bay leaves to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
  • Add a chopped bell pepper to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
  • This might sound weird, but I recently had a friend tell me that she added 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to this recipe and that it was super yummy.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 423mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is goulash like a stew? ›

Hungarian goulash is very similar to beef stew, but there are some differences. While a typical stew consists of slow braising chunks of meat with root vegetables in a seasoned broth, goulash uses spices such as caraway, cumin, paprika, and peppers which really enhance and alter the flavor from a classic beef stew.

Is goulash a starter? ›

Adventure Menu Goulash Soup is a typical Hungarian beef dish, widely used in Central Europe. The Czech brand wanted, through this soup, to give us a taste of the traditional dishes of its region, with 100% natural ingredients. This soup is perfect to be eaten as a starter.

How do you soften goulash meat? ›

Time is your friend with beef goulash: To ensure tender and delicious beef and a flavorful sauce, you'll need to treat beef goulash like a braise and allow for about 2 to 2 ½ hours of simmering. Check the beef after 2 hours, and if tender and succulent, it's done.

What's the difference between goulash and Hungarian goulash? ›

There are two kinds of goulash: Hungarian goulash, which calls for the slow-simmered beef to be served alongside egg noodles, and American goulash, which pulls in ground beef and cooks the noodles in the pot alongside the sauce.

What is original goulash made of? ›

The classic “kettle goulash” is prepared by frying cubes of beef or mutton with onions in lard. Garlic, caraway seeds, tomatoes, green peppers, and potatoes complete the stew. Székely gulyás, another Hungarian specialty, is a stew of pork and sauerkraut flavoured with tomatoes, onions, caraway seeds, and sour cream.

What is traditionally eaten with goulash? ›

What is Goulash Traditionally Served with? In Hungary, goulash is served with buttered egg noodles called Csipetke, which is the Hungarian word for spaetzle. Also good to serve with goulash is any kind of small pasta, mashed potatoes, dumplings, rice or bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Why is American goulash so different? ›

American goulash is more of a pasta and ground beef dish

A comfort classic in the U.S., American goulash bears little relation to its Hungarian predecessor. Chunks of beef or pork are replaced by ground meat, drowned in a tomato sauce over macaroni.

What is goulash called in America? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, is an American comfort food dish, similar to American chop suey.

Should meat be covered with liquid in Instant Pot? ›

While you may cover meat almost completely for a conventional braise, use just enough liquid for the cooker to reach pressure – during pressure cooking the meat will release it's own juice and braise in that flavorful liquid, instead. DO use fresh herbs.

Why is my Instant Pot meat not tender? ›

If you find that it's still tough after cooking, you'll need to cook it for another 10 to 20 minutes at high pressure – it just needs a bit longer to continue to brine and break down the connective tissue.

Can you overcook meat in an Instant Pot? ›

In a few words, yes! You can also undercook it, too. Overcooking the meat would result in a very dry tasting pot roast. Undercooking it would result in a tough piece of meat.

Why is my goulash meat tough? ›

Usually the cause is either overcooking or undercooking. It might also be because the 'stew meat' you buy prepackaged comes from various parts and they often need to be cooked at different times and temps.

What can I use to thicken goulash? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

How do Chinese make beef so tender? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

What is goulash similar to? ›

American goulash, sometimes called slumgullion, is an American comfort food dish, similar to American chop suey.

What do you eat goulash with? ›

Serve up a hearty goulash for the ultimate comforting stew on winter nights. Searching for the perfect accompaniment? Try mashed potato, dumplings or your favourite veg.

What is the difference between goulash and Irish stew? ›

Irish stew is made of lamb, potatoes and carrots and is very simply flavored with perhaps parsley or thyme and salt and pepper. In contrast, Hungarian goulash is made of beef and flavored very strongly with paprika.

Is goulash always a soup? ›

Goulash can mean different things to different cuisines. For some it is more of a hearty stew. For some of us it is a rich soup.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Reed Wilderman

Last Updated:

Views: 6280

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Reed Wilderman

Birthday: 1992-06-14

Address: 998 Estell Village, Lake Oscarberg, SD 48713-6877

Phone: +21813267449721

Job: Technology Engineer

Hobby: Swimming, Do it yourself, Beekeeping, Lapidary, Cosplaying, Hiking, Graffiti

Introduction: My name is Reed Wilderman, I am a faithful, bright, lucky, adventurous, lively, rich, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.