This slow cooker 5-ingredient poor man’s goulash is my go-to weekend meal when I’m staring into the fridge and have no idea what to make. It starts exactly the way the title says: you pour canned diced tomatoes right over raw ground beef in the slow cooker, add just three more pantry ingredients, and let it all simmer into a cozy, budget-friendly bowl of comfort. It’s a very loose, Midwestern spin on goulash—more of a tomatoey beef and pasta casserole than a traditional Hungarian dish—but it’s hearty, kid-friendly, and uses things most of us keep on hand.
Serve this goulash in big bowls with a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top if you like, plus a slice of buttered bread or garlic toast to soak up the extra sauce. A simple green salad or steamed green beans rounds out the plate without much extra work. It also reheats well, so I like to pack leftovers into lunch containers for the next day—just add a little extra sauce or broth when reheating if it thickens up too much.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Poor Man’s GoulashServings: 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds raw ground beef (80–90% lean)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with juices
1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce (any basic tomato or marinara)
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or mixed dried herbs), plus salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Set your slow cooker on a stable surface, like a kitchen counter, and lightly grease the inside with a bit of oil or cooking spray if you’d like easier cleanup.
Break the raw ground beef into small chunks and spread them evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker. Try not to pack it down too tightly; leaving it a little loose helps it cook more evenly.
Pour both cans of diced tomatoes, with all their juices, evenly over the raw ground beef in the slow cooker. This step helps keep the meat moist and gives the dish its tomato base.
Pour the jar of pasta sauce over the tomatoes and beef. Use a little water to rinse out the jar (about 1/4 cup), swirling and adding it to the slow cooker if you like a saucier goulash.
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.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 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 of this time, use a spoon or spatula to break the beef into smaller crumbles and gently stir everything together once or twice so the flavors blend.
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 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water or broth and stir again.
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 the first time you make it.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning if needed. If the goulash is thicker than you like, stir in a splash of water or broth; if it’s thinner, leave the lid off for the last 5 to 10 minutes to let some liquid cook off.
Spoon into bowls and serve hot. If you have it on hand, you can top each serving with a little shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream for extra richness.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can use plain diced tomatoes instead of ones with extra herbs or chilies, and choose a very smooth, mild pasta sauce. If your kids are sensitive to tomato chunks, pulse the canned tomatoes quickly in a blender before pouring them over the beef. To stretch the meat further, stir in a can of drained kidney beans or black beans with the pasta. You can also swap the elbow macaroni for any small pasta you have—shells, rotini, or penne all work well. For a slightly lighter version, use lean ground beef or ground turkey; just know that very lean meat may benefit from a small drizzle of olive oil for richness. If you prefer more classic goulash flavor, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of paprika along with the Italian seasoning. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold ground beef and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Don’t leave raw beef sitting out on the counter longer than necessary. Make sure the mixture in the slow cooker reaches a safe temperature; the beef should be fully browned and crumbly with no pink remaining. Most slow cookers bring ground beef to a safe temperature on HIGH within the time listed, but if you’re unsure, you can brown the beef in a skillet first before adding it to the slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, store them in shallow containers, and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot all the way through.
