This 4-ingredient slow cooker beef goulash is my kind of busy-weeknight magic: you literally dump a block of raw ground beef in the slow cooker, add just three pantry-friendly ingredients, and walk away. By the time you’re home from work or done shuttling kids to activities, you’ve got a cozy, saucy, beefy meal that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. Goulash has roots in Hungarian cooking, but this is the ultra-simple Midwestern-style version I grew up with—hearty, tomatoey, and totally family-friendly.
Serve this slow cooker beef goulash ladled into bowls over buttered egg noodles, macaroni, or mashed potatoes. It’s also great on its own with crusty bread or garlic toast to soak up the sauce. Add a simple green salad or steamed green beans if you want something fresh on the side, and finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream if you have it on hand.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef GoulashServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef, 80–90% lean, left in one solid block
2 cans (24 ounces total) condensed tomato soup
1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce, any flavor you like
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Directions
Place the slow cooker crock on a stable, heat-safe surface and make sure it is clean and dry. Remove any packaging from the ground beef and keep it in one solid block. Lay the block of raw ground beef flat in the bottom center of the slow cooker so it looks like a large square or rectangle of meat on the bottom.
Pour the condensed tomato soup evenly over the top of the raw ground beef block, covering as much of the surface as you can. Do not add water to the soup; you want it thick.
Pour the jar of pasta sauce over the tomato soup and beef, spreading it around gently with a spoon if needed so most of the meat is covered. Try not to break up the beef block yet.
Pour the beef broth around the sides and over the top so there is enough liquid in the slow cooker to create a saucy mixture as it cooks. The beef should be mostly submerged in sauce and broth.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the ground beef is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C).
Once the beef is cooked, remove the lid. Use a large spoon or spatula to break the cooked ground beef block apart directly in the slow cooker into small crumbles, stirring it into the tomato mixture so everything is well combined and saucy.
Taste the goulash and adjust with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired (optional). If you prefer a thicker sauce, turn the slow cooker to HIGH, leave the lid slightly ajar, and let it cook another 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Serve the beef goulash hot over noodles, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes, or in bowls with bread on the side.
Variations & Tips
You can easily tweak this 4-ingredient base to fit your family’s tastes and what you have on hand. For a little extra flavor without adding more ingredients, choose a pasta sauce that already has garlic, herbs, or mushrooms. If you want a thicker, almost chili-like goulash, reduce the beef broth to 1 cup; for a soupier version, add up to 3 cups total. You can also stir in cooked pasta or egg noodles at the end to make it a one-pot meal—just make sure the pasta is fully cooked separately and drained before adding so it doesn’t soak up all the sauce. For a creamier twist, stir in a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of sour cream right before serving. To add veggies without complicating the recipe, toss in a bag of frozen mixed vegetables or frozen bell peppers during the last hour of cooking so they don’t get too mushy.
Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold ground beef and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to the slow cooker. Place the raw beef in the slow cooker as a single, even block so it cooks evenly. Cook on LOW or HIGH only as directed—avoid using the WARM setting for raw meat, as it won’t bring the beef up to a safe temperature fast enough. The ground beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C); if you’re unsure, use an instant-read thermometer to check a few spots in the center of the meat block before breaking it up. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in shallow containers, and reheat until steaming hot before serving again.
