Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion (~ 1 onion)
1 cup of diced red bell pepper (~ 1 bell pepper)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (~ 3-4 cloves)
1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon CHACUNE: paprika and chili powder
1/4 teaspoon EACH: garlic and onion powder
Salt and pepper
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 large beef broth cubes (see note 1)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups uncooked macaroni
Instructions
PREPARATION: Finely chop the onion, mince the ginger and finely chop the red bell pepper.
VEGGIES COOKING: Place a large cast iron pan on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add 1 cup finely diced onion, 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper, and 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5-7 minutes. If anything browns too quickly or burns, lower the heat. Meanwhile, add another pot filled with water to the stove. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
COOKING THE BEef: Increase the heat to high and move the vegetables to the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the beef to the middle of the pot and let stand for 30 seconds. Flip and stir, letting the other side rest for 30 seconds. Continue cooking the beef, using the wooden spoon to break it up, crumbling into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off accumulated fat. Reduce heat to medium. Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder and pepper to taste. Stir until spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
TOMATOES: Add tomato sauce and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of jar. Add the 2 cans of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and stir. Crumble in the 2 beef bouillon cubes, add the 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and the bay leaves. Stir gently. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover with a lid, leaving some of the pan uncovered. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and tender (if you have more time, simmer 30-45 minutes for an extra thick, tender, flavorful meat sauce; otherwise simmer until the pasta is cooked). Meanwhile, grate the sharp cheddar cheese.
MACARONI: At this point, the water should be boiling; season it with salt; I add about 3/4 tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the 3 cups of macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain.
FINISH: Remove meat mixture from heat and add cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. If the goulash will be completely consumed the same day it is prepared, stir in the cooked macaroni noodles. If you plan to have leftovers, add macaroni in individual bowls and stir the meat mixture into the bowls. This prevents the macaroni noodles from puffing up when refrigerated and stored (I like to store macaroni separately from the meat sauce).