Hearty Pantry Goulash with Veggie Boost

Stretch ground beef with veggies and pantry staples for a filling family dinner

This pantry-friendly goulash is a perfect budget dinner that combines ground beef with diced carrots and celery to add bulk and nutrition. Using canned tomatoes, pasta, and simple seasonings, it’s a satisfying dish with big flavor and a small grocery bill.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 medium carrot (diced)
• 2 celery stalks (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 cups water
• 2 cans tomato sauce (15 ounce)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (or to taste)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

Instructions

1. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and celery; sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add ground beef to the vegetables, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
4. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring once halfway through to meld flavors.
5. Add the uncooked elbow macaroni, cover again, and cook over medium heat until the pasta is tender, about 12 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm for a hearty, filling meal.

Nutrition

This recipe works out to about 320 calories per serving. For the full breakdown, protein, carbs, and fat included, save it in the Forkful app: nutrition is calculated automatically from the ingredient list.

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