Easy American Goulash Recipe

 Last May, I posted a recipe for Sneaky Tofu Lasagna. I mentioned in it that if you double the sauce you can freeze it and use later with spaghetti. I also use it sometimes to make good ole goulash. This recipe tastes similar to the lasagna, but it has no tofu, and it is super fast to whip together because the sauce is already done if you saved some from before.  It freezes well, and tastes just as good the next time.

Sauce: (easy to double or triple for planning ahead)

• 1 ½ lbs ground sirloin
• 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 4 large garlic cloves chopped finely
• Basil
• Oregano
• Olive oil

Cook garlic and onion in olive oil until tender. Brown your ground sirloin and drain. Using a blender, make 2 quarts of liquid sauce with whatever form of tomatoes and water, usually works best doing two times, especially to prevent the blender from getting too full. Combine all of the above with basil and oregano and heat up to a mild boil, and then simmer for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor. Do not overheat as that tends to shrink the amount.

 

 

 

Besides the sauce (2 to 3 cups) all you need is:

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Half of a bag of large elbow macaroni                                                                                    

1/2 cup Mizithra or Parmesan cheese, shredded

 

 

Cook the macaroni per package instructions like you would for mac and cheese. Using a large casserole baking dish, mix the sauce and macaroni together as you layer with the feta cheese. Top it with the Mizithra (my favorite) or Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

 

Cover and bake at 350 for about an hour.

 

If you use sauce that is already prepared, this is a super quick fix!  Make lots of sauce and freeze for easy dinners.