Goulash aka American chop suey is by far, one of the most inexpensive, filling, tasty meals that the whole family enjoys. It’s comfort food if you will, and while it’s delicious the first day, like most pasta recipes, it’s even better as leftovers!
What is Goulash?
Do you remember eating Goulash as a kid? I know I do! It was one of my favorite dishes. What is Goulash, you ask? Well, it’s basically American Chop Suey.
A hearty mix of elbow macaroni and ground beef in a simple tomato sauce. This dish is easy to make and perfect for a busy family on the go! So, next time you’re looking for something comforting and affordable, give Goulash a try!
I was reading through some older posts in the dinners under $2.50 section of the forums and when I created that forum, I didn’t mean that the dinners were under $2.50 per Serving, I meant that the entire meal (for the entire family!) was under $2.50!
It’s fairly easy to make a decent dinner for $10 ($2.50 per Serving), but sometimes it’s a little more difficult to keep the meals dirt cheap.
When I first shared this recipe on our site, it was less than two dollars to prepare for the entire family. This entire meal is still under five dollars, without even trying. It could obviously be made more frugally by using home-canned tomatoes, homemade pasta, and ground venison.
Goulash aka Chop Suey Budget-Friendly Meal Breakdown
Budget101 Chop Suey Price Breakdown
The prices listed were taken directly off Walmart’s website and are current as of February 29, 2020.
Elbow Macaroni (1 Box ) $0.78
Diced Tomatoes (1 Can ) $0.46 (generic is fine)
Ground Turkey- 1 lb Italian $2.58 (Walmart frozen section)
minced garlic (2 tsp )$0.09
onion (one-half) $0.32
—————————————
$4.23 serves 4-6 people (plus leftovers)
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown Goulash (Updated April 2025!)
Ingredient |
Quantity |
Price |
Notes |
Elbow Macaroni (16 oz) |
1 box |
$1.12 |
|
Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey |
1 lb |
$1.98 |
|
Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz) |
1 can |
$1.06 |
|
Minced Garlic |
2 tsp |
$0.09 |
Estimated from Great Value Minced Garlic in Water, 8 oz |
Yellow Onion |
½ medium |
$0.44 |
Fresh Whole Yellow Onion, Each |
Total |
$4.69 |
Serves 4–6 people (plus leftovers) |
🧾 Total Used Cost: $4.69
🍽️ Cost Per Serving (based on 6 servings): $0.78 each
💡 Notes:
- Serves 4–6 depending on portion size (full adult servings).
- Great for leftovers or freezer meal prep.
- Easily stretchable with extra veggies (like bell peppers, celery, or mushrooms).
How to Make Goulash (American Chop Suey)
You’ll Need:
- 1 16 oz Box Elbow Macaroni
- 1 lb Ground Turkey- Italian
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper, to taste
- Boil the macaroni until tender, in the meantime, brown the ground turkey, add the onions, cooking until translucent.
- Add 1 can of diced tomatoes (un-drained), minced garlic, a sprinkle of garlic salt, Italian seasoning, chopped fresh basil (basically whatever you have on hand that you like).
- Drain macaroni, add the seasoned burger/tomato mix. Stir, and serve hot.
I don’t know the origin of the recipe, I have heard people refer to it as goulash, chop suey, etc, but what I do know, is that it is a super simple, dirt-cheap meal that I was raised eating on a fairly regular basis.
To switch it up, transfer it to a casserole dish, and top with a couple of handfuls of your favorite shredded cheese. Bake at 350°F until the cheese melts about 15 minutes.
Bonus Tip:
We also sometimes use the all purpose ground beef mix to make this dinner even quicker. If you have bell peppers, or celery on hand, you can certainly add it with the onion while cooking to beef the dish up even more.
Tried this recipe? Mention @Budget101com or tag #Budget101
📌 Love this Classic American Chop Suey Recipe? Pin it!
🖨️ Print-Friendly Goulash Recipe
Goulash- American Chop Suey Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni
- 1 lb Ground Turkey- Italian Flavor (or ground beef, or venison)
- 14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes (1 can, (undrained))
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- ½ finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or chopped fresh basil, oregano)
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according to package directions, drain and rinse.1 lb Elbow Macaroni
- In the meantime, while the macaroni is cooking, brown the ground turkey, add the onions, cooking until the translucent.1 lb Ground Turkey- Italian Flavor½ finely chopped onion
- Add the un-drained diced tomatoes, minced garlic and a sprinkle of garlic salt, Italian seasoning, chopped fresh basil, and any other seasonings you prefer.14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes2 teaspoon garlic1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Drain macaroni, add the seasoned burger/tomato mix. Stir, and serve hot.
Equipment
Notes
Alternative Serving Suggestion:
Transfer it to a casserole dish, top with shredded mozzarella or colby cheese. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
In my experience I prefer to use 2 cans of tomatoes so it is not so dry. Or sometimes I will add some tomato juice.
I’ve done that too. I find that home-canned tomatoes offer the best flavor and that’s usually what we used when the kids were still home. A little diced green pepper or even a finely minced jalapeno offer a kick of flavor too. Thanks for visiting our page Donna!
I just found you. Great site.
I also grew up eating “goulash”. Love it. I have always made mine basically like yours but I have started changing it up a some by making my “Mexican goulash”. Instead of Italian seasonings I use chili powder and cumin to taste. I also add a small can of diced peppers, not too spicy. And I have found that I can use 1/2 lb of ground beef and it makes it a little more budget friendly. No one seems to notice the difference in meat. I have found some great things on your site. Thank you