One-Pot Southern Goulash (Macaroni and Tomatoes)
Granny's Pot on the Stove: The Weeknight Skillet
This is the ultimate expression of American survivalist ingenuity—a Great Depression-era staple born in the Appalachian Mountains that fed a family on nothing more than canned tomatoes, dried elbows, and a spoonful of saved bacon grease. It bears zero resemblance to a Hungarian gulyás. Instead, it is an unpretentious, working-class masterpiece where dry macaroni simmers directly in a seasoned beef broth, releasing its starches to create a thick, velvety gravy in a single pot. It smells exactly like a chilly weeknight in a Southern grandmother's kitchen.
Before you start
Prep the vegetables before you begin.
Dice the onion and bell pepper, and mince the garlic in advance, as the dish moves very quickly once the beef starts browning.
Ingredients
- lean ground beef1 lb
- bacon grease1 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- green bell pepper1/2 med
- garlic3 clove
- stewed tomatoes14.5 oz
- tomato sauce15 oz
- beef broth1 1/2 cup
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- granulated white sugar1 tsp
- dried Italian seasoning1 tsp
- Cajun seasoning1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- elbow macaroni1 1/2 cup
- sharp cheddar cheese1 cup
Method
- 01
Brown the beef and aromatics in a heavy Dutch oven.
Heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the meat is browned and the vegetables are softened, breaking the beef apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- 02
Bloom the garlic and dry spices.
Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper, cooking for just one minute until the garlic is highly fragrant.
- 03
Build the tomato gravy.
Pour in the undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and the sugar, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits before bringing the mixture to a rolling simmer.
- 04
Simmer the dry pasta directly in the broth.
Pour the uncooked macaroni into the pot, stir to submerge the noodles, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover tightly with a lid to simmer for 15 to 18 minutes.
- 05
Let the starches thicken the sauce.
Check the pot occasionally and give it a gentle stir to prevent sticking, cooking until the pasta is plump and has magically transformed the watery tomato juices into a rich, velvety gravy.
- 06
Melt the cheese and serve immediately.
Remove from the heat, taste the sauce for salt, scatter the cheddar cheese over the top, and cover the pot for two minutes until melted.
Notes
Save your bacon grease.
A tin of bacon grease kept on the stove is the culinary secret that decodes the true flavor of a Southern grandmother's kitchen, providing a smoky depth that plain oil simply cannot replicate.
Do not skip the sugar.
Adding sugar to the sauce does not make the dish sweet; it chemically neutralizes the sharp, tinny acidity of the canned tomatoes and rounds out the savory profile perfectly.
Stretch the meal if needed.
Just like in the Great Depression, you can easily stretch this skillet for more mouths on a weeknight by doubling the macaroni and broth while keeping the meat exactly the same.