Goulash in the Crock-pot is amazing! Creamy pasta with cream cheese and a jar of spaghetti sauce, this is an easy way to make this Old Fashioned dinner for your family. Just one of my kids favorite Crockpot recipes I make almost every single month!

Slow Cooker Goulash
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First we made this Instant Pot creamy goulash style with spicy ground sausage for some heat! This is the low and slow method of basically the same thing. Which one I use depends on how much time I have but this one can be thrown in at lunch time and ready for dinner. (affiliate links present)

Slow Cooker Goulash

You will have to do just a tad bit of prepping before you throw it all into your pot, but it doesn’t take long. Yes we have cooked Crockpot ground beef beforehand and then use that but it’s just quicker to brown it in a skillet and then dump right in. You can soften the onions at the same time that way too.

As for the meat you can use your protein of choice. Ground turkey will be leaner but without as much flavor. Beef should be 80/20 with a bit of fat because that means more flavor. If you want a bit of heat you can do 1/2 lb. of beef and 1/2 of the Jimmy Dean hot sausage I talked about earlier. Up to you.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

  1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
  2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. ๐Ÿ˜‰

A floral design slow cooker with a white base and lid sits on a kitchen countertop, perfect for whipping up a 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe.
Crock pot Goulash

Goulash in a Crockpot

This is yet one more dish to add to our list of Crockpot Chicken Recipes with Cream Cheese! I mean that is the way to get all the creaminess right? Don’t go for the low fat block, friends we are about all the flavor with this one and that is just a no go for me, has a strange taste if you ask me. As for the noodles, choose whatever shape you like.

I stick to small or medium sizes, either shells or macaroni noodles but the only difference between them all is how long they take to get tender. Do NOT boil them separately, you will loose out on max flavors that way. Instead this is how to cook noodles in a slow cooker, it’s not rocket science y’all.

You’re just going to cook all your other ingredients on low for a few hours. It says 3 but that is flexible. If there’s no way you’ll get back to it until 4 hours that is okay too. You don’t want to go TOOOO long or the dairy will begin to get weird. Then 30 minutes (or so) before you want to eat, submerge the pasta so it can “boil”.

Goulash in a Crockpot

Crock pot Goulash

To make this dairy free goulash it is really really easy, just leave out the cream cheese entirely!! I did see the other day one at the store that was lactose free though so you could give that a whirl. I haven’t tasted it yet but my husband is lactose intolerant and I’ve tried a lot of the Daiya products and they are pretty darn good.

  • 1 lb ground beef or spicy ground sausage, or half and half
  • Olive oil
  • Small onion diced
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • Oregano
  • 1 jar spaghetti style pasta sauce, 24 oz.
  • 4 c beef broth
  • 1 block of cream cheese
  • 1.5 c shells or elbow macaroni works great

When serving this beef goulash recipe you can add more shredded cheddar cheese (a bit overkill if you ask me), but comfort food nontheless.

Now if you wanted to make this on the stove in a skillet you would follow the steps like when we make our Velveeta Hamburger Helper. Still you don’t need to precook the pasta ahead of time, everything cooks together.

Goulash in the Crock-pot

Old Fashioned Goulash Pioneer Woman

Ok so if you wanted to make yours more like hers (love her) you would leave out the cream cheese all together. Or you can just follow our Crockpot Hamburger Helper recipe. Lower in fat for sure it is excellent as well for sure, just doesn’t have that creamy sauce to it.

  • In a large pan pour the oil and cook the onions, garlic and ground beef on medium heat until slightly browned.
  • Add the seasonings to the beef and stir. Drain the grease.
  • Pour in the beef broth, spaghetti sauce and meat mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Add in the softened cream cheese, cut into small chunks and dropped on to the top, don’t stir.
  • Cover and cook for 3 hours on low.
  • 30 minutes before it’s ready to serve, stir the cream cheese around and add the pasta shells and stir that around also, making sure all the shells are in the sauce and not sticking out.

If you can stir every 10 minutes that is ideal so they don’t clump together but not super necessary. Once noodles are done cooking you can top with parsley. Diced tomatoes can be added to the top for a bit of freshness too if you like. Enjoy, when done cool and store in freezer safe bags to reheat next day!

This is one of our favorite Crockpot Sausage Recipes. From using ground beef, to spicy Jimmy Dean, or even slices of kielbasa would work if you would rather. There are a ton of ways you can make this.

Old Fashioned Goulash Pioneer Woman

Ingredients to Add to Goulash

This is a traditional Hungarian stew that can be customized with various ingredients to enhance its flavor and texture. Here are some common ingredients you can add;

  1. These are fundamental aromatics that provide a strong base of flavor for your goulash.
  2. Adding diced bell peppers and/or green peppers can add color, sweetness, and a subtle crunch to the dish.
  3. Potatoes are a classic addition to goulash, adding starch and substance to the stew.
  4. Fresh or canned tomatoes can provide acidity and depth of flavor. You can use diced tomatoes, tomato paste, or a combination of both.
  5. Paprika is a key spice in goulash, imparting a rich color and a characteristic smoky, sweet flavor. You can use sweet, smoked, or a combination of paprika varieties.
  6. Traditionally, goulash is made with beef. Choose a tender cut, such as chuck or stewing beef, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
  7. Adding beef or vegetable broth enhances the savory flavor of this. You can also use red wine or a combination of wine and broth.
  8. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, bay leaves, Italian seasonings, marjoram, or caraway seeds can be added for extra flavor.
  9. Red wine can deepen the flavor of the goulash and add complexity.
  10. Stirring in a bit of sour cream towards the end of cooking can add creaminess and a slight tang.
  11. For some heat, you can add diced chili peppers, roasted jalapeños or red pepper flakes.
  12. A splash of Worcestershire sauce can enhance the umami flavors of the dish.

Remember that this is a versatile slow cooker recipe dish, the ingredients you choose can be adjusted based on your preferences and what you have available. The combination of flavors and textures is what makes traditional and now American goulash so delightful. Feel free to experiment to create your perfect version.

Goulash in the Crock-pot
5 from 2 votes

Goulash in The Crock-pot

By The Typical Mom
Goulash in the Crock pot is amazing! Creamy pasta with cream cheese and a jar of spaghetti sauce, this is an easy Old Fashioned meal idea.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Servings: 6
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Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground beef, or spicy ground sausage, or half and half
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp salt, or more to taste at end
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 24 oz.
  • 4 c beef broth
  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1.5 c shells, or elbow macaroni noodles

Instructions 

  • In a large pan pour the oil and cook the onions, garlic and ground beef on medium heat until slightly browned. Add the seasonings to the beef and stir. Drain the grease.
  • Pour in the beef broth, spaghetti sauce and meat mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Add in the softened cream cheese, cut into small chunks and dropped on to the top, don’t stir. Close the lid and let cook for 3 hours on low.
  • 30 minutes before it’s ready to serve, stir the cream cheese around and add the pasta shells and stir that around also, making sure all the shells are in the sauce and not sticking out.
  • Stir every 10 minutes. Once noodles are done cooking you can top with parsley

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 1573mg, Potassium: 706mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 499IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, hungary
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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