Goulash (Freezer Meal)
Goulash has a funny name, but as a child it was one of my all time favorite meals. I think all kids love this meal.
I make my freezer meals 2 ways. One way is to just make them all in a 2 day process. Compile my list, shop, and do meat prep. Then the next day I assemble them.
The other way I like to do it is over the course of a week or two. I buy the ingredients enough to double the recipes, then I make one for dinner and just double it and put one away in the freezer.
Then by the end of about 2 or 3 weeks, you have 10 meals frozen in the freezer ready to go for later. Your meals will do well in the freezer for 2-4 months.
Goulash
1lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat noodles)
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning (more to taste)
1 can (15oz) corn, drained
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-2 cups shredded cheese (depending on your “cheesiness” preference)
1. Brown Ground beef with onion powder and garlic powder. Drain.
2. Cook noodles according to package, drain
3. In a large bowl, combine soup, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, noodles and ground beef. Stir in corn.
4. Transfer to an ungreased 8X8 freezer baking dish and top with cheese. I buy the foil pans. Easy peasy and you wont be missing a pan while this meal is in the freezer waiting.
5. Cover with foil. I like to use heavy duty foil and double wrap it to prevent freezer burn. Label and freeze.
Cooking instructions: Thaw and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until heated through and melted cheese.
Liked my Goulash recipe? Try Slow Cooker Beef Tips in Mushroom Gravy
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This sounds yummy! Do you put the ground beef in uncooked? Might be making it this week 🙂 Thanks!
You should brown the beef with the onion and garlic powder first. :). Enjoy!!
Haha yeah I read it again and realized I skipped a line 🙂
How long do you plan for thawing? Do you just pop it in your fridge that morning you want it for dinner or do u pull it out an hr or so before you cook it. Trying to decide how much time to plan for thawing.
I do like to put it either on the counter to thaw for 2 hours or in the fridge for the day to thaw. It will be still frozen in the middle but just up the cooking time a bit.
It also depends on what you freeze it in. If it is frozen in a bag, it will thaw fastest.
Making this for dinner now, with one to freeze. It smells great!
If you don't want to use foil pans, when freezing casseroles I just line my pan with foil both ways, fill, fold the foil down and freeze. Once frozen solid, I remove from my pan, label and return it to the freezer. This way I don't have a pan sitting in the freezer when I need it.
I was just thinking that I would need to go buy some of these foil pans and how much room they would take up in my freezer. GREAT idea! Thanks! I need my pans 🙂
Silly question, but is it two cups elbow macaroni as measured after it's cooked, or two cups measured before you cook it? Thanks!
Ang, yes, the noodles are uncooked when you measure out the 2 cups. I will edit the post to say that 🙂 Thanks!
So this is the first goulash recipe that is close to my family's goulash recipe. Only difference is that we use thin spaghetti noodles and mix in sour cream as well. We also do not add the corn! I really need to try it this way!
what kind of shredded cheese?
We have a similar recipe that I grew up eating, as did my dad before me. It is seasoned with chili powder and a whole onion diced and cooked with the ground beef, and has an American cheese topping, but otherwise is very similar. We just call it "More" - when I asked why, I was told "because you want more when you finish it"
jettajo- I just used what I had on hand. It was a colby-jack combo.
what kind of tomato soup?
Don't the noodles get mushy after it is frozen and reheated?
strain noodles 1 minute before al dente.
Thanks for this. I Just asked about that very thing! Good to know.
i doubled this recipe to make one for myself and one for a friend who is having a baby...it makes A LOT!!! I had to use a large stockpot to mix all the ingredients together. Just be prepared with LARGE bowls if you are going to double the recipe. It smells really good!
Divie up into muffin tins and pop out when frozen to store in ziplocks. Takes up less room in freezer and easier to portion control when reheating. Reheating can then be done in oven with 20 min thaw time or microwave.
This is a fantastic idea!!!!
Hello Joyful Momma! My bible study is enjoying your recipes since we have two families in need of food brought in.
I found you through a Pinterest post! Thank you so much for all this wonderful cooking and baking you do! Keep up the great
Work, we need some good cooks like you around! In fact we could use you on http://www.justapinch.com
It's a great recipe site and I won a blue ribbon for my Tri tip steak recipe!
There is only one thing I change about your recipes, I put all foods in the fridge to thaw till bake time due to
Stomach upset from bacteria overload!
Otherwise I going to enjoy your sight baking and cooking for the sick in my neck of the woods! You sure can cook!
It would not let my Sincerest Thank You for all your hard work.
Thank you most sincerely and keep those posts coming, your blessing us here in Northern California and you did not even know it! Please don't stop posting your recipes! I especially like the ones that freeze well!
Just me, Donna
If you are using an 8 x8 pan, how many does it feed? I have 2 sons and a husband. .
i am wondering this as well - does anyone know how many servings this makes?
I love this recipe! My husband asks me to make this on a weekly basis! I add a little bit of Cajun seasoning or Cumin (whatever I have on hand) for a little kick. It saves us so much time with our twins an still tastes great after being frozen. Once, the twins are old enough to eat it, I will take the spicy seasoning out.
Question for ya -- I've read not to freeze noodles because they turn to mush? Therefore, I typically don't make any type of casseroles WITH noodles for any kind of freezer meals...though I'd really love to. Do you cook them al dente or do you jsut cook them til their done? Curious.
I'm from Czech Republic where goulash is almost a traditional meal and I've got to say that the original recipe is completely different.
yes, this is a very "Americanized" version. I've never heard it called anything else, so I'm not exactly sure where the crossover came from
Do you have any idea what the cooking time would be straight from the freezer. Would be making it for new parents and as you know, even planning to thaw out food for dinner can seem daunting with a new baby in the house! Thanks! 🙂
This look SO good! And easy! I just wish there was a picture so I can pin it and come back to it for my once a month cooking.