Instant Pot Goulash Recipe (2024)

Published: Feb 8, 2019 · Modified: Jun 1, 2021 by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Make comforting, hearty Goulash in your Instant Pot! This Instant Pot Goulash recipe could not be easier or more delicious. It cooks perfectly every time and is done in only 30 minutes. Perfect easy dinner any night of the week!

Why This Recipe Works

I truly did not think this comforting Goulash recipe could get any easier or more delicious, but ohhh how wrong I was! This Instant Pot version of American Goulash is AMAZING.

It is done in 30 minutes from start to finish, prep included. The pasta cooks absolutely perfectly and when you remove the lid for that first glimpse, you may get a bit weak in the knees. It is perfection!

The textures and flavors in this recipe work so well together and you truly just can’t find an easier, more comforting meal. This is a great dinner to make for busy week nights and also a perfect recipe for weekend guests or parties.

This one pot meal is an all-purpose comfort food! It is super quick and easy and I promise it’ll become a new family favorite!

Recipe Ingredients

Ground beef – Replace the ground beef with ground pork for even more meaty flavor!

Diced tomatoes– Do not drain the tomatoes before adding to the recipe. Also, consider adding a variety with additional flavors and seasonings/herbs for added flavor.

Tomato sauce – If you have time for it, you will be happy with the boost of flavor that homemade tomato sauce offers.

Water – Replace a portion (or all) of the water in the recipe with beef broth for a more well-rounded flavor experience.

Elbow macaroni – Swap out the elbow macaroni with a different variety of pasta, if desired.

How To Make Instant Pot American Goulash

Step 1

Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add the ground beef, garlic and onion and cook until meat is browned. Drain the grease from the pot, if needed.

Step 2

Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, water, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt and uncooked elbow macaroni to the pot and stir.

Place the cover on the pot and set the timer to 4 minutes on high pressure (use the pressure cook setting). It will take the Instant Pot around 15 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.

Step 3

When cook time is up, do an immediate quick release and wait for the float valve to drop. Remove the cover and serve immediately! Top with shredded cheese just before serving, if you so desire.

Recipe Notes

Add 2 bay leaves to the pot before cooking for extra flavor.
Add a chopped bell pepper to the onion mixture for added texture and flavor. Red, yellow, orange or green peppers would all taste great.
This might sound weird, but I recently had a friend tell me that she added 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to this recipe and that it was super yummy.

Make Goulash in a Slow Cooker

This slow cooker recipe is a delicious, filling and hearty meal that is super easy to prepare in your crockpot. Requiring mere minutes of prep time and a few simple ingredients, crockpot goulash is the perfect family meal for a busy night!

Why Does It Take My Instant Pot To Pressurize?

The time leading up to actual cook time may seem long and even confusing (“What is going ON in there?!”), but it’s an important part of the process! The Instant Pot is working on building up the appropriate amount of pressure that it will be cooking the food at.

It handles liquids and solids differently and also fresh and frozen differently, so the time can vary. Most recipes take between 10 and 25 minutes to build up pressure.

The Instant Pot Burn Notice

If you see that dreaded burn notice flash on your Instant Pot, do not fret! Know that your pressure cooker is keeping a good eye on your food. It has sensed that the temperature toward the bottom of the pot is too high and has therefore turned it off temporarily.

This can happen especially with recipes that contain thick sauces like this one because of the heaviness of the contents inside the pot. It can also happen if there is not enough liquid inside the pot.

If you see the burn notice, press CANCEL as soon as possible. Do an immediate quick release and wait for the silver float valve to drop. Transfer the inner pot to a hot pad holder. Scrape any bits of food that may have adhered to the bottom of the pot using a spoon.

If there are no burned bits:

Add 1/2 cup of water or beef broth to the recipe to thin out the consistency.
Stir the contents of the pot thoroughly and resume cooking.

If you see burned pieces in the mixture:

Pour the contents into a saucepan and clean out the pot using soap and water, making sure any charred pieces of food are removed from the bottom of the pan. Remove visible pieces of burnt food and pour it back into the pot.
Stir the contents of the pot thoroughly and resume cooking.

FAQ About Goulash

What to serve with goulash?

The great thing about Goulash is that it’s a one-pot meal. You’ve got pasta, meat and veggies all wrapped into one easy meal. If you’re looking for something extra to serve alongside this comfort food favorite, consider any of the following:
A delicious chopped salad complements any meal perfectly! You can’t go wrong with garlic bread! Any side of vegetables would go great with this meal. Consider steamed broccoli or cauliflower or sauteed zucchini or mushrooms. Asparagus and Brussels sprouts would be great, too! Add a giant heaping spoonful of goulash over a baked potato. Roasted or grilled tomatoes would taste amazing with this dish and would complement the tomatoes in the recipe even more. Or go the sandwich route and make a batch of delicious hot ham and cheese sandwiches.

How long will goulash last in the fridge?

Cooked and cooled goulash, when stored in an airtight container, will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can goulash be frozen?

Goulashfreezes fairly well, with the pasta losing some of its firmness after it has been thawed. When preparing a big batch ofgoulashtofreeze, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to the recipe just before serving.

Best Recipes To Make In An Instant Pot

The list of recipes you can make in an Instant Pot is endless! It can act as a slow cooker, saute pan, steamer, rice maker, yogurt maker and pressure cooker. It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Chili
Instant Pot Ham
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Lasagna
Instant Pot Cake

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