Vegan Goulash | American Version

American Style Vegan Goulash made with lentils, whole wheat macaroni, peppers, and onions in a smoky tomato sauce is a comforting and healthy one pot meal.

Goulash is one of those comforting recipes from my childhood that brings back memories of gathering around the dinner table with my family.

My mom made a wonderful richly flavored American Style Goulash. It had the traditional macaroni, and ground beef, in a smoky tomato sauce.

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish, but as with so many ethnic recipes, we Americans changed things up a bit, adding both macaroni and often cheese to this dish. The Hungarian style didn’t include macaroni or cheese, but rather a mix of vegetables in a smoky paprika tomato base.

My grandmother on my father’s side is Hungarian, however, in all of my memories of her I do not once recall her cooking anything, let alone goulash.

My mom, however, loved to cook! She rarely followed specific recipes. She preferred improvising in the kitchen, and always created something fantastic!

Her version of goulash was no exception! Lucky for me she hand wrote many of her recipes on recipe cards that were handed down to me after she passed away.

This vegan version is more of an American style goulash than a Hungarian one as it includes whole wheat macaroni (but no cheese). Lentils are substituted for beef, and the richly smoky tomato sauce with peppers and onions give it a hint of Hungarian flare as a nod to my Hungarian roots.

I love adding this recipe when I’m planning my vegan prep meals for the week because it tastes great as leftovers!

Why You’ll Love American Vegan Goulash…

• Easy one pot meal
• Prepared in 30 minutes
• Richly flavored
• Smoky and herbal
• Whole food plant-based ingredients
• Gluten-Free option
• Oil-Free
• Healthy comfort food at its best!
• Kid and omnivore approved!

Ingredients You Need

• 1 yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 green pepper
• 1 cup of prepared lentils
• 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2 ¾ cups low sodium vegetable stock divided
• 2 cups whole wheat macaroni (or chickpea macaroni for gluten-free)
• 2 teaspoon paprika (use this Hungarian Paprika for authentic flavor)
• 1 cup of prepared green lentils
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Parsley for garnish (optional)

Tools and Equipment You Need

• Dutch Oven
• Cutting Board
• Chopping Knife
• Cooking Spoon

How to Make American Vegan Goulash – Step by Step

Step 1: Sauté onions and minced garlic in ¼ cup of vegetable stock or water until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add chopped green pepper and sauté an additional 3 minutes.

Step 2: Add vegetable stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, paprika, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Bring back to a boil. Add macaroni, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes uncovered or until pasta is al dente. Stir in prepared lentils. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley.

Using Dry or Prepared Lentils

To make this a true one pot meal you’ll need to have prepared lentils. I buy these at Trader Joe’s in the refrigerated section. Another option is to prepare the lentils in a separate pot, but then it wouldn’t be a true one pot meal. I often prepare a few cups of lentils on the weekend to use throughout the week. It’s a great meal prep hack so that you have a healthy protein source you can add to salads, or have on hand for pastas or meals like this one throughout the week.

How do you prepare dry lentils?

Step 1: Thoroughly rinse lentils in metal sieve, picking out any bad lentils or stones.

Step 2: Bring 4 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils to a boil.

Step 3: Reduce heat, cover, and simmer.

• Green Lentils for 20 minutes
• Red or Yellow Lentils for 15 minutes
• Brown Lentils for 20-25 minutes

Step 4: Drain any leftover water. Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

What type of lentils work best?

In this dish I like using green lentils. You could also use red or yellow lentils. The various types of lentils have different cooking times, and for this dish the green lentils take more time to prepare, but they hold up nicely in the sauce, whereas red and yellow lentils are a bit softer.

What makes this American Vegan Goulash Healthy?

• Whole Food Plant-Based Ingredients-This recipe uses lentils, vegetables, tomatoes, whole grains pasta, and spices to create not only a vegan goulash but a plant-based meal with no processed ingredients.
• Added Vegetables-While many versions have a tomato sauce, this recipe has added vegetables that increase the vitamins and nutrients in this dish.
• No Oil-Using water or vegetable stock instead of oil to sauté the vegetables reduces the fat and calories and eliminates processed oil.
• Low in Fat and Calories-Using lentils, reducing the amount of pasta, increasing the vegetables, and eliminating the oil brings the total fat and calories in this dish down making it a healthy plant-based dish! One serving has 319 calories, 1 gram of fat, 12 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of protein.

What is the difference between American and Hungarian Goulash?

American Goulash is made with macaroni, ground beef, onions, peppers in a tomato base sauce, and is sometimes topped with cheese.

Hungarian Goulash is more like a richly flavored beef stew with onions, and tomatoes in a richly flavored smoky paprika broth.

Like many recipes goulash can be made a little differently from family to family. Often other vegetables are added such as potatoes, carrots, celery, and peppers. Hungarian paprika is the predominant spice that gives this dish its flavor profile.

Tips and Variations on Vegan Goulash

• Make it gluten-free by using chickpea or lentil elbow macaroni.
• Serve with a fresh green salad or steamed vegetables.
• Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
• Freeze in an air tight container for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.
• Prepare lentils in advance to make this a true one pot meal (see tips on preparing lentils above).

Check-Out these Other Vegan Comfort Food Classics!

• Best Ever Meatless Meatloaf
• Lentil Ragu
• Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
• Vegan Sloppy Joes
• Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

If you’ve tried this American Vegan Goulash, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!

Recipe