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Instant Pot Goulash is a pressure-cooked American-style beef goulash. Made in an instant with Italian spices, elbow macaroni noodles, tomato sauce, and ground beef. This classic comfort food is a quick, delicious, and inexpensive home-cooked meal!

Instant Pot Goulash in Blue and White Bowl

This week has started out a little bit rough. We had an air conditioning leak and it made it’s way into our laundry, kitchen, and dining room. So our house is currently under construction as they say. I think I may lose my hearing with all these drying contraptions they have running.

So cooking has been a little derailed while they have been in and out and working around the house. It seems this may go on for a while. The process of waiting for the next step or person to come, well let’s just say they are not in as big of a hurry as I am to get this finished.

Enough of my whining about that, I promise. But one thing I am so thankful for is my Instant Pot! It really is a miracle pot!!

Pressure cooking this classic comfort food is just what I needed tonight. No matter what reason for needing a quick one-pot meal or what day of the week it is, this meal is fast, flavorful, and done in minutes in your Instant Pot!

Stove Top Instructions in Recipe Notes!

What you need for Pressure Cooked Goulash made in an Instant Pot

  • Ground Beef
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Beef Broth
  • Water
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Italian Spices
  • Large Elbow Noodles

How to make Home Cooked Goulash in a Pressure Cooker

Step 1.  Set your Instant Pot  (I use a 6 qt Pot) to saute. Once hot, add in ground beef, onion, garlic and salt and pepper (to taste). Cook until meat is browned. Drain off fat on papers towels or your favorite way. I use a trusty paper plate with paper towels on top.

A close up of ground beef being browned in an instant pot insert to use in this easy goulash recipe

Step 2.  Add meat back in to Instant Pot and add tomato sauces, diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper (if desired) and noodles. Give it a good stir. Throw in bay leaves.

An overhead shot of this instant pot goulash with macaroni noodles, tomatoes, bay  leaves, and a wooden spoon

Step 3.  Put lid on Instant Pot. Turn pressure valve to closed. Set on High Pressure for 4 minutes.

a closeup of the front of an instant pot set to cook on high pressure for four minutes

Step 4.  Once time is up turn valve to release (this is called manual or quick release). Remove lid and take out bay leaves. Mix and add additional salt and pepper to taste as needed (if you didn’t salt before cooking)

a closeup of this instant pot goulash recipe with macaroni noodles aka pressure cooker goulash

Step 5.  Top with parmesan or your favorite cheese and parsley!

an overhead shot of a blue bowl filled with this instant pot goulash recipe garnished with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley and a fork off to the side

How American Goulash Began

I always find a little history behind a dish interesting. In doing a little research, aka wikipedia, tells me that is started showing up in cookbooks as early as 1914. The dish contains some form of meat, spices, and often noodles and cheese. Well doesn’t that just make the best dish! What more do you need??

Goulash was Hungarian in its origins and came from very humble beginnings. Where cowherds would pull together their food items to create a stew like meal that they would cook for themselves over an open fire.

American Goulash is also a very humble, simple, and budget friendly dish! I believe every family needs inexpensive comfort food  recipe in their recipe box to whip up at one time or another!

I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot version, as this delicious money saving meal is made in minutes! And that equals a BIG WIN in my kitchen!

a closeup of a bite of this instant pot goulash recipe with elbow macaroni noodles

Here are a few Simple Family Meals to add to your menu!

Please Pin Instant Pot Goulash and Save for Later

Instant Pot Goulash Pin Collage

And I will leave y’all with a few Desserts you may enjoy!

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Instant Pot Goulash in Blue and White Bowl
Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

(click stars to rate)

Instant Pot Goulash

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Nikki Lee
Instant Pot Goulash is a pressure cooked American style beef goulash. Made in an instant with Italian spices, elbow macaroni noodles, a tomato sauce and ground beef. This classic comfort food is a quick, delicious, and inexpensive home cooked meal!

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • cup onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper, (to taste)
  • 29 ounce can tomato sauce, (or two 14.5 ounce cans)
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, (I like to use 1 tbsp oregano and 1/2 tbsp each of basil and parsley, but you can stick with Italian Blend)
  • 3 cups large elbow noodles, (about 1 lb)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste, (I use 1/2 tsp of each)

Instructions

  • Turn on 6 quart Instant Pot to saute. Once hot add in ground beef, onion, garlic and salt and pepper (to taste). Cook until meat is browned. Drain off fat.
  • Add meat back in to Instant Pot and add tomato sauces, diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper (optional – you can wait until after cooking if preferred) and noodles. Give it a good stir. Throw in bay leaves. 
  • Put lid on Instant Pot. Turn pressure valve to closed. Set on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
  • Once time is up turn valve to release (this is called manual or quick release). Remove lid and take out bay leaves. Mix and add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. 
  • Top with parmesan or your favorite cheese and parsley and enjoy!

Notes

You can make this on the Stove Top too: Cook pasta according to box instructions and drain. In a deep skillet or sauce pan cook meat over medium high heat until done. Drain. Return to pot and add in ingredients. Stir in cooked pasta and serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 11 serving Calories: 338kcal (17%) Carbohydrates: 33g (11%) Protein: 29g (58%) Fat: 11g (17%) Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 67mg (22%) Sodium: 1364mg (59%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 8g (9%)

Nutritional Disclaimer

Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

©️Soulfully Made

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18 Comments

  1. I followed the recipe exactly. Kept getting the foo burn warning. I have been using my insta pot for about a year and have never had that warning.

    1. I am so sorry that is happening. I haven’t had that happen with this recipe. Are you using a 6 qt? May need to increase the liquid a bit or make sure no bits stuck on the bottom.

  2. Just made your Goulash recipe for a funeral luncheon @ my church. Added a # of unseasoned sausage to stretch it a little, and your delicious recipe will be my new “go to recipe” for future carryons! Thanks for sharing!

  3. 5 stars
    I just tried this recipe in my new Instant Pot and it turned out pretty good. I used egg noodles and the 4 minutes was just right to cook them and not have them be mushy. I used one can of diced tomatoes that had green chiles in it for a little kick. I could have probably done this in a sauce pan more quickly, but since I’m learning how to use my new ‘toy’, it was fun and successful!

    1. I am glad you are trying out your new toy! I love mine and trying new things! This definitely can be done on the stove top as well and is delicious both ways.

    1. Kevin, scroll to the bottom of the page and the recipe card is there with all the ingredient quantities. If you are still having an issue seeing it, please let me know and I will try to help troubleshoot.

    1. I am so sorry they didn’t turn out for you! I have made this many times and never had that issue. I would suggest decreasing the water to 1 cup, decrease to 3 minutes, and make sure you quick release, if you make it again, and see if that works better for you. You can also turn on saute when done to let thicken up.

  4. 4 stars
    Just a suggestion – how about listing the size of the pan, in this case instant pot, you are using? It would mke things easier for people, like me. That way if I don’t have the correct size I can either buy that size or tweak the recipe to fit the size I have.
    Thanks!

  5. 5 stars
    Silly question, but do you cook the elbow macaroni before putting it into the Instant Pot? I have made this many, many times on the stovetop, but not in my Instant Pot and I am anxious to try this.
    Thank you.

    1. No questions are silly. No do not cook the noodles. They will cook in the Instant Pot! I love to make pasta in this. I have a Creamy Mac N Cheese recipes that is so delicious! Good luck and I hope you enjoy!