Make this one pot gluten free goulash for a quick and easy dinner! Using chickpea pasta noodles gives this goulash recipe a protein boost and makes it gluten free. The flavor combination is out of this world and will quickly be everyone's favorite dinner!
Chickpea noodles are a great way to upgrade the traditional American goulash we all grew up eating! Using these protein-packed pasta noodles is my secret ingredient for filling hungry teens. I use them in Instant Pot mac and cheese, too.
Looking for more kid-friendly gluten free pasta recipes? I have some! All were tested and approved by my family!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses Pantry Ingredients
- One Pot Dinner - Less Dishes
- Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, and Dairy Free Recipe
Featured Ingredients
- Ground Beef - Use lean ground beef for a less greasy goulash.
- Green Bell Pepper - Adds a bit of freshness and great flavor.
- Beef Broth - A great flavor enhancer, better than water.
- Canned Tomatoes: Both diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste are used to create a tomato sauce base.
- Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Kosher Salt, Garlic Salt, Ground Black Pepper and Bay Leaf.
- Green Onions - Adds a subtle onion flavor so as not to overpower everything else.
- Chickpea Pasta Noodles - Use whatever shape you want. We love the cavatappi chickpea noodles from Banza.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large Dutch oven, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Crumble into bite-size pieces.
Step 2: Chop the green pepper into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
Step 3: Next, add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes - undrained, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and chopped green onions. Stir until combined.
Step 4: Add the chickpea noodles. Gently boil the noodles according to the package directions or until tender, stirring often to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
Once done, remove the bay leaf. Serve topped with optional shredded parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.
Tips
Use frozen meal-prepped ground beef to save yourself a step! Cook the raw bell peppers in a tablespoon of avocado oil, and once tender, add the frozen ground beef.
Make sure you use a big enough pot! At least a 5-quart.
Ingredient Swaps
- Meat Options: Use ground turkey or homemade Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
- Bell Peppers: Love red bell peppers? Swap it in for the diced green bell peppers.
- Leftover crockpot pasta sauce? Use 1 cup of sauce instead of crushed tomatoes.
- Gluten Free Noodles - Use gluten free rotini instead of chickpea noodles.
Special Diet Variations
Low FODMAP Goulash: Use a low FODMAP beef broth and a low FODMAP garlic salt. The remaining ingredients will work for one serving of goulash according to the guidance from the Monash University Food App.
Gluten Free Goulash: Verify beef broth and seasonings are indeed gluten free by reviewing the ingredients.
Dairy Free Goulash: Omit the optional shredded parmesan cheese topping.
Vegetarian Goulash: Swap the ground beef with a crumbled meat alternative and use a vegetable broth for the beef broth.
Add In's
Want to add something to the goulash recipe for different options? Here are a few of my favorites!
- Cheese Curds - After a weekend trip to Wisconsin, where we picked up a few bags of cheese curds, I thought, why not add a handful of cheese curds to the goulash? The delicious melted cheese curds are amazing! Add them right before serving.
- Vegetables: Add corn, peas, chopped green beans, or diced carrots - because eating more veggies is always a good plan.
- Sour Cream - For a creamy option, stir in a cup of sour cream at the end of the cooking time to be sure it doesn't curdle. Use lactose-free if needed.
FAQs
To serve hearty appetites without breaking the budget, add canned rinsed beans and chopped frozen vegetables like corn, carrots, and green beans.
If after the goulash cools and the noodles soak up all the liquid, add ½ cup of beef broth and stir. If more is needed, add another ½ cup.
Add ½ cup of instant mashed potato flakes and stir. Let the mixture simmer. The extra liquid will absorb and thicken the sauce.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freeze: Chilled leftovers freeze great! Store in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months and defrost frozen goulash overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Microwave a serving for 30-60 seconds, stirring halfway between cooking time.
What To Serve With Goulash
Goulash is such a great under 30 minutes dinner, and it goes great with gluten free corn pudding or a slice of gluten free cornbread. Add a lettuce salad topped with homemade maple dijon dressing. The tang of the salad dressing compliments the rich flavors of the goulash.
Additional Gluten Free Ground Beef Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Gluten Free Goulash
Equipment
- 5 Quart Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean (Note 1)
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced (Note 2)
- 2 cups beef broth more as needed
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes undrained
- 15 ounces canned crushed tomatoes undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- 1 ½ cups chickpea pasta cavatappi noodles 8 ounces (Note 3)
- Optional Topping: chopped fresh parsley or shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or a large pot, cook the ground beef over medium heat until it is no longer pink.
- Finely dice the green pepper into even sizes and add to the ground beef. Cook until green peppers are soft, about 5-8 minutes. Stir often.
- Next, add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, garlic salt, black pepper, bay leaf, chopped green onions, and chickpea pasta. Stir. Bring to a boil.
- Add the chickpea noodles and gently boil for 8 minutes (based on package instructions) or until the noodles are tender. Stir often to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Top with optional chopped fresh parsley and shredded parmesan cheese.
Venessa Mandelkow says
My family loves this for a quick lunch on busy weekends!