One of the first recipes I ever learned to make was goulash. Goulash is a simple Hungarian stew, using meat, tomato and onion. It’s simple and easy, though sadly, dicing an onion was the hardest part of this recipe for me when I first started cooking. Carbs are an optional addition with this one, as it’s a nice soup even if you choose not to add pasta.

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Goulash with Beef & Pasta

Makes 4-6 giant servings    |    Takes 90 minutes

Difficulty: 3/10

What you need:

• 2 onions
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (798 mL)
• 3 tsp of pureed garlic
• 2 lbs of lean ground beef
• 900g package of dried pasta of your choice
• Tub of low fat yogurt
• 1 tsp sage
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3 Tbsp paprika
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• S & P

Allez cuisine!

1. Dice the onions.

2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil to coat. Sautee onions with the garlic puree in the pan for 3-4 minutes or until translucent (cover with a lid to speed up the process).

3. Place the ground beef in the pan with onions and cook meat until brown on all sides.

4. Add: 3 Tbsp paprika, 1.5 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp onion powder, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the diced tomatoes and 2-3 bay leaves. Cover with lid and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir, and when ready serve with a dollop of yogurt as a garnish.

*Optional: separately boil a large pot of salted water and add pasta. Cook until al dente (usually 7-10 minutes, or as instructed on the package). Add pasta to the goulash and combine – this step adds extra heartiness to the meal.

Enjoy!