Hungarian Boolash Goulash would be great for this Halloween! It tastes just as delicious as the original downhome version but there is more fun involved.
This is always a favorite child’s recipe (my husband’s too) so why not give it a fun name and serve it at Halloween. This harkens back to when I was learning to cook – way back when.
I always used mom’s red Betty Crocker cookbook. It is the best basic cookbook for beginner’s that I had ever seen.
In fact, this recipe is so easy that I had been doing it by heart for years. A little herbs here and a little spices there.
What are your kids dressing up as this year? Are they scary or sweet? Do they stick to scary or sweet every year?
I would be anything just so I thought I looked cute. So, I could be a witch but I had to be a cute witch.
My darling adorable cute little nieces always want to be the creepiest scariest things they can think up. Creeps me out!
Back to food – Hungarian Boolash Goulash is also easy to change up depending on the company/people you are serving.
This one is also a bit different because it is plant-based and the ‘meatless ground’ soy and wheat protein adds wonderful texture to the dish.
You can add a bit more macaroni if you’d like it to go further but not too much more. The moisture balance is just right ‘as is’. Sometimes when I do add the extra mac (only because Ed is a fanatic for macaroni) I’ll also add some more diced tomatoes and it’s liquid to keep the ratio correct.
Send your kids out this Halloween with a full tummy of this warm macaroni dish. Hungarian Boolash Goulash really is a basic good comfort food.
It’ll make you feel better that you did when they come home with all those sweets too.
Hey, have you seen this sweet? Copycat Almond Joy Candy Bars are a little scary and kind of too special to hand out to the masses but if you have a few special little ones then pass ’em around.
That is after they have had this hearty nutritious Hungarian Boolash Goulash dinner.
Hungarian Boolash Goulash
Hungarian Boolash Goulash tastes just as delicious as the original downhome version but there is more fun involved.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 28 ounces whole peeled plum tomatoes - large can - 28 ounces
- 3/4 cup water
- 15 ounces kidney beans - can, draines
- 12 ounces meatless ground meat
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces whole wheat macaroni - dried package
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet and heat.
- Add the diced onions and saute until translucent.
- Add the paprika and marjoram, cook a minute on low and mix well.
- Add the can of tomatoes and water and bring to a boil.
- Cover and turn down the heat to low and simmer 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to help break up the tomatoes.
- Add the kidney beans and 'meatless ground meat'
- Bring back to a boil.
- Cover and turn the heat down to low.
- Cook 15 more minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- IF SERVING NOW:
- Bring a large pot to boil for the macaroni.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons of salt to the water.
- Add the macaroni and cook according to directions.
- When finished, drain and add the macaroni to the goulash mixture.
- Heat through and serve.
Recipe Notes
IF FREEZING:
Do not add the macaroni, let cool to room temperature. Package in rigid sided containers to freeze.
TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:
Remove from the freezer and put in the refrigerator overnight because it is a pretty solid mass and will take longer to defrost. The night of serving - Bring a large pot to boil for the macaroni. Stir in 2 Tablespoons of salt to the water. Add the macaroni and cook according to directions. When finished, drain. Put the goulash in a large skillet. Add the cooked macaroni. Heat through and serve.
Ginny McMeans says
You are so welcome Alex! Thank you too!
Alex says
Awesome vegan reci thanks a whole lot !!!!
Ginny McMeans says
Hahaha! Love ya!
Pongodhall says
Seriously? Now who could resist a BOOlash? 😂
Ginny McMeans says
It is dried leaves Dana. Thanks for asking. I’ll fix the recipe.
Dana says
Is the marjoram in this recipe ground or whole leaves?
Tanya says
Thanks, Ginny!! I can’t wait to try it!
Ginny McMeans says
On a boat! How exciting Tanya. Chopped tomatoes would be great and you can reduce the amount of cooking time. Maybe cut the water to 1/2 cup since there won’t be any liquid from a can you probably need that. Bring it to a boil, turn it down, cook 5 minutes and taste it. Let your tastebuds decide but I think that should be very good.
Tanya says
This looks so good!! I’m in a situation where my cooking fuel is limited (on a boat). Would I lose a lot of flavor to use chopped tomatoes and reduce the amount of cooking time (should I also reduce the amount of water added)? Thanks.
Ginny McMeans says
Hi Julia! Yes, that would be no problem at all. 🙂
Julia says
Hi! Do you think it would be possible to use TVP instead of frozen meatless crumbles?
Ginny McMeans says
Hi Mason – thank you so much and I and very glad that you make many of my recipes. Yes, it will serve 6 (I updated that up above). If you wanted to freeze for individual servings for yourself you could divide the bean mixture by 6 and freeze it that way and then divide the cooked macaroni by 6 and freeze that separately also. Then just take out one container of each when you want dinner. Or divide it by threes for 2 meals. You are doing great! I love that you say you are planning for the week. 🙂
Mason says
Thanks so much! Single college student here, and love your blog- cook from it regularly. Do you know roughly how many servings are in this dish? I need to know to plan out the week.
Ginny McMeans says
Yes, it freezes well for this dish if it is frozen separately. That is why I divide up the recipe. It will get mushy if frozen and then cooked a second time. To freeze separately cook al denti. Drain and freeze in a freezer safe container.
Then when you want to use it just drop as a solid, frozen mass into a pot of boiling water until it heats through. Maybe only a minute. Then combine it with the defrosted goulash and heat.
Mason says
You mentioned that pasta freezes well- is there a way to freeze the macaroni as well as the goulash base? If so, please let me know.
Ginny McMeans says
That is a ground beef substitution for vegans that has soy etc. If you were using ground beef you would pre-brown it first and then add it where I say to add the mock ground beef to the skillet. You can buy meatless ground-beef in packages at natural food grocery store like Sprouts and Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s probably has it too.
Elizabeth says
Please tell me what is meatless ground beef? I never heard I’d it!