Venison Goulash is the best comfort food weeknight dinner you can make! It is: one pot ✔ 30 minute ✔ meaty and delicious ✔ .
This recipe is for a classic American goulash with venison, and I include a few variations you can try if you want to switch things up a bit, including how to make this a lighter and healthier dinner.
And of course, you can make this goulash with ground beef instead of venison, if you prefer.
More easy ground venison recipes to try: Venison Chili
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American goulash
I realize that there are many variations of goulash out there. Traditional European goulash is more like a soup/stew with chunks of meat that is often served over egg noodles.
Here we have an American goulash made with ground venison. In this dish, the pasta (elbow macaroni, to be specific) is cooked right in the tomato-based broth along with the browned ground venison. The macaroni absorbs all the flavors of the goulash as it cooks so it is extra flavorful.
It's a one pot dish that is deeply satisfying and so easy to make. Once the pasta and venison are cooked, I stir in a generous amount of shredded cheddar. This thickens the saucy goulash a little and just makes it come together better. Don't skip the cheese.
More hearty meaty recipes to try: Ground Beef and Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 small-medium onion, finely diced
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (skip if you don't have it)
- 1 14-ounce can petit diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- ½ pound elbow macaroni (uncooked, half a 1-pound box)
- 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- optional: fresh herbs for garnish
More hearty weeknight dinners: Chicken Chile Verde Stew
Special Equipment
- ~4-quart pot with a lid or Dutch oven
- Tongs and a paper towel (for absorbing extra liquid from the venison)
Instructions
Preheat your Dutch oven or pot to medium-high heat, then add the olive oil, ground venison, diced pepper, and diced onion. Let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes to let the meat brown, then use a spatula to break up the meat. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the venison is browned on all sides. If there is a lot of liquid released, soak it up with a paper towel and discard.
Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, stir, and cook for another minute.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, broth, elbow macaroni, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 12-14 minutes, or until the macaroni is cooked through.
Stir in the shredded cheese, adjust the flavor with salt and pepper if needed, and serve hot.
More meaty weeknight dinners to try: Porcupine Meatballs
Kate's recipe tips and variations
- Make sure to brown the meat well, you want all those brown bits stirred into the broth for extra flavor.
- Try adding a splash of dry red wine to deglaze the pan after browning the venison.
- Keep an eye on the liquid level after about 10 minutes of cooking. If your heat is too high or if your lid is not on perfectly, your liquid might evaporate and you might need to add a bit more broth or water for the macaroni to cook through.
- Make it more meaty: use 1.5-2 pounds of venison.
- Make it healthier: add a few stalks of celery, finely diced carrots, or use 2-3 bell peppers to add a bunch of veggies to this dish and make it a complete meal. Use a chickpea pasta or another type of protein pasta for a gluten-free and higher-protein meal.
- Make it soupier: Use 2 cups of broth instead of 1.5.
- Add a little depth of flavor by stirring in 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste.
- Add a little spice: saute a diced jalapeño or stir in red pepper flakes before serving.
- Double the recipe, if you want.
- Want dairy-free goulash? Skip the cheese, or stir in a cornstarch slurry during the last minute of cooking to thicken the goulash a bit (in a small bowl whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a few tablespoons of water).
More meaty dinners to try: Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Easy Venison Goulash (30 Minute Dinner!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 small-medium onion finely diced
- 1 bell pepper any color, diced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (skip if you don't have it)
- 1 14- ounce can petit diced tomatoes
- 1 14- ounce can tomato sauce
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- ½ pound elbow macaroni uncooked (½ of 1-pound box)
- 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- optional: fresh herbs for garnish
Special equipment
- 4-quart pot with a lid or Dutch oven
- Tongs and a paper towel (for absorbing extra liquid from the venison)
Instructions
- Preheat your Dutch oven or pot to medium-high heat, then add the olive oil, ground venison, diced pepper, and diced onion. Let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes to let the meat brown, then use a spatula to break up the meat. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the venison is browned on all sides. If there is a lot of liquid released, soak it up with a paper towel and discard.
- Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, stir, and cook for another minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, broth, elbow macaroni, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 12-14 minutes, or until the macaroni is cooked through.
- Stir in the shredded cheese, adjust the flavor with salt and pepper if needed, and serve hot.
Notes
- Make sure to brown the meat well, you want all those brown bits stirred into the broth for extra flavor.
- Try adding a splash of dry red wine to deglaze the pan after browning the venison.
- Keep an eye on the liquid level after about 10 minutes of cooking. If your heat is too high or if your lid is not on tightly, your liquid might evaporate and you might need to add a bit more broth or water for the macaroni to cook through.
- Make it more meaty: use 1.5-2 pounds of venison.
- Make it healthier: add a few stalks of celery, finely diced carrots, or use 2-3 bell peppers to add a bunch of veggies; use whole wheat, protein pasta, or chickpea pasta.
- Add a little depth of flavor by stirring in 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste and/or a tablespoon of smoked paprika.
- Add a little spice: saute a diced jalapeño or stir in red pepper flakes before serving.
- Double the recipe, if you want.
- Want dairy-free goulash? Skip the cheese, or stir in a cornstarch slurry during the last minute of cooking to thicken the goulash a bit (in a small bowl whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a few tablespoons of water).
Kate
Wednesday 18th of February 2026
This has become one of our go-to weeknight dinners because it's so easy and filling, and my picky eater kid loves it too! I hope you give this goulash a try (even if you use ground beef!) and love it as much as we do.