Southwestern Goulash

I was craving a simple and hearty dinner that used up some of the things in my refrigerator so I decided to make a Southwestern style goulash. It was a great way to use up the extra peppers, cilantro, and ground beef I had on hand and it tasted wonderful. I loved the spices and flavors of this dish and so did my husband. My kids said it was okay but it wasn't their favorite - that's okay, more for me!

Southwestern Goulash:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 baby red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, diced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 7 oz can of whole green chilies, diced
• 1 4 oz can of sliced olives
• 1 cup of zucchini, diced
• 1 cup of dried ditalini or macaroni pasta, cooked per instructions
• 1 cup of frozen sweet corn
• 1 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped, plus some for garnish
• Cotija cheese, shredded

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper then sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef making sure to break up into small crumbles. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Add the seasonings and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chilies, olives, and zucchini. Cook for 15 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.

Cook pasta per instructions. Add the drained pasta along with the chopped cilantro to the mixture and stir until well mixed. Let the mixture simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and shredded cotija cheese. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net