Cheesy Goulash in the Crock-pot with uncooked macaroni with cream cheese and a jar of spaghetti sauce is an easy way to make this Old Fashioned dinner for your family. one of our kids favorite Crockpot recipes We make almost every single month!

A bowl of creamy goulash in the Crock-pot with ground meat, garnished with chopped herbs, sits on a wooden table with fresh parsley nearby.

First we made this cheesy Instant Pot goulash style with spicy ground sausage for some heat! This is the low and slow method of basically the same thing. Which one we use depends on how much time we have but this one can be thrown in at lunch time and ready for dinner.

You will have to do a tad bit of prepping before you throw it all into your pot, but it doesn't take long. Yes we have cooked Crockpot ground beef beforehand and then use that but it's quicker to brown it in a skillet and then dump right in. You can soften the onions at the same time that way too.

Ingredient notes

As for the noodleschoose whatever shape you like. We stick to small or medium sizes, either shells or macaroni noodles but the only difference between them all is how long they take to get tender. Do NOT boil them separately, you will loose out on max flavors that way. Instead you will add them the last 30 minutes right in the liquid to tender.

Yes, as for the meat you can use your protein of choice. Ground turkey will be leaner but without as much flavor. Ground beef should be 80/20 with a bit of fat because that means more flavor. If you want a bit of heat you can do 1/2 lb. of beef and 1/2 of the Jimmy Dean hot sausage like we did with Crockpot Hamburger Casserole.

We are going to add a few things for this, the first is cream cheese (and don't go for the low fat block friends we are about all the flavor). Then you will want to go further (if you want) and add shredded cheddar cheese in the last 30 minutes to melt in as well as mayyyyyybe topping each bowl with some shreds too.

Can you use Velveeta instead of cream cheese?

You can add more shredded cheddar cheese (a bit overkill if you ask us), but comfort food nontheless. You could make this with the other block like we did with our Velveeta Hamburger Helper.

Swaps

To make this dairy free goulash it is easy, leave out the cream cheese entirely!! We did see the other day one at the store that was lactose free though so you could give that a whirl. We haven't tasted it yet but our husband is lactose intolerant and we've tried a lot of the Daiya products and they are pretty darn good.

If you wanted to skip the cheesy you probably wouldn't be here but you may want to compare the two once you fall in love with this one. SO we created this Crockpot Hamburger Helper recipe as far as that is concerned….. Lower in fat for sure it is excellent as well for sure, doesn't have that creamy sauce to it.

What else can you add?

Adding diced bell peppers and/or green peppers can add color, sweetness, and a subtle crunch to the dish. Fresh or canned tomatoes can provide acidity and depth of flavor. You can use diced tomatoes, tomato paste, or a combination of both.

Paprika is a key spice in goulash, imparting a rich color and a characteristic smoky, sweet flavor. You can use sweet, smoked, or a combination of paprika varieties. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, bay leaves, Italian seasonings, marjoram, or caraway seeds can be added for extra flavor.

Stirring in a bit of sour cream towards the end of cooking can add creaminess and a slight tang. For some heat, you can add diced chili peppers roasted jalapeños or red pepper flakes. A splash of Worcestershire sauce can enhance the umami flavors of the dish.

Shell pasta in creamy orange sauce, reminiscent of goulash in the Crock-pot, viewed from above.

How Long to Cook Cheesy Goulash in Crockpot

You're going to cook all your other ingredients on low for a few hours. It says 3 but that is flexible. If there's no way you'll get back to it until 4 hours that is okay too. You don't want to go TOOOO long or the dairy will begin to get weird.

Can you cook the noodles in the goulash?

Yes, that is what we love about this recipe so much. About 30 minutes (or so) before you want to eat, you submerge the pasta and cheese so it can “boil” to tender right in that saucy liquid. WAY better than boiling in water separately because the pasta soaks up all those wonderful flavors.

Tips for Success

If you can stir every 10 minutes for the noodles that is ideal so they don't clump together but not super necessary. Once noodles are done cooking you can top with parsley. Diced tomatoes can be added to the top for a bit of freshness too if you like. Enjoy, when done cool and store in freezer safe bags to reheat next day!

Cheesy Crockpot Goulash Recipe

By Creamy goulash in the Crock-pot with uncooked macaroni, cream cheese and a jar of spaghetti sauce is an easy Old Fashioned one pot meal idea. Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 3 hours hrsServings: 6 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb ground beefor spicy ground sausage, or half and half
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt, or more to taste at end
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 jar spaghetti sauce24 oz.
4 cup beef broth
1 block cream cheese
1.5 cup pasta shells or elbow macaroni noodles
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, optional

Instructions

In a large pan pour the oil and cook the onions, garlic and ground beef on medium heat until slightly browned. Add the seasonings to the beef and stir. Drain the grease.
Pour in the beef broth, spaghetti sauce and meat mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Add in the softened cream cheese, cut into small chunks and dropped on to the top, don't stir. Close the lid and let cook for 3 hours on low.
30 minutes before it's ready to serve, stir the cream cheese and shredded cheese around and add the pasta shells and stir that around also, making sure all the shells are submerged in the sauce so they can cook to tender.
Stir every 10 minutes. Once noodles are done cooking you can top with parsley