This slow cooker 5-ingredient poor man goulash is the kind of supper that kept a lot of Midwestern farm families going through long winters and tight times. It’s as simple as it sounds: raw ground beef goes straight into the slow cooker, you pour canned crushed tomatoes over the top, add just three more pantry ingredients, and let it all gently bubble into a thick, hearty dish. It reminds me of the kind of “use what you’ve got” meals that showed up on many kitchen tables in the 60s and 70s—humble, filling, and somehow always the one everyone asks for again.
Serve this poor man goulash ladled into bowls over hot buttered egg noodles, elbow macaroni, or plain white rice to soak up all those tomato juices. A side of buttered bread or cornbread fits right in with its farmhouse roots. Add a simple green salad, sliced cucumbers and onions in vinegar, or steamed green beans to round things out. It also reheats beautifully, so it’s perfect for packing into lunch containers or serving over toast the next day for an easy, stick-to-your-ribs meal.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Poor Man GoulashServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef (80–85% lean, raw)
2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt)
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning (or mixed dried herbs)
Directions
Set a large slow cooker (4- to 6-quart) on the counter on a stable, heat-safe surface. Remove the lid and make sure the crock is in place.
Crumble the raw ground beef directly into the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking it up with clean hands or a spoon into small, even chunks so it cooks through evenly.
Scatter the chopped onion evenly over the top of the raw ground beef, letting some pieces fall down between the meat so they can soften and flavor the juices.
Sprinkle the kosher salt and dried Italian seasoning evenly over the beef and onions. This helps season the meat as it cooks and gives the tomatoes a nice, savory backbone.
Open both cans of crushed tomatoes. Pour the canned crushed tomatoes slowly and evenly over the raw ground beef and onions in the slow cooker, making sure the meat is mostly covered. Do not stir; leaving it layered helps the beef cook gently and keeps the tomatoes from scorching on the bottom.
Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is fully cooked through, the onions are tender, and the mixture is bubbling and thickened around the edges.
Once cooking time is up, remove the lid and use a sturdy spoon to break up any remaining larger pieces of beef, stirring everything together until the meat, onions, and tomatoes are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt if needed.
If the mixture seems too thin for your liking, leave the lid slightly ajar and cook on HIGH for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it thickens to a hearty, spoonable consistency.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM. Serve the poor man goulash hot over cooked noodles, rice, or potatoes, or simply in bowls with bread on the side.
Variations & Tips
You can bend this simple recipe to suit your pantry and tastes while keeping the same easy method of pouring crushed tomatoes over raw ground beef with just three supporting ingredients. For a touch of sweetness and that old-fashioned Midwest flavor, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar along with the salt and herbs. If you like a little heat, sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne with the seasonings. To stretch the meal even further, stir in 2 cups of cooked elbow macaroni or other small pasta during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking; keep the slow cooker on HIGH and stir occasionally until the pasta is warmed through and coated in sauce. You can also swap part of the ground beef for ground pork or turkey, but keep the total meat amount at about 2 pounds so the balance with the tomatoes stays right. A chopped green bell pepper or a handful of sliced mushrooms can be added on top of the onions before you pour in the tomatoes if you want more vegetables, though that will technically add ingredients beyond the basic five.
Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold ground beef and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Use a slow cooker that is at least 4 quarts so the mixture heats evenly. Avoid using a delayed start timer with raw meat in the slow cooker; the food should begin heating as soon as possible. Even though the beef goes in raw, the long cook time brings it to a safe temperature—if you’re concerned, you can check a few pieces with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they reach at least 160°F (71°C). Do not leave leftovers sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if your kitchen is very warm); cool them quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate. Leftovers will keep safely in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days, or can be frozen for longer storage.
