Vegan American Goulash (with Lentils & Vegetables)

Close up on a vegan American goulash. You can see very well all the lentils and vegetables plus the saucy tomato texture. The dish is garnished with black pepper as well as a side of bread in the background.

5 from 4 votes

Vegan American Goulash (with Lentils & Vegetables)

This easy vegan goulash is quick & simple and features noodles cooking in an amazing tomato broth flavored with paprika. Plus, it is loaded with healthy vegetables and has a nice meaty texture. Makes for a delicious weeknight dinner that's healthy and great to feed kids, meat-eaters, omnivores, etc. Perfect for the whole family!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vegan

Servings: people

Calories: 426kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

¾ cup dried green lentils (or French Du Puy) or 15 oz drained canned lentils
1 yellow onion diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup carrot diced
3 large cloves of garlic crushed
2 tsp dried oregano or Italian mix
1 tsp paprika sweet or smoky or spicy (or a combo!)
4 cups vegetable broth plus more if needed
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1 lbs uncooked elbow macaroni noodles

Instructions

If using dried lentils, start by cooking them. Transfer the lentils to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down the heat to low-medium. Keep simmering for about 15-20 minutes or until tender and cooked through, adding more water if needed. Drain well.
While the lentils are cooking, warm up a large pot on medium-high heat and sauté the onion, celery and carrots with a pinch of salt for about 5-7 minutes or until browned (use a small amount of oil or water to prevent the veggies from sticking to the pot).
Then, add the garlic, oregano and paprika, stir often and cook for about 30-60 seconds.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable broth. Stir, cover and let it simmer on medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
Then, add the raw noodles and keep simmering for about 10 minutes or until al dente. STIR OFTEN as the noodles tend to stick to the bottom and keep covered. You might have to add more broth if too much water evaporated.
When the noodles are cooked al dente, then add the cooked lentils, stir well and warm up for a minute. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm and top with fresh herbs and vegan ricotta if desired.

Video

Notes

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles tend to soak up on the sauce, so add a splash of broth (or water) before reheating (I use the microwave, but stove top works too).
This recipe is SO versatile! Add some corn, mushrooms, green beans, etc. Also, swap the beef substitution using tempeh, tofu, seitan or if you are in for a treat or trying to impress meat eaters, then consider beyond meat!
Cooking noodles in a sauce as opposed to plenty of water makes the noodles want to stick to the bottom. You will have to STIR OFTEN!
Keep mostly covered for the whole recipe to keep the water in the stew and make sure there is enough to cook the noodles. You might have to add more broth if too much water evaporates. Or, add more tomato sauce for a saucier dish.
Some goulash have cheese included. If you want to, add some nutritional yeast when adding the paprika or even, toss some vegan shredded cheese when the dish is done, just so it melts slightly.
You can use whole wheat elbow macaroni, although you might have to cook the noodles a little longer and even add some extra broth.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition