Coleslaw Goulash

Ever have a package of coleslaw mix to use and you don’t want to make actual coleslaw?  That happens occasionally here in the castle.  Often I use it to make coleslaw soup, one of the most popular posts on my blog.  But it was a hot day here up North and I wasn’t feeling like soup was a good idea.  I wanted more of a throw together goulash type dish.  So I threw this together.  We loved it!

Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet until browned. Break into smaller pieces.

I started by browning about 2# of ground beef in a nonstick skillet.  I seasoned the beef with salt and pepper then let it fry well, browning in a lot of places.  I then broke it up into smaller pieces.  Eventually it was all cooked through and I drained off the excess grease from the pan.

Add diced peppers and cook for 5 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Next I added a handful of red sweet bell peppers I’d diced and frozen a few months ago.  They are so handy and I use them often.  Must remember to do that again when they go on sale.  I let the beef and peppers cook for about 10 minutes, until the peppers were tender.

Add coleslaw and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

It was time for the bag of shredded cabbage and carrots.  I added them to the skillet and stirred well.  I let the peppers and cabbage fry with the ground beef for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I added garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

For seasonings I added garlic powder and onion powder.  I could have used minced garlic and diced tomatoes and added them while I was frying the beef, but oh well.  I went the easier route.

Add a can of petite diced tomatoes

Finally I needed some sauce to tie the flavors all together.  I added 2 cans of Rotel, the diced tomatoes and peppers would add flavors and a bit of heat.

Add two cans of Rotel or diced tomatoes and a little sriracha or cayenne.

I wanted a little more tomato sauce so I added a can of petite diced tomatoes.

Add half a small can of tomato paste, about 3 ounces

For even more tomato flavor I added 1/2 a can of tomato paste.

Stir and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Taste test for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a tablespoon of bacon grease (optional)

I stirred my skillet of goulash and let it cook for another 10 minutes to meld the flavors.  I taste tested halfway through and added more salt until I was pleased with it.

Coleslaw Goulash

As a special touch of flavor I added a tablespoon of bacon grease I collect in a jar in the fridge for such times as these.  The dish needed a little more fat and the bacon flavor would be a bonus.  Another taste test and I was super pleased with my finished dish!

Coleslaw Goulash

I served the coleslaw goulash with a side salad.  We loved the flavors in the goulash.  Changing out pasta for shredded cabbage was a success.  We had a nice low carb evening!