Crockpot Goulash

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup water
• 3 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans canned petite diced tomatoes (juice included)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups elbow pasta
• 1 cup pasta cooking water
• 2 cups extra sharp cheese (shredded)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large skillet, brown the ground beef (2 pounds) over medium-high heat, crumbling with as it cooks, until browned on both sides (It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through). Remove excess oil.

2. 2

   Add onion (1) and garlic (4) to the beef and cook until the onions are translucent about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large crockpot.

3. 3

   Add the water (1 cup), tomato sauce (3 (15-ounce) cans), petite diced tomatoes with their juice (2 (14.5-ounce) cans), soy sauce (2 tablespoons), Worcestershire sauce (2 teaspoons), sugar (¼ teaspoon), salt (2 teaspoons), pepper (½ teaspoon), Italian seasoning (2 tablespoons), Bay leaves (3) and stir. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 7-8 hours. After the goulash has cooked, remove bay leaves.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, cook the pasta (2 cups) in well-salted water, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain well then stir into crockpot. Add reserved pasta water 1/2 cup at a time to thin the sauce slightly. Only add more pasta water if consistency needs adjusting. Sprinkle cheese over top and serve.