Description
A fun and festive twist on traditional goulash, this Ghostly Ghoul-ash features a hearty mix of ground beef, tomato sauce, and vegetables, topped with spooky sour cream ghosts. It’s a perfect Halloween dish that can be served over baked or mashed potatoes or pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
- 4 large potatoes (steamed and cubed or mashed)
- Sour cream (for ghosts)
- Sliced olives (for ghost eyes)
Instructions
- Cook the Vegetables:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the diced green bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Brown the Meat:
- Add the ground beef to the pan. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add Sauce and Simmer:
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and frozen corn. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- At the last minute, stir in the fresh basil.
- Serve:
- Spoon the goulash over baked, mashed, or steamed potatoes, or serve it over cooked pasta.
- Make the Sour Cream Ghosts:
- Place about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sour cream in a zip-top bag and push it into one corner. Snip off the tip of the bag and pipe little ghost shapes (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each) onto each serving of goulash.
- Place two olive slices on each ghost to make eyes.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground beef with lentils or a plant-based meat alternative.
- Adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or less red pepper flakes.
- If you don’t like olives, you can use capers or small pieces of vegetables for the ghost eyes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 14mg