I grew up eating goulash. It’s a hearty and relatively inexpensive meal that’s flavorful and colorful. I also love Mexican food. So when I had ingredients to suit both, I got creative. This is one of the first recipes I ever made. It’s still a favorite.

Serves 6

12 oz pasta (rotini, macaroni, whatever you have)

4 cups vegetable broth (divided)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1 small onion diced

1 hot pepper diced

1 lb ground beef

1 taco seasoning packet

2 Tbsp butter

8 oz cheddar cheese

5 rounded Tbsp salsa (or can of diced tomatoes, drained)

½ tsp paprika

Bring 3 ¼ cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add and cook pasta (stirring often). In the mean time, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onions 1-2 minutes until they soften. Add garlic and pepper, sauté 1-2 minutes more until onions are translucent. Add beef, brown and drain excess fat. In a medium sauce pan heat remaining ¾ cup of broth and butter. Add and melt cheese and paprika (because this dish is partially Hungarian! And it gives pretty flecks of color to the cheese sauce.) Remove from heat.

Check your pasta for doneness and remove from heat if necessary, it should have absorbed the liquid, so no need to drain. Then add pasta and cheese sauce to meat mixture in the skillet. Toss until all components are mixed together. Then take pleasure in the opportunity to bring two diverse cuisines into one yummy dish!