Step 1

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef along with the finely diced sweet onion and green pepper. Continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked and the onions and peppers have softened. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.

Step 2

Transfer the cooked beef mixture to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.

Step 3

Add the minced garlic, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, and granulated sugar to the slow cooker. Stir the ingredients to combine. Note: Do not add the elbow macaroni at this stage.

Step 4

Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. The objective is to allow the flavors to meld together during this time.

Step 5

Approximately one hour before the end of the cooking time, add the uncooked elbow macaroni to the slow cooker. Stir to incorporate the macaroni into the mixture. Cover and continue cooking until the noodles are cooked to al dente or to your preferred level of tenderness.

Step 6

Serve the goulash hot, accompanied by fresh garlic bread and a salad for a complete meal.