Traditional goulash would have no tomatoes, and is thickened with potatoes, never flour. Potatoes instead of macaroni.

And paprika. Lots of sweet Hungarian paprika. Maybe some Italian seasonings, but not too much.

I should have said I meant the "American" word goulash. I guess some places call it macaroni and ground beef. Real Hungarian goulash is just so much above the dish I am talking about. I should have been more specific.

Okay, same answer, Italian-style seasonings and paprika. ;-)

Agree with paprika and maybe bay leaf.

Cheese..

Actually, the ingredients you list are good "as is".
A clear, fresh flavor that really needs no enhancement, other than a little salt & pepper.

You know, the "Less is more" theory.

Or maybe just a bit of italian type seasonings.

Rusty

My Mom used to add just a touch of cinnamon....

Rita

Sometimes I add cilantro.

Another time, I'll go for a chili-mac w/ chili powder & a little cumin.

Or Italian--w/ Italian seasonings--oregano, basil.

Sometimes just basil.

Keep meaning to try adding fennel. Haven't done it yet but it ought to be good.

The dish you are describing was called "marzetti" in the area of nothern Ohio in which I was reared. Goulash, or Hungarian goulash was an altogether different dish, more like what sushipup described.

Having lived in Texas for 40 years, the Italian style "goulash" seems not to be very common. However, a late friend from Indiana, made the dish often.

Now, going back to the OP's question, my experience with this dish is that it is fairly bland. I believe there are packages of seasoning mixes that can be added.

Johnny Marzetti, American Goulash, American Chopsuey, pretty much all the same thing. Johnny Marzetti, supposedly developed by a guy who owned a restaurant in Ohio usually has a little more lean to the Italian, with some oregano and parmesan cheese, while goulash and American chopsuey are more tomatoes onions peppers macaroni and hamburger....but for me cubes of American cheese or some shredded cheddar or Jack cheese are pretty much the norm in those dishes.

At home, Mom always called this dish 'More', as in 'gimmee some more of that.'

Later, when she served it in her restaurant, she put it on the daily menu as 'Goulash'. Mom grew up in Missouri & California; her restaurant was in Oklahoma. I've always called it 'goulash' and, least ways, in mid-America, that term works when you're talking about a mac-ground beef-tomato based dish. I've never eaten the Hungarian dish nor ever seen it on a menu. 'Goulash' can refer to either a food or, more generically, to a mish-mash of stuff, as in a hodgepodge. Or, to my way of thinking, a mish-mash of food. :)

Forgot to add that sometimes, when I want to take the dish to a Sante Fe type flavor, I'll go heavy on the green pepper & toss in some corn. That usually happens when I have corn leftovers in the refrig. If I have leftover spaghetti sauce, then it goes Italian. Any leftover pasta or rice gets thrown into the skillet as well. Dried jalapenos if I'm going for chili-mac. And my serving gets a liberal lacing of Tabasco for all except Italian style & that gets red pepper flakes.

Mom always baked hers in the oven & topped w/ sliced Cheddar & back into the oven to melt. I agree that it's better for doing some time in the oven but, as it's often a meal of last resort around here for when I'm too tired or too lazy to make anything else, mine is always a stove-top dish & almost never with cheese. (Because of the fat & calories in cheese, not because it doesn't taste good that way!)

Growing up we called it Beefaroni, I think after the commercial product, or maybe they called their product after my Mom's name for it! LOL

We had another dish growing up that we called hamburger stew. It was hamburger, gravy, potatoes and peas.

Now that I think of it Mom also made a Hamburger Stroganof using ground beef, gravy, sour cream served over noodles.

She used ground beef a lot!

I wonder if I would find it less bland if I threw in some red wine?

A little red wine never hurt anything. Oh, did you mean in the dish? ;-)

Around here, that's your typical macaroni hotdish and one of the first things I started making for myself when I got out on my own. You can season it any way you want but with those ingredients usually you don't need a lot more. I like lemon pepper and a bit of salt. I don't usually add cheese very often, I prefer it without, some like it. I'll occasionally toss in a can of rinsed kidney beans, possibly some pepperoni or other spicy sausage. Louisiana Hot Sauce and/or Teriyaki sauce goes well as does Worcestershire sauce or even a bit of BBQ sauce. You can modify leftovers too. Serve it with good crusty garlic bread with fresh ground pepper and you have a great meal.