One pot and under 30 minutes? Yes! This homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is a fast dinner option that’s satisfying, comforting, and so darn delicious.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
It’s easier than I realized to recreate Hamburger Helper at home, or to just try a homemade version of this popular option if you’ve not had it before. This skillet meal is great for those nights when you want fewer pots to wash and also want a crowd-pleaser.
This pasta recipe has it all: protein, comfort, cheesiness, and an easy method. You can add veggies if you want, you can swap in vegetarian ingredients to make this without meat, and you can make it ahead to serve it up at a later time.
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to make this recipe so you know what to have on hand or pick up from the store.
- Olive oil: I like to sauté ground beef in a little olive oil (or you can use butter) to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Ground beef: You can use any type of ground beef you prefer. The only difference will be a potential need to drain the pan if you use a ground beef with a higher percentage of fat.
- Onion: I like to grate a small onion into the mixture to add flavor without having tiny pieces of onion in the mixture, which can be off putting to some kids.
- Tomato paste: This concentrated paste adds rich tomato flavor and helps the result taste like the classic Hamburger Helper recipe.
- Garlic powder and chili powder: A combination of these spices adds flavor (without heat) to the pasta and beef mixutre.
- Elbow macaroni: I love using this classic pasta shape in this dish so it looks like it always has and because this type of pasta cooks through really quickly.
- Beef broth: You can use regular or reduced-sodium beef broth to complement the flavor of the beef. This is what the pasta cooks in, so it adds a lot of flavor. Feel free to use chicken stock if that’s what you have.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is stirred into the pan towards the end of the process and helps the mixture be cheesy and delicious. You can use white or yellow cheddar, sharp or mild, according to what your family prefers.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is an overview of how to make this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information, including amounts of ingredients and the timing.
- Set a large pot over medium heat. Cook the beef and onions.
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender.
- Once the liquid is absorbed, remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the cheese to melt. Serve.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, sprinkle with water and cover with a plate or wax paper and warm for 30-60 seconds, stirring halfway through.
Best Tips for Success
- Use lean ground beef if desired, or drain off any excess fat once the meat is done cooking.
- Add 8 ounces tomato sauce at the end of cooking for a more robust tomato flavor.
- Top with minced fresh parsley if desired.
- Use a favorite gluten-free pasta: the one from Barilla works particularly well in this recipe.
- Omit the beef to make this vegetarian and sub fully cooked brown lentils or a plant-based meat substitute.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share.
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion (peeled and grated)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pasta, such as elbow macaroni
- 1 quart beef broth (reduced sodium if desired)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Set a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil to warm. Then, add the beef and onions and cook until the beef has browned, about 8-10 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain any excess fat from the pot.
- Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.
- Add the beef broth and turn the heat to high. When it boils, reduce to medium so the liquid simmers with steady but calm bubbles. (So just not vigorously.)
- Add the pasta to the pot and stir gently.
- Cook until the pasta is just tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, or for about 14-16 minutes. It's OK if there's some liquid remaining, as it will be absorbed as the pasta sits.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese to melt.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, sprinkle with water and cover with a plate or wax paper and warm for 30-60 seconds, stirring halfway through.
- Use lean ground beef if desired, or drain off any excess fat once the meat is done cooking.
- Add 1 cup finely diced mushrooms to the pan with the onion and beef to easily add a veggie.
- Add 8 ounces tomato sauce at the end of cooking for a more robust tomato flavor.
- Top with minced fresh parsley if desired.
This is pretty much exactly the goulash recipe I grew up with if you added Worcestershire sauce. This will be even better though because it doesn’t have the diced tomatoes which my kids hate! I am going to try this tonight for sure!
Also, what a great idea grating the onions is! Seems so simple but I never thought to do it!
Enjoy!
Amazingly delicious recipe considering how simple it is! My 12 month old loved it and so did I. I used 1/2 lb of ground beef instead of the full pound and it was actually plenty of meat.
This is so good! Added diced carrots to the beef and onion, then made it exactly as written. 16 mo could not get enough and kept asking for more… and more… and more.
This is delicious!!! So easy to make. Barely any dirty dishes. Now added to my meal rotation. 🙂
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this, it was great both times! I skipped the 1/2 tsp salt and shouldn’t have, it needs the little bit of extra salt. Very easy and made two dinners for 4 people (2 adults and 2 preschoolers).
I made this tonight for my 12 month old who typically does not like meat right now. She LOVED it and ate two bowls! I also added about 2 cups of finely chopped cooked cauliflower at the end which was completely unnoticeable in the final dish.
My 4 year old said “Yummy!”
We used to make the store bought version all the time, but stopped because of all the additives they put in and the fake cheese sauce. This version is awesome, was enjoyed by all and easy to make. Thank you so much!
I used chicken broth (what I had on hand) and did add the tomato sauce and it was delicious. I love when I have most ingredients in my pantry and it truly only takes like 30 minutes to get dinner made. My kids wouldn’t eat it, but that’s nothing new for “mixed up” foods.
I loved this! My husband and I both devoured this dinner. I used sharp tillamook cheddar but I think next time I would do mild and maybe add carrots or mushroom for a veg. A truly great meal!
This was great! I made adjustments, similar to others, where I reduced the cheese by about half and also added some frozen veggies at the end (a carrot/pea blend). Turned out really delicious. I did end up using all the liquid the recipe calls for. I used Banza pasta elbows, if that makes any difference to the liquid needs. Definitely a keeper of a recipe.
This recipe is a home run! So easy, and insanely flavorful and delicious. Thank you so much for this, I know it’s going to be a new regular in our rotation.
Truly like Hamburger Helper, but better! This was easy to make and absolutely delicious. The flavours are spot on. The only note I’d make is to consider the cooking time of your pasta and adjust the liquid accordingly; I used elbow macaroni and the directions said 4 minutes to al dente, so I used about 2/3 of the broth suggested, and my pasta was cooked in about 6 minutes with no broth leftover. I also held back about 1 cup of the cheese, just due to personal preference. Will most definitely be making this again!
Made this tonight! My kids wouldn’t eat it but my husband and I loved it. We added peas!! *chefs kiss*. Thanks for the easy recipe. I will keep trying it with the kids and hopefully they enjoy it someday soon! 🙂
This recipe tastes just like hamburger helper. So quick and easy to make.
Really easy to make and tasty! I followed the recipe almost exactly and tossed in a cup of peas at the end which was great. If I make it again I’ll omit the cheese as it was too rich for me but nonetheless so tasty! My toddler helped me and said it was so delicious!