Homemade Hamburger Helper

Who remembers Hamburger Helper from their childhood? It’s a classic that we all know and love. Now, you can make it at home in one pot with ingredients you know and trust. This homemade version of your favorite Cheeseburger Macaroni is so much better than the boxed version. It’s made in one pot, is cheesy, rich and delicious. Plus, the kids will love it!

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Homemade Hamburger Helper is sooo much better than the boxed stuff! Beef, pasta and a savory sauce all simmered together on the stove. Add some cheese and you get a delicious dinner! Not gonna lie, I loved the boxed stuff growing up but have you ever looked at the ingredient list? Eeek!

My kids love it, so I came up with this from-scratch Instant Pot Hamburger Helper, but a few of your don’t have a pressure cooker, so then I made a one pot stove-top version. My kids loving refer to this as cheeseburger macaroni!

It’s not hard to make and everything, including the pasta, cooks together in one pan on the stove. So easy! I like to serve it with a veggie on the side like roasted cauliflower, asparagus or a simple salad.

If you’re craving a hearty beef and pasta dinner you have to give this a try! It’s a great weeknight meal.

Why You’ll Love Homemade Hamburger Helper

• This is made with wholesome ingredients and no preservative or additives. A real food recipe this your whole family will love.
• Make this easy hamburger helper in one pot. No extra dishes to clean up, making busy evenings so much easier!
• Homemade hamburger helper beef pasta takes under a half hour to make. Super quick and oh so tasty!

Ingredients for Homemade Hamburger Helper

• Ground beef – I recommend using lean ground beef so that your hamburger helper isn’t too greasy. Ground chicken and ground turkey also work if you want more lean options.
• Vegetable oil – Use a splash of vegetable oil to help cook the onions and ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Olive oil or another neutral oil would work too!
• Yellow onion diced – Dice up a yellow onion and sauté with the ground beef to make this dish super flavorful.
• Minced garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds so much flavor to any recipe. It’s so tasty in this hamburger helper.
• Kosher salt – Use a little salt to help season up everything perfectly.
• Ground black pepper – Black pepper adds just the right amount of warmth and flavor to this dish.
• Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is just about the easiest way to add loads of flavor to any dish.
• Tomato paste – I like to grab tubes of tomato paste so that I don’t have half a can left after only using two tablespoons.
• Low sodium beef broth – Use low sodium so that you can more easily control the salt level. Chicken broth works too!
• Water – You’ll need a cup of water along with the broth to cook the noodles.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – Make this classic comfort food extra creamy with some shredded cheddar cheese.
• Elbow macaroni – Just add dry noodles right into the same pot as everything else! That’s what’s so convenient about this one pot meal. You can use different types of pasta too — penne, rotini, farfalle, any small pasta will work.

How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper

Add vegetable oil to a large pot or dutch oven, then cook the ground beef and diced onion over medium-high heat. Just about the time the beef is done, add the garlic and cook it all for a minute longer. Drain off the excess grease from the pan.

Lower the heat to low and then add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add the broth, water and uncooked pasta, give it all a stir.

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.

Take the pot off the heat and add the cheese. Stir until it’s melted. Spoon all the beefy, cheesy, pasta goodness onto plates and devour!

Can I make hamburger helper without meat?

Yes, you can! If you don’t want to add meat, just skip it! Cook the onions until they’ve softened and then follow the recipe as written. You could also add mushrooms to get a meaty texture without meat – just cook the mushrooms with onions until they have released their moisture and have turned a nice golden brown. This usually takes about 10 minutes.

Variations for Homemade Hamburger Helper

What’s great about this recipe is that you can adjust and add things to change it up!

• Add some canned diced tomatoes. Add them when you add the broth and pasta!
• Chopped bell peppers add a nice flavor, too! Cook them with the onions and ground beef. If you like a kick of heat add some chopped jalapeno, too.
• You can also add mushrooms – any kind will work! Cook them with the onions and beef.
• Substitute the beef for ground turkey, pork or chicken.
• Feel free to change up the seasonings! Add some dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, or other dried herbs like parsley or thyme when you cook the beef. A few pinches of red pepper flakes or some chili powder adds a nice spicy bite, too.
• You can also add some fresh herbs – chopped parsley or cilantro work well! Just wait to add them until the end so they stay nice and fresh.

How to Store Leftover Hamburger Helper

The leftovers keep really well! Just stick transfer to an airtight container and allow to cool completely before placing the lid on.

FRIDGE: The leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days.

FREEZER: Or make a big batch and freeze it for easy dinners on those crazy busy nights. When you make it let it cool and then keep it in a freezer-safe container. It will be good for two to three months. For best results, thaw it before you rewarm on the stove or in the microwave.

Reheat in the microwave or stovetop for easy lunches!

What to Serve with Hamburger Helper

This delicious one pot dinner can be served all on its own, or with some tasty sides. A warm dinner roll with butter will just level up the comfort food feeling of this wonderful meal!

Some air fryer broccoli or roasted vegetables are a lovely pairing. For a fun, kid-friendly side, make some air fryer tater tots or crispy potato wedges.

I love to finish off this meal with a simple dessert too! Monster cookie bars and easy banana bread are perfect.

This easy homemade hamburger helper recipe is so much fun! Remake some of you childhood favorites with simple recipes just like this one.

More Easy One Pot Dinner Recipes!

• Pizza Pasta combines two favorite dinners in one! You only need one pot and 30 minutes to make it.
• One-Pot Mexican Chicken & Rice is a quick and easy dinner with a southwestern flair!
• Bacon Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese is a hearty and comforting one-pan dinner that’s always a hit!
• Hamburger and Zucchini Skillet is a light and healthy one-pan meal that your family will love!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

4.83 from 126 votes

Hamburger Helper

A delicious one pot meal full of hamburger, cheese and more! This homemade version of Hamburger Helper is amazing!

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:15 minutes mins

Total:25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb ground beef
• ▢ 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• ▢ 1/2 c. yellow onion diced
• ▢ 1 Tbsp garlic minced
• ▢ 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 4 c. low sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 c. water
• ▢ 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ 16 oz elbow macaroni dry

Instructions

• In a large skillet or dutch oven brown ground beef and onions over medium high heat. During the last minute of cooking add garlic. Drain off grease.
• Reduce heat to low and add in salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Stir until combined.
• Add in broth, water and elbow macaroni. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until macaroni is cooked through.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Cover and let melt.

Tips

Recipe Variations

• Add some canned diced tomatoes. Add them when you add the broth and pasta!
• Chopped bell peppers add a nice flavor, too! Cook them with the onions and ground beef. If you like a kick of heat add some chopped jalapeno, too.
• You can also add mushrooms – any kind will work! Cook them with the onions and beef.
• Substitute the beef for ground turkey, pork or chicken.
• Change up the seasonings! Add some dried Italian seasoning or other dried herbs like parsley or thyme when you cook the beef. A few pinches of red pepper flakes add a nice spicy bite, too.
• You can also add some fresh herbs – chopped parsley or cilantro work well! Just wait to add them until the end so they stay nice and fresh.

Can you make it without meat?

Yes! Cook the onions until they’ve softened and then follow the recipe as written. You could also add mushrooms to get a meaty texture without meat – just cook the mushrooms with onions until they have released their moisture and have turned a nice golden brown. This usually takes about 10 minutes.

Leftovers

Another thing I love is that the leftovers keep really well! Just stick them in a container and reheat in the microwave for easy lunches. Jason always loves to get his second helping for lunch the next day! The leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Or make a big batch and freeze it for easy dinners on those crazy busy nights – you know what I’m talking about, right? When everyone’s going in ten directions and there’s no time to cook? I’ve been there! When you make it let it cool and then keep it in a freezer-safe container. It will be good for two to three months. For best results, thaw it before you rewarm on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 648kcal (32%), Carbohydrates: 61g (20%), Protein: 37g (74%), Fat: 28g (43%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Cholesterol: 93mg (31%), Sodium: 847mg (37%), Potassium: 845mg (24%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 476IU (10%), Vitamin C: 3mg (4%), Calcium: 323mg (32%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.