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Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
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Put the box away and make this homemade hamburger helper. This Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is quick and easy, plus the entire family will love it! It brings me back to my childhood and I remember eating it at my parent’s table. The flavor is amazing and I love that it’s an easy dinner recipe in my pressure cooker. Put this Cheeseburger Macaroni on your regular rotation!
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
If you were like me, you grew up eating Hamburger Helper, right? It was always a favorite meal in our house! And I know it was a favorite for Mom too because it was quick and easy to make. We ALL love that!
BUT, now that the holidays are here and gone you have one gift you haven’t opened yet, right? Or well maybe you’ve opened it, but you’re not quite sure you want to cook with it yet? I’m talking about your Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot!
Maybe you’ve been looking at instant pot recipes like; Pressure Cooker Swedish Meatballs, Instant Pot Beef Taco Soup, Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo or Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
The pressure cooker can seem a little daunting, right? Well, I’m here to tell you, don’t be afraid! It’s really easy to use, so if you’re new to the IP (short for Instant Pot) let’s start with this simple easy recipe! If you’re an old hat and you’ve been using your pressure cooker for some time, then great!
Either way, you’re going to love this recipe!
Let’s get started by answering some quick questions.
Are instant pots safe?
Absolutely! Here are a couple things to keep in mind:
- Pressure cookers actually have a built-in safety feature that will not allow you to open the lid until it’s safe. Don’t worry, the top won’t blow off!
- Because forceful hot steam is released when the pressure valve is opened, be sure to place it on a counter away from the bottom of your cupboard so it can vent easily.
- Don’t overfill it. Be sure to follow the recipe and the manufacturers’ instructions.
Does that make you more comfortable? GREAT!! Now let’s talk about how to make this super delicious, quick and easy Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni!
Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
I developed this recipe because my most popular recipe on this blog is my Instant Pot Hamburger Stroganoff and these recipes are like brother and sisters… different yet kind of the same concept!
Grocery List for Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
- vegetable oil
- ground beef
- yellow onion
- garlic
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato paste
- beef broth
- cheddar cheese
- elbow macaroni dry
How do you cook ground beef in an instant pot?
The great thing about the pressure cooker is they come with a saute function. You do not have to dirty an extra pan. Set the IP to saute when it’s time to brown the ground beef.
Can you cook hamburger helper in instant pot?
From start to finish yes! It will be 100 times better than what you get in a box! If you don’t have a pressure cooker try my stovetop hamburger helper!
Steps to make Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Add the oil to the pressure cooker and set to sauté.
- Next, add ground beef and diced onion. Brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes.
- Season with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Pour in 1/4 c. of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any pieces of beef that may be stuck to the bottom.
- Add the rest of the broth and macaroni. Stir well.
- Lock the lid, turn the pressure valve to closed and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
- When instant pot beeps and is done cooking, quick release the steam valve.
- Stir in the cheese until melted and combined.
See?!! Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni is easy, delicious and made in the pressure cooker takes no time at all! I really hope you give this a try and when you do, be sure to come and comment below and give me five stars for this tasty recipe!
I know everyone in your family will love it as much as we do – even your picky eaters!!
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Hamburger Stroganoff
- Pressure Cooker Mac and Cheese
- How to Make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes!
- French Onion Pressure Cooker Meatloaf
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Pork Roast with Vegetables
I have lots of Instant Pot Recipes on the blog – be sure and find your new favorite recipe!
p.s. before I go let me see if I can entice you a little more into using your pressure cooker …. Did you know it’s dishwasher safe? Yup! The stainless steel cooking vessel can be placed right into your dishwasher! Even the top can be put in there! Just be sure to place it on the top rack!
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper Recipe
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper is quick and easy, plus the entire family will love it! The flavor is amazing and I love that it's an easy dinner recipe in my pressure cooker. Put this Cheeseburger Macaroni on your regular rotation!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 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
- 2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 16 oz elbow macaroni dry
Instructions
- Add vegetable oil to instant pot and set to saute.
- Add ground beef and onion. Cook and crumble until ground beef is cooked is almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper to pot. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in 1/4 c. of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any pieces of beef that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot. This will prevent the burn indicator on the instant pot when pressure cooking.
- Add the rest of the broth and macaroni. Stir and make sure the macaroni is submerged into the broth.
- Lock the lid, seal the valve and set the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes.
- When instant pot is done cooking, quick release the steam valve. Stir in the cheese until completely melted and combined.
Nutrition
Calories: 664kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 38gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 909mgPotassium: 676mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 562mgIron: 2.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Not bad. Made this for lunch today and it was actually pretty tasty. Next time, I’ll need to add more spices. It was definitely missing something
You can definitely play with the spices on this one, glad you enjoyed it!
The family really liked this. I added a bit more cheese and I think I will use milk as half the liquid next time to make it creamier.
Glad you all enjoyed it!
Can I use tomato sauce instead of paste?
Tomato paste is much thicker than tomato sauce so it might not make as thick of a sauce but you could try it!
Very good, even the gluten free noodles were cooked perfectly.
Awesome! I’m glad to hear that, I know others have asked about gluten free options. Thanks for sharing!
This is so delicious! We have made it several times and the whole family loves it. Not to mention, it is easy and we usually have all the ingredients on hand, plus there is enough leftover for lunch the next day. Thanks!
Thanks Kaitlin! I’m so glad you love this one!
I have cooked this twice under quarantine and my entire family loves it! Shared the recipe with my friend and her family loved it as well. Thanks so much for this tasty, easy dish!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Which setting is best for the 5 minutes cooking? I’m instapot has different pressure settings. Or is there a way to do just manual cook time? I have a crockpot brand
High pressure for the 5 minute pressure cook.
What size insta pot do you use? Can I use this receipt on a 3 quart?
I have a 6 quart. I would half the ingredients to make it in a 3 quart, cook times will remain the same.
Instead of adding cheese, I added frozen veggies. I also decreased the noddles to half. It was delicious.
Veggies are a great addition! I’m glad you loved it!
I did this in the Instant Pot and I think 4 cups of broth was too much liquid.
Sorry to hear that!
Very easy and yummy, too! I added one diced onion and some garlic. I used a bit more than 2 cups of broth, too. It’s a keeper! Thank you for sharing it.
You’re welcome! Glad it’s a keeper!
Do you drain the meat before adding the other ingredients?
No you don’t need to.
I did; doesn’t hurt to lower fat!
My husband said this tastes just like hamburger helper. One kid loved it. One kid decided she didn’t like it before she even sat down at the table (sigh). Our family rated it from 1-4 stars with an average of 3.
Sometimes it’s hard to please the whole family, I’m glad it was a hit with a few of you!