Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
210 Comments
Posted: 01/20/19
Updated: 09/04/21
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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
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
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!
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!
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 Information
Calories: 664kcal (33%), Carbohydrates: 46g (15%), Protein: 38g (76%), Fat: 35g (54%), Saturated Fat: 20g (125%), Cholesterol: 116mg (39%), Sodium: 909mg (40%), Potassium: 676mg (19%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 800IU (16%), Vitamin C: 2.5mg (3%), Calcium: 562mg (56%), Iron: 2.6mg (14%)
Bailey says
I wouldn’t change a thing. Delicious! I used random ass cheeses we had in the fridge. It tastes like the real thing!
Julie Evink says
Wonderful to hear Bailey! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Stacy says
My family loved this recipe! I used 2 pounds of ground beef instead of one because my husband loves meat. I also used season salt instead of kosher for flavor and it came out awesome. It was so much better than the box stuff and I believe healthier cause you can control the ingredients that go into the meal. Maybe I’ll add jalapeño peppers or chili powder next time. This will definitely be a mainstay meal in our home.
Julie Evink says
Those would be great addition Stacy!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Kourtney says
The kids and husband absolutely loved this! I actually used Deer/Vision ground meat with a few squirts of Dijon mustard to help with the Game taste. Perfect recipe. Thank you!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it and great tips!
Robin Southern says
I made this tonight because my daughter ordered a similar dish yesterday in a restaurant that was lacking a bit of flavor. It was a homerun! I added two jalapeño peppers as they were about to go south on me and boy oh boy the flavor! Thanks for a great recipe
Julie Evink says
Wonderful to hear Robin! So glad you enjoyed it!
Brenda says
This is a family favorite. I brought my IP along on vacation and this was a quick and easy meal. We now call this South Dakota goulash. I’ve also used a couple of TBs of taco seasoning and salsa instead of tomato paste for a twist on the recipe
Julie Evink says
That sounds delicious!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Kat says
This is really tasty. So glad I found this recipe
Julie Evink says
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Betty M Zink says
Easy and really good.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Kylene says
I am wanting to make this soon, but a little nervous about the 5 minutes for the pasta. When I make mac and cheese I only put it on 2 minutes and still do quick release. Are your noodles too soft when you do 5 minutes?
Julie Evink says
I personally don’t think so, but each person is different. Start with the 2 minutes and go from there!
Christine says
This is a very good hamburger helper like recipe. Mine first time I had a food burn as the fluid wasn’t enough. I like how much you can do with the recipe once you get use to it!
Heather says
Awesome 👍
Julie Evink says
Great to hear Heather! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Diana says
Great! I needed a way to make a quick Mac & cheese like dinner with ground beef & didn’t feel like chili. This totally worked. I used smoked Gouda instead ’cause that’s what was in the fridge. I needed to know how long to cook it without getting mushy – your instructions were spot on! Thanks!
Julie Evink says
That sounds so yummy!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Anna says
This was very easy to make and so flavorful. My husband loved it. I didn’t have any beef broth on hand so I used chicken broth instead. Turned out fine.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Anna! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!