Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
270 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%)
Madison says
It’s so delicious
Julie Evink says
Thank you!
Ashley says
I love this recipe but I’m trying to figure out why there are times the burn light shows up and other times it don’t. Also, I’m wondering the best way to salvage the food if the burn setting does appear?
I’m thinking that perhaps the tomato paste, if not measured precisely, or even using a bit less if altitude differs. Otherwise, five star for genius recipe, minus user error on my part.
Julie Evink says
So glad you love it! The burn light usually means something’s stuck—tomato paste can do that. Try stirring well and adding a splash more liquid. If it happens, just stop, stir, and restart.
Akiko says
This was a great recipe! I used ground turkey but it tasted fabulous. Served with asparagus made in the air fryer.
Julie Evink says
Yum! Sounds delicious!
Jess says
This recipe is a staple in my house! It’s my go-to “I don’t want to make dinner” dinner, and my husband never gets tired of it. I usually use ground turkey instead of beef to make it a little healthier, but otherwise I follow the recipe as is, and it never disappoints!
Julie Evink says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Jess!
Cindy says
it was dry? not creamy and the leftovers were extremely dry. I had to add some half and half, milk, sour cream. I’ve went over this like 10s in my head why is it to dry i like it creamy like the box. it tasted great but I need creamy
Julie Evink says
Oh shoot, I’m sorry to hear that Cindy! I hope adding those extra ingredients helped!
Erin says
We loved this and went for seconds!
Brooke Kill says
Yay! I’m happy to hear that Erin!
Megan Roderick says
I’ve been using the recipe for a couple years, it’s simple and perfect! I use venison burger and throw in some steamed broccoli. Yummy family meal!
Brooke Kill says
Delicious!! Thanks for sharing and rating the recipe!
Donna says
Way better tasting and much healthier than the famous boxed version…and just as easy to make.
I don’t like to change up most recipes very much, but I did add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon of chili powder for an overall flavor boost (that small amount of chili does not make the dish at all spicy) 😋
Brittany says
Plain, needed more salt and garlic, weak flavor, maybe a different cheese
Donna says
I make this “as is” on repeat at the request of my family, *except* that I add about two teaspoons of Italian seasoning and one teaspoon of chili powder.
That small amount of chili powder does not make dish spicy…just adds a nice flavor boost 😋
Thank you Julie…this is just delicious, way better tasting than the processed boxed version of chemicals and additives…and just as easy to make!!!
IJ says
Made this but used less salt but it still came out super salty. Not sure what I did wrong?
Jess says
Hi! I’m not sure what happened to make it so salty, but I usually use low-sodium beef broth and it works great!
sarabeth says
can you put this on keep warm? i’m trying to prep dinner:)
Sarah Hill says
Yes, you should be able to do that! The noodles might become a little less al dente over time but otherwise it should be just fine!
Beth says
I followed the recipe exactly but hit a burn notice. I didn’t have time to deal with it so I decided to just stop it and mix in the cheese since it had already been trying to come to pressure for over 20 min. It actually was cooked and tasted good. But I’m hesitant to make it again because of the burn notice. Any idea how to prevent this? I did scrape the bottom after browning the meat and there was nothing sticking.
Courtney says
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. This is always an important step for me when using my instant pot.
Caitlin Siska says
I love the flavour and ease of this recipe. Kids love it too, so this has become a staple in my house.
I also got the burn notice, and did add the broth and scraped beforehand, but possibly didn’t do it well enough? I also noticed after 2 tries of coming to temp and getting the burn notice, the noodles were cooked enough.
I have made it before and not had the notice so not sure of why it happened today? Will make it again.
Have you ever tried freezing and reheating?
Courtney says
The Instant Pot can be very picky. I am glad you still were able to enjoy the recipe! I have not frozen this recipe!
Trevor says
I also don’t stir much after adding noodles as some may go to bottom and cause the burn notice. As long as the macaroni is just in the Broth they will cook. All will mix together when stirring in the cheese