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
- 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
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.
Juli says
Absolutely amazing!!! I made it with frozen ground beef first and them followed your directions. Such a high hit in a house with 4 kiddos 12 and up!! Thank you so much. 🙂
Julie says
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was a hit with the whole family!
emily says
there’s an option to jump right to the recipe.
Mandy says
This has been in our rotation for months now!!! Very nostalgic meal for my husband and I and ALL of my kids love it!
Julie says
I love to hear when recipes are kid approved! Glad it’s a hit with your family!
Glinda says
I’m sorry this one didn’t do it for me, The ratio of pasta to meat was too much pasta so I cut the amount of pasta in half. Also, the seasonings were just bland but those are easily adjusted to fit an individual’s taste. I did like the guidelines for cooking this in the Instant Pot. Thank you for sharing!
Julie says
You’re welcome! Sorry it wasn’t quite up to par for you!
David says
I made this with Beyond Meat’s ground beef. Tasted great, nothing had to be killed and the environment didn’t have to suffer.
Julie says
Glad you enjoyed it!
name says
Wow, super awesome that you have to scroll through a gazillion pop-up ads and non-related narrative to get to the ingredient list with actual amounts listed.
CJinUSA says
Think “CTRL+F”” and enter PRINT as word to find to get to recipe!
Jennifer @ Habitat for Mom says
The boyfriend just went to get ingredients! Making this tonight! 🙂
Julie says
I hope you enjoy it!
Dan Barrett says
My wife had me cook this and it turned out great. Super easy ecen for us dad’s that dont cook all the time.
Julie says
Excellent! The Instant Pot can be a wonderful tool for simple meals!
Tiffany says
Big hit!! Picky 3 year old ate it all and husband gave 2 compliments!! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe 🙂
I added siracha to my own plate, and was super yummy!
Julie says
YES!! I love kid and husband approved reviews! I’m so glad it was a big hit with everyone!
Samantha says
Made this last night and it came out perfect! I’m new to IP and am nervous with new recipes thinking I’ll overcook the meat or noodles, but not in this case at all! The dish was tasty, filling, noodles cooked to perfection, meat tender.
Julie says
The Instant Pot can be a bit intimidating to start but it’s an amazing tool! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one!
Mykell says
This was really good! I gave 4 stars because it was drier than expected so I added milk at the end. This will go in our rotation for sure.
Julie says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Rebecca says
So much better then the box!!! My girls love it and ask for it for lunch. All the kids at school are envious of my girl’s lunch!!! Thanks for the awsome recipe 🙂 !!
Julie says
You’re welcome! I love to hear when recipes are kid approved – thank you for the review!
Tami says
This sounds so yummy, quick, and easy! My only question is do you drain the grease after sautéing the beef? Thanks!
Tara says
How big is one serving?
Julie says
It would be 1/8 of the total amount – maybe roughly 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup.
Julie says
That is up to you, I personally don’t but you definitely could.
ANN says
Very good! Quick and tasty.
Julie says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Alyssa Glovan says
I apologize if someone already asked this and/or ya already stated this somewhere but for the nutrition info…is that total/for the 8 servings? What is a serving size?
Julie says
That nutritional information is for 1 serving.
Philip says
Any idea what the serving size is? 1 1/2 cup?
Julie says
I’m not sure what the exact serving size would be, those numbers are approximate but I would guess you are pretty close with 1 – 1 1/2 cups.