Easy one pot Homemade Hamburger Helper – Made with flavorful browned ground beef, tender macaroni pasta, and a creamy cheesy sauce. It’s a kid friendly recipe that the adults will love just as much!
Homemade hamburger helper that’s one hundred times better than a boxed mix, yet nearly just as easy! This is the nostalgic weeknight family dinner that will take you back to the 80’s and 90’s but will be so much better than you remember. It’s pure comfort food.
This recipe calls for simple everyday ingredients and finishes with such satisfying flavor. It’s the cozy dinner you’ll have on repeat. Nothing fancy, just a hearty, one pot, easy clean up dinner that is just what you need after a long day.
Pair it with a basic side salad or some steamed veggies to finish it off.
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil: This is used to brown the beef and to keep it from sticking to the pot.
- Ground beef: The protein used to make this a hearty meal. Use lean ground beef preferably 85% to 93%.
- Salt and black pepper: You’ll season the beef and the sauce to taste.
- Sugar: This is added to help the beef brown and to balance the acidity of the tomato paste.
- Yellow onion: Helps build up the base flavor of the dish.
- Garlic: Added to boost flavor.
- Paprika and cayenne pepper: These add flavor, while the cayenne also adds heat. You can omit the cayenne if preferred if you don’t like spicy food.
- Tomato paste: This adds a little tomato flavor to the sauce to compliment the beef.
- Beef broth: You could also use beef base and water in place of broth. Chicken broth will work too. This adds much more flavor than using water.
- Macaroni: Pasta is the foundation of the dish and it adds starches which improves the thickness of the sauce. Use gluten free pasta if making the dish gluten free.
- Heavy cream: A fair splash is added for rich creaminess.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: You can use sharp or extra sharp cheddar as preferred. This really improves the overall flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: Another sharp cheese that also enhances the flavor. The combination of the two cheeses here makes it extra delicious!
- Parsley: This is optional but it adds a nice pop of color and some freshness to a slightly dull looking dish.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
Prep the pot: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan, braiser, or pot over medium-high heat.
Dry and season beef: Dab ground beef dry with paper towels, season both sides lightly with salt and pepper, and with sugar.
Brown and break up beef: Break beef into large chunks and add to pot, using a spatula slightly press down on beef for good contact with pan. Let sear until nicely browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn beef, continue to cook and break unto small pieces until cooked through.
Set beef aside: Transfer beef to a plate lined with paper towels, leave 1 Tbsp rendered fat in pan.
Saute aromatics: Return pan to medium heat. Add onion and saute until nearly softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic saute 30 seconds, then sprinkle in paprika and cayenne pepper and cook 15 seconds while stirring.
Add in tomato paste and cook 30 seconds while stirring.
Add liquids, return beef: Pour in beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from pan. Stir in cooked beef, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer with pasta: Bring mixture to a simmer over medim-high heat then add macaroni pasta. Stir, then cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until pasta is al dente stirring once halfway through, about 6 to 10 minutes total.
Add cream, rest: Stir in cream then remove from heat and let rest 1 minute uncovered.
Mix in cheeses: Stir in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Let rest a few minutes until thickened. As it sits longer it will thicken more, thin with more broth as needed.
Garnish: Top with parsley and serve warm.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge storage: Homemade hamburger helper can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer storage: It can be frozen in an airtight container up to 3 months, thaw before reheating. Cook just to al dente or even slightly under so pasta isn’t mushy upon thawing and reheating.
How to reheat: Reheat individual servings in a microwave safe dish on 50% power until warmed through.
Reheat larger batches on the stovetop on a pot, adding a splash or two of milk or beef broth, and stir frequently for even heating. Another option would be to reheat a larger portion in a 325 degree oven in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil.
Helpful Tips
Measure pasta by weight: Pasta volume to weight varies by brand so for best results measure by weight. By this measurement your pasta should accurately absorb the amount of sauce included.
Sear the beef: Rather than just cooking the beef through, let it mostly rest and sear as it cooks for more browning and a huge flavor boost to the dish. If you over-stir you’ll just end up with almost grey, flavor lacking beef.
Adequately season with salt: To keep the dish from tasting flat add enough salt, but do be careful to not overdue it as the cheeses will add some salt as well.
Cook pasta to al dente: The pasta will continue to cook off heat from the residual heat remaining so it’s best to cook just until its tender with a slight bite to it in the center.
Add more cheese to taste: For an extra cheesy pasta you can always include more cheese as desired.
Possible Variations
Ground turkey: In place of beef you can also use ground turkey. Use chicken broth in place of beef broth as well.
Whole wheat pasta: For more nutrients you can make this with a whole grain or legume pasta such as whole wheat pasta or chick pea pasta.
Gluten free hamburger helper: To make this gluten free use an equal weight gluten-free macaroni pasta. Ensure other ingredients are packaged gluten free as well.
Add vegetables: For more vitamins and minerals you could include a vegetable right in with the dish. Ingredients like sautéed bell pepper, mushrooms, or zucchini are great. Or raw tomatoes, corn, or spinach could be added when simmering.
More Cozy One Pot Dinner Recipes to Try
Homemade Hamburger Helper
A comforting one pot dish made with flavorful browned ground beef, tender macaroni pasta, and a creamy cheesy sauce. It’s a kid friendly recipe that the adults will love just as much!
Servings: 5
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Heat olive oil in a large saute pan, braiser, or pot over medium-high heat.
-
Dab ground beef dry with paper towels, season both sides lightly with salt and pepper, and with sugar.
-
Break beef into large chunks and add to pot, using a spatula slightly press down on beef for good contact with pan. Let sear until nicely browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn beef, continue to cook and break unto small pieces until cooked through.
-
Transfer beef to a plate lined with paper towels, leave 1 Tbsp renedered fat in pan.
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Return pan to medium heat. Add onion and saute until nearly softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic saute 30 seconds, then sprinkle in paprika and cayenne pepper and cook 15 seconds while stirring.
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Add in tomato paste and cook 30 seconds while stirring.
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Pour in beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from pan. Stir in cooked beef, season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Bring mixture to a simmer over medim-high heat then add macaroni pasta. Stir, then cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until pasta is al dente stirring once halfway through, about 6 to 10 minutes total.
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Stir in cream then remove from heat and let rest 1 minute uncovered. Stir in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Let rest a few minutes until thickened. As it sits longer it will thicken more, thin with more broth as needed.
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Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
To make this gluten free use an equal weight gluten-free macaroni pasta. Ensure other ingredients are packaged gluten free as well.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Amount Per Serving
Calories 558
Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 115mg38%
Sodium 641mg28%
Potassium 1005mg29%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 1340IU27%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 284mg28%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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