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Homemade Hamburger Helper

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

4.94 from 170 votes
This one-skillet, creamy Homemade Hamburger Helper is made with ground beef, macaroni and cheese – real ingredients you can feel good about feeding your family for dinner!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, main dish
Cuisine: American

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound 93% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce (or tomato passata or puree)
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cups 2% milk (or dairy-free milk for DF)
  • 8 ounces dry pasta (such as cavatappi, rotini or elbows or small shells or gluten-free pasta if needed)
  • 1 cup part-skim sharp cheddar cheese (or dairy-free cheese for DF)

Instructions

  • Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt and paprika. Cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces until browned, 5-6 minutes. Add onion, garlic and cook until aromatic; 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce; reduce until almost dry and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add chicken broth and pasta and bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway until the pasta is almost tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
  • Uncover, add the milk, and cook, covered stirring periodically medium-low until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, uncover and stir in cheddar cheese.

Notes

Variations
  • Meat: Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or ground bison.
  • Dairy-Free: Hamburger helper is better with milk since it gives it a creamy texture, but you can substitute a dairy-free alternative, like unsweetened rice milk and use a dairy-free cheese like Violife, which is the one I find melts the best.
  • Soy-Free: If you have a soy allergy, you can omit the Worcestershire sauce or substitute coconut aminos.
  • Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
  • Cheese: Swap cheddar with shredded mozzarella or Monterey jack.
  • Cheeseburger Pasta: Chop tomato, pickles, and onion, mix it in a bowl with a little pickle juice, and put it on top.
  • Macaroni and Cheese: If you want it cheesier, like mac and cheese, add more cheddar.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cups, Calories: 453kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 35.5g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 511mg, Fiber: 2.5g, Sugar: 6g
- WW Points: 10