Homemade Hamburger Helper
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It only takes 15 minutes of hands-on time to make the best Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe for a simple weeknight meal! Ditch the box and amp up the flavor of this classic cheeseburger macaroni dish using this easy one pot recipe.
Table of contents
My first time making a homemade hamburger helper recipe was this Buffalo Cheeseburger Macaroni dish that I made back in 2014. It was so popular with my family, that I’ve made several different versions at home for an easy one pot meal.
This classic cheeseburger macaroni hamburger helper recipe tastes so much better than the box stuff, and it’s still super easy to make! It only takes an extra 5 minutes of hands-on time to make this homemade version from scratch, and you’ll love the flavor of this childhood favorite.
It’s also easy to customize this homemade recipe. I’ll share how to make it extra saucy, extra creamy, or how to sneak in some extra veggies. Be sure to bookmark this recipe because it’s guaranteed to become a new comfort food favorite with both kids and adults!
Ingredients
- Olive oil – another vegetable oil can be used, like avocado, sunflower or canola oil.
- Onion – I recommend a yellow onion for it’s nice, neutral flavor.
- Ground beef
- Tomato sauce
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder – you could also use two cloves of minced garlic, instead of the garlic powder. If you prefer using the fresh garlic, add it to the skillet with the onions during the last minute of cooking time, before you add the ground beef to the skillet.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the recipe.
- Beef broth – since the broth is used to make the sauce and cook the noodles, I recommend purchasing, or making, a high-quality beef stock, or broth. Beef stock has a richer, deeper flavor than beef broth. I found this Custom Culinary Beef Base at a restaurant supply store in San Diego and am absolutely obsessed with it. You can order it online direct with a $5 shipping charge. It’s a little expensive for beef bouillon, but oh my gosh the flavor is so good!
- Macaroni noodles – this recipe can also be made with other small pasta shapes, like small shells, penne, rotini, or cavatappi pasta. To make it gluten-free, use your favorite small gluten free pasta noodle.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – I always recommend sharp, over mild or medium cheddar cheese, because of it’s rich and robust flavor. For this recipe, you’ll want to freshly grate a block of cheese, so that it easily melts into the dish. The bags of pre-shredded cheese at the grocery store contain anti-caking additives that prevent them from melting as well.
- Heavy cream (optional) – if you want to make this dish a little saucier and creamier, stir in a half cup of heavy cream at the end.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook onions and ground beef. Heat olive oil in a large pot, or dutch oven, on the stove over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook for 4 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until it’s no longer pink. Drain any grease from the skillet, then place it back on the stove.
- Season the meat and make the sauce. Add tomato sauce, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine everything. Turn the heat on the stove up to high.
- Add the macaroni noodles, once the broth starts to boil. Use a spatula to press all of the noodles down until they’re fully covered in the liquid.
- Cook the hamburger helper. Place a lid on the pot, reduce the heat on the stove to medium, and cook for 18 minutes.
- Make it creamy! After 18 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and add the cheddar cheese and optional heavy cream. Stir to combine everything, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time, the sauce will thicken more. Use a serving spoon to scoop the pasta into bowls and optionally top the dish with fresh chopped parsley for a garnish.
Easy substitutions and variations
- Swap out the ground beef with ground turkey for a healthier option.
- Use ½ cup less beef broth to make it less saucy.
- Add 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese at the end with the cheddar cheese to make it extra creamy.
- Add a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with the tomato sauce, and reduce the beef broth by ½ cup, to add extra tomato flavor to the dish.
- Stir in 1-2 cups of steamed broccoli at the end to add veggies to the dish.
- Cook 1 cup diced bell peppers with the diced onions to add flavor and more veggies to the dish.
- Dice up 8 ounces of mushrooms and cook them with the onions to add a wonderful umami flavor and another vegetable to the dish.
- Swap out ½ cup beef broth with ½ cup buffalo sauce to add a kick of spice and flavor to the dish.
- Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper with the chili powder to spice up your homemade hamburger helper.
- Stir in ½ cup diced, cooked bacon at the end for a salty, crunchy addition.
Storage and reheating
Store homemade hamburger helper leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat the hamburger helper on the stove, or in the microwave.
To reheat it on the stove, add it to a pan on the stove over medium heat. Reheat it for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. To reheat it in the microwave, add it to a microwave-safe bowl, cover and reheat for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through the time.
What to serve with it
Pair the homemade hamburger helper with a salad, roasted vegetables, or bread for dipping into the saucy pasta dish. It’s really delicious with any of these side dish recipes!
More pasta recipes
If you love this homemade hamburger helper, you’re going to love these other easy pasta recipes!
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup heavy cream, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for 4 minutes. Add the ground beef, cook and crumble until no longer pink.
- Drain any grease from the pot, then add the tomato sauce, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add the beef broth and turn the heat on the stove up to high heat. Bring the broth to a boil, then add the macaroni noodles. Make sure to press down on the noodles so that they're fully covered in the liquid.
- Reduce the heat on the stove to medium, cover and simmer for 18 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid and add the cheddar cheese and optional heavy cream. Stir until the cheese is completely melted, then serve.
Notes
- Use ½ cup less beef broth to make it less saucy.
- Add 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese at the end with the cheddar cheese to make it extra creamy.
- Store homemade hamburger helper leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
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2 Comments on “Homemade Hamburger Helper”
Such an easy recipe, and brought back memories. Will definitely make this again and the recipe is wide open for my personal touches. Left out the cream and added sour cream when serving.
What a great and easy meal for the entire family.