Hamburger Helper Recipe

This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe has ground beef, macaroni, and a flavorful cheesy cheddar sauce! Its total comfort food thats inexpensive and ready in about 30 minutes.

When I was little, my mom made everything from scratch. I do fondly remember a few boxed meals from visiting friends houses in the 90s, though. One was Hamburger Helper, and that brings up all the nostalgia. Naturally, I had to recreate an even better Hamburger Helper from scratch! I like mine because you have total control over the seasonings and know exactly what goes into it, so its an easy ground beef recipe you can feel good about serving your family.

This ground beef recipe is super simple to make with affordable pantry ingredients, doesnt take much longer than the packaged kind, and its cooked all in one pot for fewer dishes. Of course, theres nothing wrong with eating packaged foods every now and then, but a LOT of people crave homemade Hamburger Helper, so I am here to bring you the best version around thats still budget friendly.

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Start by browning the beef and onion in a large pot or Dutch oven and draining any excess fat, then stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add in the beef broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once its boiling, stir in the uncooked macaroni.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is soaked up. Grate the cheddar while its simmering away. Stir in the cheese, and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Let me know if you give this cheesy Hamburger Helper recipe a go! Questions? Made it? As always, I love it when you leave me comments.

This recipe was originally published on January 17, 2020. Its been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe has ground beef, macaroni, and a flavorful cheesy cheddar sauce! It’s total comfort food that’s inexpensive and ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 5min

Total: 30min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 501 kcal, Carbohydrate 22 g, Protein 44 g, Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 15 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Sodium 1106 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
• Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instruction:

1. Add the beef and onions to a soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef has browned (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as you go along. If there’s a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.
3. Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.
4. Reduce the heat so it’s not furiously boiling (a rapid simmer is good). I ended up cooking mine over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 13-15 minutes). I stir it every couple of minutes.
5. While it’s cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).
6. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed. I let it sit for a couple minutes prior to serving (soaks up the sauce and flavors more), but you can serve it right away.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Pasta, ground beef, and a few go-to spices cook together in one pot to create this cheesy, comforting Homemade Hamburger Helper.

Prep: 10min

Total: 35min

Yield: 6 – 8 serving(s)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (90/10)
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 c. beef broth
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. hot sauce
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 12 oz. large elbow macaroni
• 8 oz. shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/4 lb. yellow American cheese slices, torn into small pieces
• Green onion or chopped parsley, for garnish

Instruction:

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook the ground beef, bacon and onion over medium heat, stirring, until the ground beef is cooked through, the bacon is rendered and the onion is softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, heavy cream, paprika, hot sauce, salt and pepper to the beef mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the cheeses until fully melted and creamy. Garnish with green onion or parsley, if desired.

Laura Vitale Makes Homemade ‘Hamburger Helper’

FAQ

How to make Hamburger Helper better?

1. I think the best way to make HH taste better is to use stock to prepare instead of water.
2. Also enhancing flavors by adding a little extra real cheese at the end, topping with an herb, adding a dollop of sour cream.

How to make a good Hamburger Helper from the box?

Do you use milk and water for Hamburger Helper?

What is the original Hamburger Helper flavor?