Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
Homemade hamburger helper is a creamy, one-pot dinner made with ground beef and macaroni. Ready in 30 minutes and tastes so much better than the box version!
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces uncooked macaroni noodles or small shells
- 2 cups shredded colby jack cheese or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add in the onion and ground beef. Crumble the ground beef then season with salt and pepper. Cook until it's cooked through and the onion is soft, about 6-8 minutes. Remove any excess grease from the pot. I soak it up with paper towels.
- Stir in the dried spices and tomato paste and cook another minute.
- Pour in the pasta, broth, and milk and stir everything together. Bring it to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low or low and simmer for 8-12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Once the cheese is melted taste for seasoning then serve immediately. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
Storage - Store hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze it, however the pasta will be softer and a little mushy once it's been defrosted.
Reheating - Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warm. Add a splash of broth or milk before reheating to bring back the creamy consistency.
Tip: Have extra broth on hand in case it starts to look dry before the pasta has finished cooking. I recommend adding 1/4 cup at a time.
Nutrition
Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 835mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 832IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 426mg | Iron: 3mg