This one-pan Homemade Hamburger Helper features ground beef cooked with macaroni in a rich and creamy sauce with cheese. It’s scrumptious, simple, and cooks entirely in a single skillet, even the pasta!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
SO Much Better Than the Box. If you didn’t grow up with the original Hamburger Helper, it’s a boxed mix that contains dry noodles, a spice packet, and a powdered packet for the “sauce.” For this homemade Hamburger Helper, I wanted to honor the original but using real ingredients (I did the same for this Ground Beef Stroganoff). It tastes rich and creamy, and it even has surprising notes of umami.
Perfect for the Entire Family. Comforting, cheesy, and hearty, this is the best homemade hamburger helper recipe for pleasing picky eaters and discerning palates alike.
Budget-Friendly. Like Hamburger Casserole, Hamburger Soup, and Ground Beef and Potatoes, this is an excellent dinner option when you’re trying to stretch your dollar on groceries. (Here are some more Ground Beef Dinner Ideas!)
One-Pan Dinner. The secret to keeping this recipe easy AND achieving maximum creaminess is to cook the noodles in the pan with the other ingredients (just like my Chili Mac and Cheese). As the pasta starches release, they thicken the Hamburger Helper sauce, making it ultra rich and creamy.
5 Star Review
“This is the perfect recipe if you’re looking for simple and delicious. It’s a kid-approved, one pot meal that is just as good leftover as it is hot off the stove.”
— Libby —
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
The Ingredients
Lean Ground Beef. Ground beef gives this dish that classic Hamburger Helper flavor and adds lots of protein to your dinner. You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead if you prefer.
Whole Wheat Pasta. Whole wheat pasta adds nutritional value to the dish and it holds up well during cooking. A short, sturdy noodle is best; I used elbow macaroni, but you could also try making this as a homemade Hamburger Helper with penne, rotini, or rigatoni.
Beef Broth. Using beef broth in this recipe is important for creating the rich, savory sauce flavors.
Carrots + Onion + Garlic. While some recipes call for onion powder and garlic powder, I found that a combination of fresh onion and garlic with carrots helps pack in added nutritional value and creates a deep base of flavor.
Nonfat Greek Yogurt. Instead of homemade Hamburger Helper with cream cheese or sour cream, Greek yogurt is my wholesome way of thickening the sauce and creating a creamy texture.
Cheddar Cheese. While cheddar is my preference for this recipe (it melts well and the lightly sharp flavor gives the sauce dimension), you can swap another melty cheese of your choice. Colby jack, Monetary Jack, or mozzarella will give you a mild flavor. For a spicy Hamburger Helper, try pepper jack.
Hot Sauce. A dash of hot sauce adds the perfect amount of dimension and interest. This recipe isn’t spicy, but if you’d like it to be, you can certainly add more.
Dijon Mustard. The thing that makes you stop and say, “Oooohh, that’sgood!! What is that?” In other words, don’t skip it.
Smoked Paprika. It adds a subtly smoky note.
The Directions
Sauté the Onion and Carrot. Stir in the garlic.
Brown the Beef. Add the hot sauce, Dijon, and paprika. Stir in the beef broth and water. Bring to a boil.
Cook the Pasta. Stir frequently.
Stir in the Yogurt and Cheese. Top with chives or fresh parsley, and ENJOY!
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
To Reheat. Rewarm Hamburger Helper in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or gently in the microwave.
To Freeze. Yes, you can freeze homemade Hamburger Helper! Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Plan Tip
Chop the onion, carrots, and garlic up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
What to Serve With Homemade Hamburger Helper
Salad. Arugula Salad or Green Goddess Salad would be tasty with this easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe.
Bread. Sop up that scrumptious sauce with Drop Biscuits or Cornbread Muffins.
Vegetables. Serve this beef pasta with Roasted Broccoli, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Carrots.
Fruit. While often overlooked at dinnertime, Fruit Salad is a delicious, fresh addition to any meal and extra kid-friendly.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Dutch Oven. An investment piece that’s worth every penny.
Measuring Spoons. These are double-sided, which means fewer dishes to wash.
Spatula. This simple, heat-resistant spatula is one of my most-used items.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Build Big Flavor. Browning the vegetables helps build major flavor for this Hamburger Helper recipe, so don’t skip it! It only takes a few minutes and it’s well worth the extra step.
Don’t Use Egg Noodles. While making Hamburger Helper with egg noodles is traditional for some families, I am hesitant to recommend that shape here (same with homemade Hamburger Helper with spaghetti noodles). Since they are more delicate, I worry they would fall apart.
Grate Your Own Cheese. If possible, I highly recommend grating your own cheddar cheese for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly or taste as rich.
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Homemade Hamburger Helper
This easy homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is a one-skillet dinner with macaroni, ground beef and cheesy sauce. Kids love it and you will too!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Total Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Calories 709kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated
Ingredients
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
1large yellow onioncut into 1/2-inch dice
3medium carrotsscrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
3garlic clovesminced (about 1 tablespoon)
1poundlean ground beef(I used 93% lean)
2 to 3teaspoonshot sauce
1teaspoonDijon mustard
2teaspoonssmoked paprika
1(14-ounce) can reduced sodium beef broth
2cupswaterplus additional as needed
8ounceswhole wheat elbow pasta
1/2cupplain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 1/2cupsgrated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4cupchopped chivesdivided (optional)
Instructions
Heat a Dutch oven or a large, deep 12-inch skillet with a sturdy bottom over medium-low heat. Add the oil onion, carrot, salt, and pepper. Let cook until the onion turns brown and soft, about 10 minutes (don't shortcut this step; it builds a lot of flavor).
Add the garlic and let cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. With the back of a large spoon or a sturdy spatula, break the meat into small pieces. Continue to brown, stirring periodically, until the meat is browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off any excess fat, leaving just a little bit in the pan to keep the meat moist (if you are using meat that is 93% lean, you likely will not need to drain it).
Return the pan to medium-high heat. Stir in the hot sauce, Dijon, and smoked paprika. Add the beef broth. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan.
Add the water and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions, stirring often and scraping a spoon along the bottom of the pan to keep it from sticking. If at any point the pasta becomes too dry, splash in a bit of water.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool 1 minute. Add the Greek yogurt and cheddar. Stir until the cheese is melted and the ingredients are well combined.
Stir in half of the chives, then sprinkle the remaining chives on top. Enjoy hot.
Video
Notes
TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm Hamburger Helper in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
