Julie Clark
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Homemade Hamburger Helper
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For an all-time favorite comfort dish, make our Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe. Made from scratch with ground beef, spices and creamy cheddar cheese.
Welcome to our take on the homemade version of the classic Hamburger Helper! Ditch the box mix and journey back to the roots of home cooking where flavors are rich, ingredients are fresh, and satisfaction is guaranteed.
This easy dinner comes together with ground beef, elbow macaroni and cheddar cheese. Recreate a familiar taste, but without any preservatives or artificial flavors.
It’s guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family, especially if you love one pot meals.
About this Homemade Hamburger Helper Beef Pasta:
- Flavor: This cheeseburger macaroni has a familiar taste, the flavors of garlic, cumin, chili powder, and parsley pair well with the creamy cheddar cheese and ground beef.
- Texture: The sauce cooks up to be creamy and cheesy. It has a great texture without any “chunks”, which is perfect for kids.
- Method: This cooks in a large skillet on the stovetop. It’s a one-pot meal!
The Original Hamburger Helper
About 6 months into our marriage, Matt and I lived in a bedroom of Matt’s grandpa’s house. He was gracious enough to let us crash for about a year while we saved money to buy a house.
Because I didn’t have much time and not a lot of storage space, we lived on Hamburger Helper. I’d buy box mixes at Kroger for 99 cents and it would feed us for 2 days, lunches included.
The original Cheeseburger Macaroni was a favorite flavor of ours, and this easy homemade hamburger helper recipe is a throwback to that original flavor.
Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni. This is the classic shape, but any pasta noodles will work. Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Ground Beef. Or use ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken.
- Chicken Broth. Or beef stock or vegetable broth. It won’t change the flavor much whichever you choose. Choose low sodium and add more salt if needed.
- Onions. White onions are best, but yellow will work too!
- Ketchup. For flavor, because cheeseburger.
- Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese goes well in this recipe. Bonus points if you buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself!
- Seasonings: Parsley, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder. Pantry staples to keep it easy.
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Preparation: Gather all your ingredients and have them within reach. This will make your cooking process smoother and quicker.
- Cook the Ground Beef: In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook until it’s no longer pink and nicely browned, breaking it up into small chunks as you go. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the excess fat if necessary.
- Add the Seasonings: Stir in the diced onion, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, dried parsley and ketchup. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes so the onion starts to soften.
- Mix in Broth: Pour in the chicken broth. Stir everything together and bring to a low boil.
- Add the Macaroni: Stir in the uncooked macaroni. Cover the skillet or Dutch oven and let it simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook until the macaroni is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the macaroni from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Cheese Time!: When the macaroni is cooked to your liking, remove the skillet or Dutch oven from the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it is completely melted.
- Serve: Dish out the homemade hamburger helper while it’s still hot. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley on top for a touch of color.
What else can I put in my hamburger helper?
- Love tomato flavor? Add a can of drained petite diced tomatoes. You can also add a small 8-ounce can of tomato sauce or a couple tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Chopped veggies such as carrots, celery or even cauliflower can extend the recipe to feed more.
- Other seasonings options are: smoked paprika, onion powder
- Make it creamy by adding in ¾ cup of sour cream when you add in the cheese.
- Add bacon for a bacon cheeseburger flavor.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months.
To reheat, place the desired amount in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until heated through. You can also place it in a skillet or saucepan and reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
Make it a meal.
Make this one-pot dinner into a complete meal by adding one or two of the following side dishes:
Homemade Hamburger Helper
For an all-time favorite comfort dish, make our Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe. Made from scratch with ground beef, spices and creamy cheddar cheese.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium white onion diced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 3 cups chicken or beef broth
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni
- 2 ½ cups cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Cook until it's no longer pink and nicely browned, breaking it up into small chunks as you go. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the diced onion, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, dried parsley and ketchup. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes so the onion starts to soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Stir everything together and bring to a low boil.
- Stir in the uncooked macaroni. Cover the skillet or Dutch oven and let it simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook until the macaroni is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the macaroni from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When the macaroni is cooked to your liking, remove the skillet or Dutch oven from the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it is completely melted.
- Dish out the homemade hamburger helper while it's still hot. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top for a touch of color.
- Add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze any leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being ⅙ of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 895IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 547mg | Iron: 4mg
