This homemade Hamburger Helper is a one-pot casserole made with ground meat, macaroni and cheese. It's healthier than the boxed version and quick and easy to make!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy pasta dinners you can make in one skillet are the best for busy, hectic or stressful days. This homemade Hamburger Helper is my version of the popular boxed pasta meal. I haven't bought one in years, because making it from scratch is so much better. You only need a few ingredients that most likely are already in your pantry. I hope you love it!
Ingredients:
- ground meat: beef or turkey; leanest you can get
- vegetables: yellow onion and garlic
- spices: chili powder, ground cumin
- tomato sauce: adds tomato flavor to the sauce
- elbow macaroni: the classic pasta for this dish
- water, chicken, or beef stock: necessary for cooking pasta
- cheddar cheese: any kind, I used sharp
How to make homemade hamburger helper?
- Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, in a deep skillet.
- Add ground meat and cook until done.
- Add seasoning and tomato sauce. Stir well.
- Add macaroni.
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- Add liquids and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer until pasta is cooked.
- Stir in cheese and sour cream if desired.
Variations:
- vegetarian: add 2 cups of beans or lentils to sauteed onion and follow the steps in the recipe.
- stroganoff: add 6 oz of mushrooms to sauteed onion, then the meat, and use 1 cup of half and half with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in place of tomato sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and sour cream.
- cheeseburger: add chopped pickles and double the cheese.
- veggie-packed: add shredded carrots, beans, mushrooms, and even broccoli.
Recipe FAQs:
You can make this casserole, cool it completely, place in an aluminum pan, wrap in saran wrap and place it in a Ziploc bag to freeze for up to 3 months.
You can make it up to 3 days in advance. Any leftovers should be refrigerated.
As with any pasta, bread and salad come to mind. I recommend my skillet focaccia and the perfect Caesar salad.
More easy casserole dinners:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Homemade Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 3 cups water or stock See note
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream optional
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, heat up olive oil over medium heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes.1 yellow onion, 2 cloves of garlic
- Add meat and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until no longer pink.1 lb lean ground beef
- Add salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Stir in. Add tomato sauce and stir in.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- Add macaroni and water (or stock) and stir in. Make sure there is no cooked on bits at the bottom of the pan, to preven the dish from burning. If there are, simply scrape it with a wooden spoon. The liquid should help with that.2 cups elbow macaroni, 3 cups water or stock
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer the dish, covered, for 13 to 15 minutes. Stir it every 5 minutes or so.
- Stir in cheese and sour cream if desired.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup sour cream
Notes
- You can use water, beef stock or chicken stock OR a mix of both.
- You can skip the meat and use 2 cups of beans or lentils.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Max says
Tastes way better than the boxed version. Creamy, cheesy, and kid approved.
Thomas B. says
This homemade Hamburger Helper is so comforting and much healthier than the store-bought version. I appreciate that it’s quick, easy, and customizable with different meats and veggies.
Jola says
Exceptionally delicious! Definitely too often I put on the plate 🙂
Christopher says
The best is actually beef. Just delicious
Dana says
This was super delicious and easy to make! I used ground turkey and beef stock, and I definitely recommend including the sour cream to give it the Hamburger Helper taste (but better!)
Anna says
Thank you so much, Dana! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I will be adding sour cream next time too!
Rachael Yerkes says
This is the perfect comfort food! Way better than box helper. so good!
Jen says
This has always been a childhood favorite of mine! Love that I can now give it to my kids but with a healthier spin to it. Thank you!
Sara Welch says
Served this for dinner tonight and it has easily become a new family favorite dish! Looking forward to enjoying leftovers for dinner tomorrow, indeed!