Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2024)

Home Beef Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

By Natasha

Aug 03, 2022, Updated Feb 22, 2024

4.91

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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.

Try my Simple Ground Beef Casserole or Simple Chili Mac next.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2)

Why you’ll love it

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.

This ground beef recipe is super simple to make with affordable pantry ingredients, doesn’t take much longer than the packaged kind, and it’s cooked all in one pot for fewer dishes. Of course, there’s 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.

What you’ll need

  • Ground beef – I like to use extra lean ground beef, at least 90%
  • Onion – our kitchen prefers Vidalia (sweet) onions
  • Tomato paste – it’s an easy, economical way to get concentrated tomato flavor
  • Garlic powder and chili powder – our simple seasoning blend to infuse savory flavor, and they’re ingredients I always keep in my pantry
  • Elbow macaroni – the classic pasta shape for this
  • Beef broth – for a deeper, richer flavor to the sauce
  • Sharp cheddar cheese – my version of Hamburger Helper has no milk to make it that much easier, and the cheddar makes the dish creamy enough all on its own!
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (3)

Pro tip

One pot recipes can vary depending on your particular stove and ingredients, so if you seem to be running out of liquid with a lot of time still left, feel free to add in a bit more. Try 1/2 cup at a time.

How to make Hamburger Helper

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

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (4)

Start by browning the beef and onion in a large pot 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 it’s boiling, stir in the uncooked macaroni.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (5)

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

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Substitutions and variations

  • Feel free to tweak seasonings to your tastes. You can always increase the chili powder, add some hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes, more garlic, and so on to make it perfect for your taste buds!
  • Some readers like to sneak in a bit of spinach. Just add it in near the end of the cooking time until it wilts. Finely chopped bell peppers would work great as well.
  • If you want to jazz it up, change up the cheese variety. Monterey Jack, smoked cheddar, etc. make some fun variations.
  • You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead if that’s more your thing.
  • If you want to use another pasta shape (e.g. shells), you may need to adjust liquid measurements and/or cooking time (this has only been tested with macaroni).

What to serve with Hamburger Helper

  • It’s definitely a meal in and of itself, but it would go great with a salad on the side. Try one with my Simple Homemade Ranch Dressing or Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
  • Making Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread at home is another fantastic pairing everyone will devour.
  • Want to serve it with some veggies? These Easy Roasted Green Beans are a cinch to make and caramelized to perfection.

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers of this Hamburger Helper will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container, but keep in mind that the pasta will continue to absorb the broth over time. It’ll still be tasty, though.
  • Reheat in a small saucepan over a low heat for best results, giving it the occasional stir, and warm it through. Add in a splash of beef broth to thin it if desired.
  • I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. Cooked pasta doesn’t have the same texture once thawed.

More family friendly recipes

  • Instant Pot Hamburger Mac and Cheese
  • Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
  • Tater Tot Casserole
  • Easy Cheesy Taco Pasta
  • Cheeseburger Soup
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (6)

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.

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (7)

4.91 from 321 votes

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe

By Natasha Bull

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: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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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

Instructions

  • 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.

  • Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.

  • Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.

  • 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.

  • While it's cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).

  • 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.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on the portion size.
  • As with any one pot meal, ingredients and stoves vary. If you’re running out of liquid (like it’s in danger of sticking and burning) when you still have a while to go before the pasta is done, feel free to add in more liquid, 1/2 cup at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 130mg, Sodium: 1106mg, Potassium: 624mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 640IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 437mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

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

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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707 Comments

  1. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (9)
    Made this last night and it was delicious! Husband loved it too. I didn’t have elbow pasta and used 2 cups of rigatoni instead. I will say it needed a lot more liquid and time to cook. But turned out great!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad it worked out, Julianne! Yes – swapping for rigatoni would definitely need more liquid, but I am glad you were able to tweak it on the fly! Thanks for your review! 😀

      Reply

  2. Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (10)
    It came out just like the store bought. Actually better!! Thank you for the recipe!! I will add more noodles next time, because we all wanted seconds.

    Reply

    1. That’s awesome!! 😀 Thank you!

      Reply

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use beef broth instead of water in Hamburger Helper? ›

Easy Hamburger Helper ingredients

Water: or you can use beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth to add extra flavor. Milk: adds to the creaminess along with the cheddar cheese. You could sub sour cream if you were feeling like experimenting in the kitchen.

What spices to add to Hamburger Helper? ›

Don't overwork the beef to keep it tender but do break it down as you stir to combine. Add dry seasonings; Italian seasoning, Lawry's season salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, chili flakes, and a dash of dry mustard. Finish with a few dashes of Crystal hot sauce.

How many cups of water and milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Add 2 1/4 cups of milk and 2 2/3 cups of hot water to the pan, along with the pasta and seasoning mix from the Hamburger Helper package. Stir everything well and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

What was the original Hamburger Helper? ›

The brand made its national debut in August 1971. With five flavors – Beef Noodle, Potato Stroganoff, Hash, Rice Oriental and Chili Tomato, it was an instant success. More than one in four – 27 percent – of U.S. households purchased Hamburger Helper in its first year. It was a bit surprising.

How much milk do you put in a box of Hamburger Helper? ›

You will need: 1 lb Lean Ground Beef or Turkey 2 1/3 cups Hot Water 1 cup Milk Cook: Cook ground meat in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up and stirring. Drain; return cooked meat to skillet. Stir: Stir in hot water, milk, Sauce Mix and Pasta.

What happens if you use water instead of milk in Hamburger Helper? ›

Water: If you're looking for a simple substitute, water can be used in place of milk. While it won't provide the same creaminess, it will still work well in the recipe [2]. Shredded Cheese: Adding shredded cheese to your Hamburger Helper can help thicken the sauce and add extra flavor.

Is Hamburger Helper better with milk or water? ›

Since milk adds a creamy texture to the Hamburger Helper sauce, it or its substitutes are recommended as a major ingredient to flavorful Hamburger Helper meals.

What happens if you don't have enough milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

You can just use water. It won't taste quite as creamy, but you can just add some butter or cheese or whatever to compensate if necessary.

What makes Hamburger Helper taste better? ›

Some ideas that you can try in small batches instead of the whole dish:
  1. Mix in some chopped tomatoes (canned and drained or fresh) and maybe sour cream, ricotta or plain yogurt. ...
  2. I love to mix in frozen peas when I cook my hamburger helper.
Jan 14, 2022

What gives Hamburger Helper flavor? ›

Cheese: Medium cheddar cheese gives it that classic hamburger helper taste, but you could substitute other melty cheese like monterey or pepperjack for something different. Cornstarch: This both thickens the sauce slightly and gives it a silky texture. Paprika: Regular or smoked paprika work well in this recipe.

What should I season my Hamburger Helper meat with? ›

The best seasonings to use for Hamburger Helper are salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.

How do you thicken homemade Hamburger Helper? ›

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.

What is the best substitute for milk in Hamburger Helper? ›

Milk adds a creamy texure and lends its flavor to the sauce in Hamburger Helper. You may not enjoy the results made with only water. Betty's Emrgency Substitutions page suggests a substitution for a cup of milk: 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or nonfat dry milk prepared as directed on package.

Do you season ground beef for Hamburger Helper? ›

Once the ground beef is browned, add steak seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and oregano. Stir well and add the beef broth, milk, tomato sauce, A1 Steak seasoning, and about 2 1/2 cups of pasta. I like to use a spiral pasta, but any pasta you have should work!

What do you add to Hamburger Helper? ›

Here are some recommended swaps and add-ins you can try: Add a boost of veggies: feel free to throw in shredded zucchini, sauteed chopped red bell pepper, or mushrooms or a few cups of chopped spinach! My kids usually never know that it's in there. Spice it up: if you'd like you can add some red pepper flakes on top.

Do you use water or milk for Hamburger Helper? ›

Since milk adds a creamy texture to the Hamburger Helper sauce, it or its substitutes are recommended as a major ingredient to flavorful Hamburger Helper meals. For best results, choose plant milk or a milk substitute that is sweet or savory, depending on the meal type.

Do you use water and milk in Hamburger Helper? ›

Water can be used as a substitute for milk in Hamburger Helper. Keep in mind that using water will result in a more basic flavor profile compared to using milk, as milk adds creaminess and richness. However, it can still produce a tasty and satisfying dish.

How to make Hamburger Helper with water? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 (6 ounce) box Hamburger Helper double cheeseburger macaroni (including macaroni and cheese sauce packets)
  2. 12 1/2 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb pork sausage.
  3. 3 cups water.
  4. 1 12 cups half-and-half.
  5. 12 cup water.

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